Friday Daily Weather Summary

ONLINE DAILY WEATHER SUMMARY

Friday, 19 March 1999

A WINDY STORM MOVES EAST
STORMY CONDITIONS CONTINUED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS
WARM CONDITIONS REPORTED OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES
STORMY CONDITIONS ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST
YESTERDAY'S TEMPERATURE EXTREMES IN THE LOWER 48
ALASKAN WEATHER
HAWAIIAN WEATHER
A PHENOLOGICAL EVENT
WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND?
HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS

A WINDY STORM MOVES EAST -- After enjoying several days of warm weather, residents across the Northeast were buffeted by strong winds that signaled the return to more seasonal temperatures on Thursday. A storm system that contained windy weather and a distinct cold front moved eastward from the northern Great Lakes during the day. By late Thursday night this storm system had two low pressure centers, with the primary low located near Caribou, ME and a secondary center situated over Nova Scotia. This secondary center had become the dominant one, with a cold front that extended southward over the western Atlantic Ocean, before turning westward to cross over the Carolina Coast.

Strong, and damaging winds accompanying this storm system had reached above 60 mph across the western Great Lakes on Wednesday. Winds of slightly lower intensity continued into Thursday. The counterclockwise circulation of air surrounding the low accentuated the temperature contrasts. Prior to frontal passage, many locations along the Eastern Seaboard experienced unseasonably mild weather, with high temperatures for Thursday to the east of the Appalachians approximately 25 degrees above the 30-year climatological average high temperature. Record high temperatures were tied or broken at Raleigh-Durham, NC (80 degrees); Atlantic City (State Marina), NJ (71 degrees); Providence, RI (71 degrees); in Connecticut at Hartford (70 degrees) and Bridgeport ( 68 degrees); and in Massachusetts at Blue Hill Observatory (68 degrees) and Worcester ( 65 degrees). The records at Worcester and Hartford were tied during the morning hours, as the result of warm air advection. In the northwesterly wind flow to the west of the front, temperatures were some 10 to 20 degrees colder. Wind-chill equivalent temperatures were near zero degrees.

As the storm system had little available moisture, only light snow and rainshowers accompanied this system across the northern Great Lakes toward northern New England. Scattered areas of light snow and rainshowers moved eastward across the Great Lakes and northern New England. However, as the system began drawing moisture from the Atlantic, the amount of precipitation began to increase. As of late Thursday, snow continued over the Adirondacks of Upstate New York, the Green Mountains of Vermont and extreme northern Maine.

STORMY CONDITIONS CONTINUED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS --An extremely slow moving storm system continued to plague Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado on Thursday night. The storm consisted of a low pressure center that was located over southern Texas, along with the western end of the stationary front that stretched across north Texas.

In the warm air on the east side of the low, heavy rains and thunderstorms continued across the Lone Star State, extending northward into Oklahoma. Some of the thunderstorms contained hail. These heavy rains caused flooding across north Texas since numerous thunderstorms passed over the same area in what is known as "training". Some locations in the central Hill Country received more than 4 inches of rain. As of late afternoon, a new daily rainfall record of 1.39 inches had been set at Wichita Falls, more than three times the previous record for the date. With additional rainfall expected, flash flood watch was continued. In some areas of the state, the rains would have been welcome, especially to the west of the Pecos where drought conditions have been experienced.

A cold pool of air was found to the west of the surface low pressure feature. Afternoon high temperatures across the southern Rockies of New Mexico, extending into the Texas Panhandle were more than 25 degrees below the average high for the date. Some locations in the mountains of New Mexico had received nearly a foot of snow. Heavy snow was expected to continue overnight in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico and southern Colorado, eastward across the high Plains of the Texas Panhandle, where 4 more inches could fall, and southwest Kansas, where ice pellets and freezing rain could fall before turning to snow.

This storm system is expected to continue its slow move eastward, with the low pressure center reaching to near Austin by sunrise on Friday. A slight threat of severe thunderstorms is expected to continue in the warm sector, stretching across central and east Texas.

WARM CONDITIONS REPORTED OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES -- High pressure with sunny skies helped afternoon high temperatures reach readings that were 20 degrees above the average highs across the northern Rockies. A record high temperature of 63 degrees was reached at Rawlins, WY.

STORMY CONDITIONS ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST -- A storm system was located to the west of Cape Mendocino, CA on Thursday night. This storm had gale force winds. As this system approached to coast, heavy rains were expected to move inland along the coast stretching from southern Oregon to central California. Heavy snow should fall along the Sierras and the Oregon Siskiyous.

YESTERDAY'S TEMPERATURE EXTREMES IN THE LOWER 48 -- The lowest temperature on Thursday was 2 degrees below zero at West Yellowstone, MT. Thursday's high was 84 degrees at McAllen, TX and Goldsboro, NC.

