Wednesday Daily Weather Summary

ONLINE DAILY WEATHER SUMMARY

Wednesday, 17 February 1999

INCLEMENT WEATHER ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES
STORMY WEATHER CONTINUES TO PLAGUE THE WEST COAST
TEMPERATURE EXTREMES IN THE LOWER 48
ALASKAN WEATHER
HAWAIIAN WEATHER
HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS

INCLEMENT WEATHER ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES -- A storm system moved eastward across the western Great Lakes on Tuesday. By late night, the low pressure system was located over northern Lower Michigan, with a warm front extending eastward across Ontario, while a cold front trailed southward over the Ohio and lower Mississippi Valleys. An east-west stationary front just to the north of the low ran along the US-Canadian border

A widespread region of rain was located in the southeastern quadrant of the storm, extending from northern Michigan southward to Mississippi and Alabama, while snow was found to the north and west of the low pressure system across Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and northern Wisconsin. Between 3 and 10 inches of lake-enhanced snow fell on Tuesday across portions of the Arrowhead of Minnesota and northern Wisconsin. Farther south along the southern end of the cold front, thunderstorms developed over south Texas in the vicinity of San Antonio.

High temperatures across the Eastern Seaboard were as much as 15 degrees above the average highs for this time of year, since the region was in the warm sector of the storm system. Before the frontal passage, Flint, MI reached a record high temperature of 51 degrees.

This storm system is expected to slowly move east-northeastward, with the low pressure center reaching Georgian Bay by Wednesday morning and the cold front having reached the Appalachians. A wave of low pressure may develop along southern portions of the front and move northward along the front during Wednesday. Several inches of additional snow were expected across the Upper Peninsula and northern portions of the lower Michigan, as well as northern Wisconsin. A mixture of rain and snow or ice pellets (sleet) could fall over the Adirondacks. Rain was forecast elsewhere. Thunderstorm activity was expected along the Gulf Coast on Wednesday.

The clear skies and relatively calm conditions associated with high pressure in the New York metropolitan area should produce dense fog with less than a quarter mile visibility as the air cools quickly to saturation with respect to water vapor.

STORMY WEATHER CONTINUES TO PLAGUE THE WEST COAST -- A very powerful Pacific storm system approached the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday evening, accompanied by strong winds and large quantities of precipitation. The low pressure center was near the northern tip of Vancouver Island, while the accompanying cold front had made landfall along the Washington State and Oregon coasts.

Strong westerly winds produced an onshore flow nearly perpendicular to the coast line that created high seas. Wave heights along the coast near the mouth of the Columbia ranged from 25 to 30 feet. While the threat of coastal flooding had diminished, coastal erosion remained as a concern. Gale warnings were in effect for the Washington and Oregon coasts southward to Cape Mendocino, CA, to include the Strait of Juan de Fuca for gales between 39 and 54 mph. High surf advisories were in effect for much of the West Coast from Cape Shoalwater, WA to Point Piedras Blancas, CA.

Heavy rain fell across the Pacific Northwest and across central California eastward from San Francisco Bay. Some locations in Oregon and California received more than 2 inches of rain within the 24 hours ending on Tuesday evening. As a result of the heavy rains, flood warnings were issued for the Sacramento River in California and other local rivers. Several central California counties had small stream and urban flood advisories.

By Wednesday morning, the storm system was expected to continue to move inland, with a diffuse low pressure center located over Canadian Rockies and a trailing cold front that extended southwestward from western Montana across the Great Basin to near San Francisco Bay in central California. Heavy snow was expected along the Olympics and Cascades, where snow levels should drop to approximately the 2000 foot elevation by Wednesday. Winter storm warnings were posted for these mountain ranges where snow totals of between 12 and 18 inches were forecast. A winter storm warning was in effect for the Sierras above 6000 feet in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe, where as much as a foot of snow was expected by Wednesday. Some locations in the Sierras may expect west winds reaching 60 mph. Other storm warnings were for elevations about 6000 feet in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, while the warning was downgraded to snow and blowing snow advisories for the Bitterroots of western Montana.

