Wednesday Daily Weather Summary

ONLINE DAILY WEATHER SUMMARY

Wednesday, 3 March 1999

ONE STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE NATION'S MIDSECTION
SEVERE WEATHER ROLLS ACROSS THE GULF COAST
A POTENT STORM MAKES LANDFALL
TEMPERATURE EXTREMES IN THE LOWER 48
ALASKAN WEATHER
HAWAIIAN WEATHER
WHY THE FROST/FREEZE WARNINGS?
HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS

ONE STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE NATION'S MIDSECTION -- A storm system featuring both winter snow and more spring-like weather in the form of severe thunderstorms was the main weather focus over much of the eastern half of the country late on Tuesday night. The storm consisted of an elongated region of low pressure with several low pressure centers that were located along an occluded front that stretched from near the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan's Upper Peninsula south to the Ohio River near Louisville, KY. A warm front extended to the east over eastern Kentucky, while an active cold front trailed to the south-southwest along the Mississippi River into southern Texas before curving northwestward toward southern New Mexico along the Rio Grande Valley.

A large precipitation shield accompanied this storm system, with an area of snow across northern portions of Michigan's Lower Peninsula and much of the eastern Upper Peninsula. Rain was reported to the south and east of the low pressure centers across Indiana and Ohio. Thunderstorms were found in the "warm sector" to the south of the storm system across the lower Mississippi Valley and the Gulf Coast in area between the warm and cold fronts.

This storm system is anticipated to continue its movement to the east, with the southern low pressure centers located over Ohio early on Wednesday morning. Snow is expected to be found across much of the Great Lakes, with the exception of western Lakes Superior and Michigan. Freezing rain may form along the southern shores of Lakes Erie and Ontario. Farther south, rain should be found across the Upper Ohio Valley and the Appalachians. The cold front should be located over the southern Appalachians and extend southward across the Florida Panhandle into the Gulf Coast.

SEVERE WEATHER ROLLS ACROSS THE GULF COAST -- Several clusters of severe thunderstorms formed on Tuesday evening across the western Gulf Coast states from east Texas and Louisiana north and east toward Tennessee. These thunderstorms formed along the southern end of the cold front that accompanied the storm system in the Great Lakes. The thunderstorms produced large hail in Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. Wind damage was reported across the region. Several tornadoes were reported in east Texas, with one destroying a home and causing non-serious injuries north of Beaumont, TX. An unconfirmed tornado did some minor damage in Louisiana. Shreveport, LA reported thunderstorm wind gusts to 68 mph. The thunderstorms were fueled by a low level flow of warm, humid Gulf air carried northward on southerly winds. The eastward moving cold front provided the trigger for these thunderstorms to develop.

During the nighttime hours of early Wednesday, severe thunderstorm watches were in effect for portions of southern Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the western Florida Panhandle. A slight risk of severe thunderstorms is expected on Wednesday along the Eastern Seaboard from Florida northward to northern New Jersey.

A POTENT STORM MAKES LANDFALL -- A powerful storm system with a central pressure of approximately 960 mb was within several hundred miles of the mouth of the Columbia River. The warm front had reached the Oregon Coast, accompanied by a large region of precipitation and strong winds. Heavy snow, with as much as 6 inches, had fallen across eastern Washington during the day on Tuesday. Southerly winds with gusts to 70 mph were reported on Tuesday evening on some of the headlands of Oregon.

The center of this storm system was expected to continue moving toward the northeast, reaching southern Vancouver Island of British Columbia by dawn on Wednesday. The frontal system accompanying this storm system is forecast to continue eastward reaching the northern Rockies of Idaho. High wind warnings had been issued for the Oregon coast, where wind gusts were forecast to reach 100 mph. A variety of storm and gale warnings were in effect for marine interests along the West Coast from Point Arena, CA north to Cape Flattery, WA. Coastal flood warnings were also in effect for the Washington Coast as ocean swells to 30 feet are expected in addition to the high astronomical tides associated the full moon.

A large precipitation shield should remain over the entire Pacific Northwest as of Wednesday morning with heavy rains expected to continue over lower elevations of Washington and Oregon, while lighter amounts should reach southward to San Francisco. Heavy snow is forecast for the Cascades, where a winter storm warning for as much as 18 inches of snow expected by late Wednesday.

To the south, dense fog began to form and move inland across portions of southern California near San Diego.

Record high temperatures were set on Tuesday at Corpus Christi, TX with 98 degrees and in Arizona at Organ Pipe NM (91 degrees) and at Tombstone (83 degrees).

TEMPERATURE EXTREMES ACROSS THE LOWER 48 -- On Tuesday, the lowest temperature reported in the continental U.S. was 8 degrees below zero at West Yellowstone, MT, while Tuesday's high was 99 degrees at McAllen, TX.

ALASKAN WEATHER -- A large ridge of high pressure spread across Alaska on Tuesday, resulting in relatively cloud-free skies and below average temperatures for much of west central and southwestern Alaska. Early afternoon temperatures at Bethel remained below zero. As of late Tuesday evening, the center of the high pressure was situated over the Brooks Range, with the axis of the ridge extending south-southwestward to the Alaska Peninsula.