ALASKAN WEATHER -- An intense storm system with a central pressure of 952 mb as of late Thursday afternoon was moving to the northeast over the North Pacific Ocean just south of the Aleutians. The low pressure center was located south of Cold Bay and an occluded front spiraled outward from the center, first curving northeastward crossing the Alaska Peninsula and Bristol Bay, then turning toward the southeast across Kodiak Island and finally curving southwestward to a point of occlusion over the Gulf of Alaska. A very strong pressure gradient surrounding this storm system generated strong winds across the Aleutians and Pribilofs where gusts ranged between 55 and 65 mph, and across Bristol Bay and the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, where gusts reached 30 mph. This storm system was producing heavy precipitation in the form of snow, rain and a mixture of rain and snow across the Aleutians and Kodiak Island. As of late afternoon, Cold Bay had received 1.12 inches of precipitation. In fact, on Wednesday, 7.9 inches of snow fell at Cold Bay, a new 24 hour snowfall record for the date, with heavy snow continuing into Thursday morning. The snow coupled with the strong winds produced blizzard conditions especially across the Aleutians. A stationary front stretched along the north slope of the Alaska Range to north of Anchorage. Snow fell along the south central coast. While clouds covered the southwestern Alaska and the Gulf Coast, elsewhere partly cloudy skies where found across portions of the interior where a stationary front was situated.

The lowest overnight temperature in the state on Thursday morning was 36 degrees below zero at Buckland. The highest afternoon temperature was 45 degrees at Annette Island, Ketchikan, Klawock, Metlakatla and Port Alexander.

HAWAIIAN WEATHER -- A ridge of high pressure located within 1000 miles to the north of Hawaii on Thursday afternoon was moving toward the east and weakening. However, northeasterly trade winds continued to remain gusty across the islands, with passing showers, especially on the windward slopes of the islands. This trade pattern is expected to continue through the weekend. Another high pressure cell located to the west of the Dateline is expected to pass north of the islands on Sunday following the passage of a shear line that in reality is a cold front currently located to the northwest of the islands. Ocean swell generated by a deep storm system located northeast of Japan at midweek moved toward the islands. High surf reaching as high as 20 feet at some locations is expected along the northwest facing beaches on Friday night into Saturday. Small craft advisories were in effect for state waters.

A PHENOLOGICAL EVENT -- According to legend, Friday marks the day when the shallows to San Juan Capistrano, CA and the buzzards return to Hinkley, OH.

WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND? -- The planets Venus and Saturn will appear to be separated by approximately 2 degrees ( slightly more than 4 moon diameters of one another) in the evening sky just after sunset tonight. Venus is the brighter object. If you are outside and your sky is relatively cloud-free to the west, take a look.

Are you prepared to observe the passage of the vernal (or spring) equinox? Have you noted that the length of daylight is now just slightly more than 12 hours and that the sun sets on the western horizon? The vernal equinox will occur during the evening hours of Saturday across the continental US, or more specifically at 0146Z on 21 March 1999 (8:46 PM EST).

HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS - 19 March

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

...1950...Timberline Lodge reported 246 inches of snow on the ground, a record for the state of Oregon. (The Weather Channel)
...1935...Suffocating dust storms occurred frequently in southeastern Colorado between the 12th and the 25th of the month. Six people died, and many livestock starved or suffocated. Up to six feet of dust covered the ground. Schools were closed, and many rural homes were deserted by tenants. (The Weather Channel)
...1948...An F4 tornado moved through Fosterburg, Bunker Hill, and Gillespie, IL, killing 33 people and injuring 449. Two thousand buildings in Bunker Hill were damaged or destroyed. Total damage was 3.6 million dollars. (Intellicast)
...1956...The second heavy snowstorm in just three days hit Boston, where 13 inches of snow was recorded. Traffic was paralyzed. Nearby Blue Hill received 19.5 inches contributing to their snowiest March of record. Twenty inches of snow fell at Putnam, CT. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast)
...1984...A major winter storm produced blizzard conditions in northwestern Kansas and southern Nebraska. This storm, which began affecting the region on the 18th, dumped 10 to 20 inches of snow over the above mentioned areas. A severe ice storm occurred in northeastern Kansas with 1 inch ice accumulations common. The 1400 foot radio tower for KLDH-TV near Topeka buckled and then collapsed from the weight of a 3 inch coating of ice. This ice storm ranks as one of the worst ever to hit Kansas. (Intellicast)
...1987...A storm in the western U.S. produced rain and snow from the northern and central Pacific coast to the northern and central Rockies. Heavier snowfall totals included 13 inches at Clear Creek, UT, 12 inches at Snow Camp, CA and Glacier Park, MT, and 10 inches at Kayenta, AZ. Wind gusts reached 54 mph at Winslow, AZ. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1988...Seven cities in California and Nevada reported record high temperatures for the date as readings soared into the 80s and lower 90s. Los Angeles, CA reported a record high of 89 degrees. Five cities in south central Texas reported record lows, including El Paso, with a reading of 22 degrees. (The National Weather Summary)
...1989...Six cities reported new record low temperatures for the date as cold arctic air settled into the Upper Midwest for Palm Sunday, including Marquette, MI with a reading of 11 degrees below zero. (The National Weather Summary)
...1990...Rather wintry weather in the eastern U.S. replaced the 80 degree weather of the previous week. Freezing temperatures were reported in northern sections of the Gulf Coast States, and snow began to whiten the Northern and Central Appalachians. Up to eight inches of snow was reported in western Virginia. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

