9-13 August 2004

Water in the Earth System will return for Fall 2004 with new Water News and Investigations files starting during Preview Week, Monday, 30 August 2004. All the current online homepage products will continue to be available throughout the summer break period.

• Monsoon death toll continues to soar in South Asia -- Officials in India reported that as of last Friday as many as 1911 people have died because of the rains during the rainy monsoon season in South Asia, to include 1119 in India, 663 in 663 in Bangladesh, 124 in Nepal and five in Pakistan since June. Most have died because of drowning, mudslides and waterborne diseases. [USA TODAY]
• Drought continues across the Great Basin -- The governor of Utah recently declared much of Utah an agricultural disaster area because of the prolonged six-year drought, and requested the Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture to consider providing federal financial assistance for 21 of 29 counties in the state. [USA Today]
• A new El Niño episode foreseen --- Last Friday, NOAA scientists at the Climate Prediction Center reported that sea surface temperatures over the central equatorial Pacific have increased by approximately one Fahrenheit degree above the long-term July average, indicating the possible start of another El Niño event. A weakening of the trade winds in the eastern Pacific also suggested a possible warm episode. However, caution was issued concerning the possibility of development a major event. [USA Today]

• Gray's hurricane forecast updated -- Dr. William Gray from Colorado State University in Fort Collins has issued an updated forecast for the 2004 North Atlantic hurricane season last Friday. He, along with his colleagues, have amended slightly downward the April 2004 update to include 13 named storms, to include 7 hurricanes with 3 becoming major. For more information and this forecast refer to http://typhoon.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/

• Global and US Hazards/Climate Extremes-- A review and analysis of the global impacts of various weather-related events, including drought, floods and storms during the current month. [NCDC]
• Global Water News Watch -- Other water news sources can be obtained through the SAHRA Project at the University of Arizona [SAHRA Project]
• Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

