DATASTREME DAILY SUMMARY
Friday, 15 September 2000
- STORMY WEATHER MOVES EAST
- COOL WEATHER FOR THE UPPER MIDWEST
- HOT WEATHER CONTINUES ACROSS THE WEST
- TEMPERATURE EXTREMES ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL US
- ALASKAN WEATHER
- HAWAIIAN WEATHER
- EYE ON THE TROPICS
- REPORT FROM THE FIELD
- HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS
STORMY WEATHER MOVES EAST -- A cold front that had produced
severe weather across the Midwest on Wednesday night moved eastward
across the Great Lakes on Thursday, accompanied by rainshowers
and thunderstorms. As of Thursday evening the cold front stretched
from a region of low pressure over Lake Ontario southwestward
along the Ohio Valley to the Ozarks and then to the southern Plains.
A widespread region of rain fell ahead of the front from the
St. Lawrence Valley southwestward along the Appalachians to the
Virginias.
Some of the thunderstorms caused wind damage across North Carolina
in the vicinity of Greensboro and Winston-Salem early in the evening.
Because of the heavy rains falling on ground saturated by previous
rains, flash flood watches were posted for southern Pennsylvania.
By Friday morning the low pressure center is forecast to move
eastward, reaching the Adirondacks of Upstate New York. The cold
front is anticipated to reach the Atlantic Seaboard. A slight
risk of severe thunderstorms is anticipated through Friday morning
to be in the area ahead of the advancing cold front that extends
across the Middle Atlantic States from central Pennsylvania southward
into North Carolina. Most of the precipitation should fall across
the Hudson Valley of New York State and much of New England.
As much as one inch of rain could fall across sections of New
England on Friday and early Saturday morning.
In the warm and muggy air to the east of the cold front, Cape
Hatteras, NC tied a record high of 87 degrees on Thursday afternoon.
COOL WEATHER FOR THE UPPER MIDWEST -- A large ridge of
Canadian high pressure followed the cold front into the Midwest
on Thursday. The high pressure system associated with this cool
and dry air mass was centered over North Dakota by early evening.
Light northwesterly winds were found across the western Great
Lakes, bringing cooler weather southward.
The high is expected to drift slowly southeastward, being positioned
over Minnesota by Friday morning. Favorable conditions for extensive
overnight cooling should result because of clear skies and relatively
weak winds near the center of the high pressure system. As a
result, frost advisories were posted for northern Minnesota for
Thursday night and Friday morning.
HOT WEATHER CONTINUES ACROSS THE WEST -- Much of the western
half of the country experienced abnormally warm weather on Thursday.
A persistent large ridge of high pressure that extends several
thousand feet upward above the earth's surface has maintained
the hot and dry conditions with few clouds. Afternoon high temperatures
were as a much as 10 to 15 degrees above average across the northern
Rockies. Numerous daily record highs were either tied or broken
across Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Tucson had
107 degrees that tied the monthly high temperature record for
September and was the highest temperature for so late in the season.
Several stations in northwest Oregon and western Washington State
had record high minimum temperatures on Thursday, to include Portland
with 64 degrees for a low.
In addition to the above average temperatures, Oklahoma City,
OK experienced its record 46th consecutive day without precipitation.
With an afternoon reading of 100 degrees, Oklahoma City registered
its seventh day of 100 degree or higher temperatures during September,
which is a record number. Passage of the cold front on Thursday
should bring some relief with slightly cooler weather, but little
chance for precipitation as drier air is found behind the front.
TEMPERATURE EXTREMES ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL US -- Thursday's
lowest temperature was 29 degrees at Plentywood and Wisdom, MT.
Thursday's highest temperature was 115 degrees at Lake Havasu
City, AZ.
ALASKAN WEATHER -- Skies began to clear at many locations
across southwest and south central Alaska on Thursday as high
pressure pushed into the region. As a result of the clear skies
associated with high pressure, record low temperatures were reached
at Saint Paul Island and Cold Bay on Thursday morning. A weak
trough of low pressure over southeast Alaska was responsible for
some heavy rainshowers, to include some embedded thunderstorms,
between Sitka and Yakutat. Winds in excess of 40 mph were reported
in the Panhandle, to include Juneau. Farther north, scattered
areas of light rain fell across interior Alaska, to include Fairbanks.