TEMPERATURE EXTREMES ACROSS THE LOWER 48 -- On Tuesday, the lowest temperature reported in the continental U.S. was 2 degrees below zero at Devils Lake, ND, while Tuesday's high was 84 degrees at McAllen, TX.

ALASKAN WEATHER -- A large old storm system over the central Bering Sea to the west of Saint Paul Island on Tuesday was responsible for widespread clouds that covered the central Aleutians, the Pribilofs, the western Alaska Peninsula, portions of southwest Alaska, much of the Seward Peninsula and northern Alaska. Snow fell across the Pribilofs, Nome and Kivalina, while snow mixed with rain was reported at Adak. Cold Bay had gusty winds reaching 38 mph and Cape Romanzof had 33 mph gusts. Another storm system was located in the eastern Gulf of Alaska. Clouds associated with this system were found across south central Alaska, the north Gulf coast, and southeast Alaska. Snow was found across the Kenai Peninsula and the Anchorage Bowl, while rain fell over Whittier and Cordova. Gusty winds were found across the southeast, with Ketchikan reporting gusts to 45 mph and Metlakatla to 38 mph. A weak ridge of high pressure extending westward from Canada was responsible for partly cloudy skies across the eastern interior of the state. Relatively clear skies were also reported over Kodiak Island, the eastern Alaska Peninsula and portions of the Yukon and Kuskokwim Valleys.

The state lowest temperature on Tuesday morning was 22 degrees below zero at Northway and the midafternoon high was 49 degrees at Sitka.

HAWAIIAN WEATHER -- The axis of the east-west running ridge of high pressure was located near Kauai on Tuesday, resulting in relatively light and variable winds over the islands. However, easterly trade winds between 10 to 20 mph remained in the vicinity of the Big Island. Dry, cloud-free weather was also the rule, except in the afternoon when the local sea breeze could produce an afternoon cloud and isolated shower over inland locations. Increased surf reaching the islands necessitated the posting of high surf advisories through Wednesday for the north, west and south shores of the islands.

HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS - 17 February

From the files of the Aviation Weather Center, Kansas City, MO and Intellicast

...1930...Eureka, CA reported an all-time record high of 85 degrees, a record which lasted until September of 1983. (The Weather Channel)
...1936...The temperature at McIntosh, SD plunged to 58 degrees below zero to establish a state record low temperature. (David Ludlum)
...1958...The greatest snowstorm of the mid 20th century struck the northeastern U.S. The storm produced 30 inches of snow in interior New England, including more than 19 inches in 24 hours at the Boston Airport. The same storm produced up to three feet of snow in the Middle Atlantic Coast Region, with 14 inches at Washington, DC, and 15.5 inches at Baltimore, MD. The storm resulted in 43 deaths and 500 million dollars damage over the Middle Atlantic Coast States. (David Ludlum)
...1987...A couple of winter storms, one off the Atlantic coast and another over the south central U.S., produced snow and ice from the Mississippi Valley to the Mid Atlantic Coast Region. Freezing rain produced a coat of ice three inches thick in northern South Carolina, and 30,000 homes around Pee Dee were left without electricity. Parts of south central Kentucky were without electricity for three days following the storm, which was their worst in 35 years. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1988...Santa Ana winds in southern California gusted to 63 mph at Ontario. Heavy snow blanketed parts of Colorado, with 11 inches reported at Strontia. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1989...Low pressure off the Washington coast produced more than a foot of snow in the Cascade Mountains, and more than three inches of rain along the Northern Pacific Coast. Spokane, WA was blanketed with 13 inches of snow. Cold arctic air in the Upper Midwest produced all-time record high barometric pressure readings of 31.10 inches at Duluth, MN, 31.09 inches at Minneapolis, MN, and 31.21 inches at Bismarck, ND. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1990...The biggest winter storm of the 1989-90 season hit the Pacific Coast Region. In northern California, snow fell along the coast, and two day totals in the mountains ranged up to 67 inches at Echo Summit. Snowfall totals in the mountains of southern California ranged up to 48 inches at Green Valley, with 46 inches reported at Big Bear. Up to two feet of snow blanketed the southern Cascade Mountains of Oregon, and 20 to 35 inches were reported in the northern Cascades of Oregon. Up to ten inches of snow blanketed Seattle, WA. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)