• 9 August 1988...Tropical Storm Beryl deluged Biloxi with 6.32 inches of rain in 24 hours, and in three days drenched Pascagoula, MS with 15.85 inches of rain. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
• 9 August 1989...Evening thunderstorms in Arizona deluged Yuma with record torrential rains for the second time in two weeks. The rainfall total of 5.25 inches at the Yuma Quartermaster Depot established a 24-hour record, and was nearly double the normal annual rainfall. As many as 1000 homes were flooded with water to 5 feet deep. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
• 9 August 1997...Heavy thunderstorms over central Mojave County in Arizona produced flash flooding near Kingman shortly after midnight. To the east of Kingman, a passenger train was derailed upon crossing a flood-weakened creek and 116 of 302 passengers were injured. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 10-11 August 1831...A violent hurricane devastated Barbados. Death toll was estimated to be from 1500 to 2500 people. (The Weather Doctor)
• 10 August 1856...The Isle Derniere (Last Island) disaster occurred off the coast of Louisiana. A storm tide drowned 140 vacationers as a five-foot wave swept over Low Island during a hurricane. (The Weather Channel) The hurricane completely devastated the fashionable hotel and pleasure resort on Last Island, 150 miles east of Cameron. Storm surge swept an estimated 400 people to their death. Today the island is just a haven for pelicans and other sea birds. (Intellicast)
• 10 August 1980...Hurricane Allen came ashore north of Brownsville, TX dropping fifteen inches of rain near San Antonio, and up to 20 inches in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, ending a summer long drought. Winds at Port Mansfield gusted to 140 mph with a storm surge of 12 feet. Tidal flooding occurred along the South Texas coast. Hurricane Allen packed winds to 150 mph, and also spawned twenty-nine tornadoes. Total damage from the storm was estimated at 750 million dollars. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast)
• 10 August 1981...Up to six inches of rain fell in several hours over the desert in the Moapa Valley of northeast Clark County in Nevada. A massive flash flood resulted, with 762 cows killed on a dairy farm in Hidden Valley. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 11 August 1940...A major hurricane struck Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC causing the worst inland flooding since 1607. (David Ludlum)
• 11 August 1979...Rainfall totals for the previous two weeks were up to 20 inches in parts of India's state of Gujarat. A rain-weakened dam broke on the 11th, resulting in a 20-foot high wall of water that devastated Morovi, and drowning approximately 5000 people. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 11 August 1980...Clouds and moisture from Hurricane Allen provided a brief break from the torrid Texas heat wave, with daily highs mostly in the 70s to lower 90s. (The Weather Channel)
• 11 August 1987...An early evening thunderstorm in Wyoming produced hail up to two inches in diameter from Alva to Hulett. Snowplows had to be used to clear Highway 24 south of Hulett, where hail formed drifts two feet deep. (The National Weather Summary)
• 11 August 1988...Moisture from what remained of Tropical Storm Beryl resulted in torrential rains across eastern Texas. Twelve and a half inches of rain deluged Enterprise, TX, which was more than the amount received there during the previous eight months. (The National Weather Summary)
• 11 August 1989...One of the most severe convective outbreaks of record came to a climax in southern California after four days. Thunderstorms deluged Benton, CA with six inches of rain two days in a row, and the flooding that resulted caused more than a million dollars damage to homes and highways. Thunderstorms around Yellowstone Park, WY produced four inches of rain in twenty minutes resulting in fifteen mudslides. Thunderstorms over Long Island, NY drenched Suffolk County with 8 to 10 inches of rain. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
• 12 August 1778...A Rhode Island hurricane prevented an impending British-French sea battle, and caused extensive damage over southeast New England. (David Ludlum)
• 12 August 1891...An 80-minute deluge, possibly related to a tropical storm system, pelted Vampo, CA with between 11.5 and 11.8 inches of rain. The observer measured, then emptied the rain gauge several times as it filled. No other U.S. storm has come close to producing this much precipitation in an 80-minute span. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 12 August 1955...During the second week of August, hurricanes Connie and Diane produced as much as 19 inches of rain in the northeastern U.S. forcing rivers from Virginia to Massachusetts into a high flood. Westfield, MA was deluged with 18.15 inches of rain in 24 hours, and at Woonsocket, RI the Blackstone River swelled from seventy feet in width to a mile and a half. Connecticut and the Delaware Valley were hardest hit. Total damage in New England was 800 million dollars, and flooding claimed 187 lives. (David Ludlum)
• 12 August 1985...With the span of two hours, 17.32 inches of rain fell at Gajo, Gansu, China, marking a worldwide record rainfall event for such a length of time. (NWS)
• 12 August 1997...A storm three to five miles upstream produced a 10 to 30 foot high wall of water in Antelope Canyon, located approximately 5 miles southeast of Page, AZ. Eleven hikers and tourists died. Only the guide survived, after being carried several miles downstream. All had been warned not to enter the canyon. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 13 August 1923...A flash flood with a crest up to 100 feet high and 200 feet wide swept down Farmington Canyon in Utah. A family of six camping in the canyon were swept away and two women died at Willard when their house was demolished. Some flood survivors were rescued from trees and rooftops. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 13 August 1979...Fifteen yachtsmen died and 23 boats sank or were abandoned as storm-force winds, along with high seas, raked a fleet of yachts participating in an annual race between southwestern England and Fastnet Rock off southwestern Ireland. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 13 August 1987...Thunderstorms deluged the Central Gulf Coast States with torrential rains. Thunderstorms in Mississippi drenched Marion County with up to 15 inches of rain during the morning hours, with 12.2 inches reported at Columbia. Floodwaters swept cars away in the Lakeview subdivision of Columbia when the Lakeview Dam broke. Flash flooding caused more than three million dollars damage in Marion County. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
• 13-14 August 1987...Slow-moving thunderstorms deluged northern and western suburbs of Chicago, IL with torrential rains. O'Hare Airport reported 9.35 inches in 18 hours, easily exceeding the previous 24-hour record of 6.24 inches. The airport was closed due to extensive flooding, the first time ever for a non-winter event. Flooding over a five-day period resulted in 221 million dollars damage. It was Chicago's worst flash flood event, particularly for northern and western sections of the city. Kennedy Expressway became a footpath for thousands of travelers to O'Hare Airport as roads were closed. The heavy rains swelled the Des Plaines River above flood stage, and many persons had to be rescued from stalled vehicles on flooded roads. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) (The Weather Channel) (Intellicast)
• 14 August 1919...Approximately one million tons of ice broke off the leading edge of a glacier near Mont Blanc in France. The ice mixed with rocks downhill. Nine people were buried under the ensuing cataract of ice and rock. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 15 August 1281...The Divine Wind, the Kamikaze, struck down the Chinese fleet attempting an invasion of Japan at Kyushu. This wind was likely due to a typhoon crossing the Sea of Japan. (The Weather Doctor)
• 15 August 1946...Saint Louis, MO was deluged with a record 8.78 inches of rain in 24 hours. (The Weather Channel)
• 15 August 1952...Nine inches of rain fell on already soaked terrain rising 1000 feet above Lynmouth, England. Floodwater and debris containing approximately 200,000 tons of rocks, cascaded down the East and West Lyn Rivers. Cars were swept out into the Bristol Channel. As many as 34 deaths were attributed to this flooding, along with the destruction of 34 bridges. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 15 August 1971...Hurricane Beth soaked Nova Scotia with up to 12 inches of rain. The deluge caused considerable crop damage and swamped highways and bridges, temporarily isolating communities on the eastern mainland of Nova Scotia. (The Weather Doctor)

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Prepared by AMS WES Central Staff and Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D., email hopkins@meteor.wisc.edu
ã Copyright, 2004, The American Meteorological Society.