With high pressure located across the Beaufort Sea, an onshore
wind produced light snow at Barrow. A mixture of rain and snow
was reported at Kotzebue.
The lowest overnight temperature in Alaska on Thursday morning
was 23 degrees at Anaktuvuk Pass, while the mid-afternoon highest
statewide temperature was 63 degrees at Ketchikan and Big River
Lakes.
HAWAIIAN WEATHER -- While the center of high pressure located
north of Hawaii was moving northeastward away from the islands
on Thursday, high pressure is expected to strengthen on Friday.
As a result easterly trade winds should remain light to moderate
with wind speeds ranging from 10 to 20 mph. Fine trade weather
should also continue with relatively cloud-free skies except for
the windward slopes of the islands where brief showers could develop.
EYE ON THE TROPICS -- Tropical Storm Florence continued
to wander around the western Atlantic Ocean. As of late Thursday
night Florence had sustained winds of 45 mph and was nearly stationary
at a position approximately 510 miles west-southwest of Bermuda.
Tropical storm watches are in effect across Bermuda.
A low pressure system in the Caribbean became Tropical Depression
11, which was located over Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula approximately
110 miles west southwest of Cozumel. Winds associated with this
system were 30 mph.
REPORT FROM THE FIELD -- Wendy Walker, a DataStreme participant
from Cumberland, MD, reported on the severe thunderstorm that
passed through her community in western Maryland on Monday evening.
She said that 3.5 inches of rain fell in less than two hours,
flooding many homes, businesses and city streets on the west side
of town.
HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS - 15 September
From the files of the Aviation Weather Center, Kansas City,
MO and Intellicast
- ...1752...A great hurricane produced a tide along the South
Carolina coast which nearly inundated downtown Charleston. However,
just before the tide reached the city, a shift in the wind caused
the water level to drop five feet in ten minutes. (David Ludlum)
- ...1910...Rains of 0.27 inch on the 14th and 0.73 inch on
the 15th were the earliest and heaviest of record for Fresno,
CA, which, along with much of California, experiences a "rainy
season" in the winter. (The Weather Channel)
- ...1939...The temperature at Detroit, MI soared to 100 degrees
to establish a record for September. (The Weather Channel)
- ...1945...A major hurricane made a direct hit on southern
Florida with wind gusts as high as 170 mph. The Naval Air Station
in Homestead suffered heavy damage with many hangars destroyed.
Four people were killed and damage totaled $55 million. (Intellicast)
- ...1982...A snowstorm over Wyoming produced 16.9 inches at
Lander to establish a 24 hour record for September for that location.
(13th-15th) (The Weather Channel)
- ...1987...The first snow of the season was observed at the
Winter Park ski resort in Colorado early in the day. Eight inches
of snow was reported at the Summit of Mount Evans, along with
wind gusts to 61 mph. Early morning thunderstorms in Texas produced
up to six inches of rain in Real County. Two occupants of a car
drowned, and the other six occupants were injured as it was swept
into Camp Wood Creek, near the town of Leakey. Late afternoon
and evening thunderstorms produced severe weather in central and
northeastern Oklahoma. Wind gusts to 70 mph and golf ball size
hail were reported around Oklahoma City, OK. (National Weather
Summary) (Storm Data)
- ...1988...Thunderstorms brought much needed rains to parts
of the central U.S. Rainfall totals of 2.87 inches at Sioux City,
IA and 4.59 inches at Kansas City, MO were records for the date.
Up to eight inches of rain deluged the Kansas City area, nearly
as much rain as was received the previous eight months. Hurricane
Gilbert, meanwhile, slowly churned toward the U.S./Mexican border.
(The National Weather Summary)
- ...1989...Showers and thunderstorms produced locally heavy
rain in the Central Appalachians. Virgie, VA received 2.60 inches
of rain during the evening hours, and Bartlett, TN was deluged
with 2.75 inches in just ninety minutes. Heavy rain left five
cars partially submerged in high water in a parking lot at Bulls
Gap, TN. Thunderstorms over central North Carolina drenched the
Fayetteville area with four to eight inches of rain between 8
PM and midnight. Flash flooding, and a couple of dam breaks, claimed
the lives of two persons, and caused ten million dollars damage.