Frontal clouds and precipitation associated with large storm system near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula stretched across the Bering Sea toward the eastern Aleutians. While the low pressure system over the northern Gulf of Alaska dissipated, a weak trough of low pressure remained along the coast of southeast Alaska and the Panhandle. Snow showers were found along coastal areas along Cook Inlet, the Kenai Peninsula, Prince William Sound and the eastern Gulf coast. Cordova had some heavy snowfall by Tuesday noon.

Kodiak just experienced the second coldest February on record as the average monthly temperature was 21.7 degrees, nearly 9 degrees lower than the 30 year climatological average monthly temperature for February.

Tuesday morning's statewide lowest temperature was 38 degrees below zero at Selawik. The midafternoon highest temperature in the state was 41 degrees at Annette.

HAWAIIAN WEATHER -- A ridge of high pressure moved eastward across the central North Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, within approximately 1500 miles of Hawaii. By late afternoon, the high's position was to the north-northeast of the islands, resulting in the increase in northeasterly winds across the islands. Some thin, high clouds associated with a trough of low pressure to the south of the islands may pass the islands, but relatively few showers are expected through much of the remainder of this week.

WHY THE FROST/FREEZE WARNINGS? -- The calendar indicates that spring is on its way, but undoubtedly frost and freeze warnings will be posted for southern sections of the country during the next month. For more information concerning the terminology, consult the optional Wednesday Supplemental Information .

HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS - 3 March

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

...1896...The temperature in downtown San Francisco, CA fell to 33 degrees, which was the lowest ever for the city in March. (Intellicast)
...1947...Vermont and northwestern Massachusetts had their biggest snowstorm in this century when Readsboro, in southern Vermont, received 50 inches in 3 days, and Peru, in northwestern Massachusetts, received 47 inches in 3 days. (Intellicast)
...1966...An F5 tornado moved through Hinds, Rankin, Scott, and Leake counties in Mississippi. A portion of the city of Jackson was devastated. The death toll was 57 with 504 injured. Damage was set at 18 million dollars. (Intellicast)
...1971...An extremely intense coastal storm blasted the northeastern US on this day and continued into the 4th. The barometric pressure dropped to 960 millibars (28.36 inches) at Worcester, MA for the lowest pressure ever recorded at the location. The same record was set at Concord, NH with a reading of 963 millibars (28.44 inches). Wind gusts 70 to 100 mph lashed eastern New England with major wind damage occurring. Tides ran 4 to 5 feet above normal resulting in extensive coastal damage and beach erosion. Snow amounts exceeded 35 inches in the Adirondacks in northeastern New York and up to 27 inches of snow fell in northern Vermont. (Intellicast)
...1983...The last of a series of storms to strike the California coast finally came to an end. Waves fifteen to twenty feet high pounded the coast for two days, and in a four day period up to 18 inches of rain drenched the Los Angeles and Santa Barbara area. On the morning of the first, thunderstorms spawned two tornadoes which moved through the Los Angeles area. (Storm Data)
...1987...A storm brought heavy rain and gale force winds to Washington and Oregon. Quillayute, WA received 2.67 inches of rain in 24 hours, and winds gusted to 60 mph at Astoria, OR. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1988...A small but intense low pressure system roared across west central Mississippi at 90 mph early in the morning. A tornado in southern Mississippi picked up an automobile, carried it 150 feet, and tossed it through the brick wall of an unoccupied retirement home. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1989...Wintry weather prevailed from the southern Rockies to the Upper Great Lakes. Neguanee, MI received 19 inches of snow, and up to 24 inches of snow blanketed Colorado. Blizzard conditions were reported in Minnesota. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1990...An upper level weather disturbance produced snow in the Colorado Rockies, with eight inches reported at Winter Park, and a storm moving off the Pacific Ocean began to spread rain and snow across the western U.S. March continued to start off "like a lamb" elsewhere around the country. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1991...Freezing rain commenced over central and northwestern New York State late on this day and by the time it ended on the 4th, one to two inches of ice had accumulated in many places, resulting in the most costly natural disaster in the history of the state. Nineteen counties were declared state disaster areas. At one point, nearly 325,000 customers were without power and some did not get power back until the 16th. Storm damage exceeded 375 million dollars. (Intellicast)
...1994...A major coastal storm was in progress over the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Winds gusts hit 75 mph at Dover, DE. Big snows buried interior sections. Two day snowfall totals 33 inches at Burdett, NY, 30 inches at Frankfort Center, NY, 29 inches at Loganton, PA, 26 inches at Jay Peak, VT, and 22 inches at Frostburg, MD. The 8.7 inches of snow at Allentown, PA raised its seasonal snowfall to 69.2 inches for its snowiest winter ever. Boston's 8 inches pushed its seasonal snow to 89.5 inches for its snowiest winter as well. (Intellicast)