20 March

...1924...A late winter storm in Oklahoma produced nearly a foot of snow at Oklahoma City and at Tulsa. (David Ludlum)
...1948... An F3 tornado tracked through Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, OK and destroyed 52 aircraft. More than 10 million dollars damage was done making this the costliest tornado on record up to the time in Oklahoma.
The city of Juneau received 31 inches of snow in 24 hours, a record for the Alaska capitol. (20th-21st) (David Ludlum) (Intellicast)
...1984...A severe three day winter storm came to an end over the Central Plains. The storm produced up to twenty inches of snow in Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas, and left a thick coat of ice from eastern Kansas across northwestern Missouri into Iowa. (Storm Data)
...1987...A storm produced blizzard conditions in Wyoming and eastern Nebraska, and severe thunderstorms in central Nebraska. Snowfall totals ranged up to 12 inches at Glenrock, WY and Chadron, NE. Thunderstorms in central Nebraska produced wind gusts to 69 mph at Valentine, and wind gusts to 76 mph at Bartley. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)
...1988...Squalls in the Great Lakes Region left up to eight inches of new snow on the ground in time for the official start of spring. Unseasonably warm weather prevailed in the western U.S. Seven cities reported new record high temperatures for the date, including Tucson, AZ with a reading of 89 degrees. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)
...1989...Snow and high winds created blizzard conditions in western Kansas to usher in the official start of the spring season. Thunderstorms produced severe weather from east Texas to Alabama and northwest Florida, with nearly fifty reports of large hail and damaging winds during the afternoon and evening hours. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1990...The northeastern U.S. was in the midst of a snowstorm as spring officially began at 4:19 PM. Snowfall totals in the Green Mountains of Vermont ranged up to thirty inches, and up to 15 inches of snow was reported in the Catskills and Adirondacks of eastern New York State. Totals in eastern Pennsylvania ranged up to 12 inches at Armenia Mountain. The storm resulted in one death, and forty-nine injuries. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

21 March

...1932...A tornado swarm occurred in the Deep South. Between late afternoon and early the next morning severe thunderstorms spawned 31 tornadoes in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee. The tornadoes killed 334 persons and injured 1784 others. Northern Alabama was hardest hit. Tornadoes in Alabama killed 286 persons and caused five million dollars damage. (David Ludlum)
...1952...Severe thunderstorms spawned thirty-one tornadoes across Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama and Kentucky. The tornadoes killed 343 persons and caused 15 million dollars damage. Arkansas and Tennessee each reported thirteen tornadoes. The towns of Judsonia, AR and Henderson, TN were nearly wiped off the map in what proved to be the worst tornado outbreak of record for Arkansas. A tornado, one and a half miles wide at times, left a church the only undamaged building at Judsonia. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
...1987...A winter storm in the Northern High Plains Region produced blizzard conditions in western South Dakota. Winds gusted to 70 mph at Rapid City, SD, and snowfall totals ranged up to 20 inches at Lead, SD. The high winds produced snow drifts six feet high. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1988...Bitterly cold weather prevailed across the northeastern U.S. Portland, ME reported their coldest spring day of record with a morning low of 5 above, and an afternoon high of just 21 degrees. Marquette, MI reported a record low of 15 degrees below zero. (The National Weather Summary) (The Weather Channel)
...1989...Snow blanketed the northeastern U.S. early in the day, with six inches reported at Rutland, VT. Morning and afternoon thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds from southwestern Mississippi to southwest Georgia. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1990...The first full day of spring was a cold one for the eastern U.S. Freezing temperatures damaged 62 percent of the peach crop in upstate South Carolina, and 72 percent of the peach crop in the ridge area of South Carolina. Elkins, WV, which a week earlier reported a record high of 82 degrees, was the cold spot in the nation with a morning low of 16 degrees. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)
...1992...Intense snow squalls associated with a stalled cold front buried Kennebunkport, ME under 14 inches of snow in only 4 hours. Goose Rocks Beach reported an amazing two feet in the same time period. Portland, ME recorded 4 inches of snow in just one hour with a total of 11.4 inches. Nearly 6 inches of snow fell in one hour in the Beverly, MA area, resulting in a 27 car pile up on route 128 and the closing down of the route for 1.5 hours. (Intellicast)