Hugo, churning over the waters of the Caribbean, strengthened
to the category of a very dangerous hurricane, packing winds of
150 mph. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)
16 September
- ...1881...Iowa's earliest measurable snow of record fell over
western sections of the state. Four to six inches was reported
between Stuart and Avoca. (The Weather Channel)
- ...1928...Hurricane San Felipe, a monster hurricane, which
left 600 dead in Guadeloupe, and 300 dead in Puerto Rico, struck
West Palm Beach, FL causing enormous damage, and then headed for
Lake Okeechobee. Peak winds were near 150 mph. The high winds
and storm waves broke the eastern dike on Lake Okeechobee, inundating
flat farmland. When the storm was over, the lake covered an area
the size of the state of Delaware, and beneath its waters were
1836 victims. The only survivors were those who reached large
hotels for safety, and a group of fifty people who got onto a
raft to take their chances out in the middle of the lake. (David
Ludlum) (Intellicast)
- ...1933...The Carolina-Virginia hurricane hit Cape Hatteras
with winds to 76 mph. Great wind damage was done in Virginia and
Maryland. Twenty one people died. (Intellicast)
- ...1964...Concord, NH drops to 27 degrees ending the shortest
growing season on record (100 days) . (Intellicast)
- ...1984...The remains of Tropical Storm Edourd began to produce
torrential rains in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Port
Isabel reported more than 21 inches. (The Weather Channel)
- ...1987...Overnight rains soaked Arkansas, with 5.25 inches
reported at Bismarck. In the town of Malvern, up to four feet
of water was reported over several downtown streets, with water
entering some homes and businesses. Thunderstorms in Texas drenched
Lufkin with 4.30 inches of rain in just three hours. Evening thunderstorms
produced severe weather in Missouri. A small tornado near Kirksville
lifted a barn thirty feet into the air and then demolished it.
(The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
- ...1988...Hurricane Gilbert made landfall 120 miles south
of Brownsville, TX in Mexico during the early evening. Winds
gusted to 61 mph at Brownsville, and reached 82 mph at Padre Island.
Six foot tides eroded three to four feet off beaches along the
Lower Texas Coast, leaving the waterline seventy-five feet farther
inland. Rainfall totals ranged up to 8.71 inches at Lamark, TX.
Gilbert caused three million dollars damage along the Lower Texas
Coast, but less than a million dollars damage along the Middle
Texas Coast. During its life, Gilbert established an all-time
record for the western hemisphere with a barometric reading of
26.13 inches. Winds approached 200 mph, with higher gusts. Gilbert
devastated Jamaica and the Yucatan Peninsula. (The National
Weather Summary) (Storm Data) (The Weather Channel)
- ...1989...Showers and thunderstorms, representing what remained
of Hurricane Octave, brought locally heavy rains to California,
impeding the drying process for raisins and other crops. Sacramento,
CA was soaked with 1.53 inches of rain in six hours. At Phoenix,
AZ, the afternoon high of 107 degrees marked a record seventy-six
days with afternoon highs 105 degrees or above. (The National
Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
17 September
- ...1932...Concord, NH was drenched with 5.97 inches of rain
in 24 hours to establish a record for that location (16th- 17th).
(The Weather Channel)
- ...1963...Nearly two and a half inches of rain fell at Yuma,
AZ in 24 hours. This rain, from Tropical Storm Katherina, was
the most intense rain for Yuma during the period between 1909
and 1977. (The Weather Channel)
- ...1965...A storm produced a band of heavy snow across parts
of Wyoming. Totals of 23 inches at Rawlins and 20.7 inches at
Lander easily surpassed previous snowfall record totals for so
early in the season. (15th-17th) (The Weather Channel)
- ...1971...Boulder, CO was buried under 21 inches of snow and
Denver recorded 15.6 inches. Damage to trees and power lines was
extensive due to the wet nature of the snow. Record breaking cold
followed the snow.
- ...1987...Thunderstorms produced large hail, damaging winds,
and heavy rain in the northeastern U.S. Heavy rain in southwestern
Pennsylvania forced evacuation of twenty homes along Four Mile
Run Creek, near Darlington. Harrisburg, PA established a record
for the date with 2.11 inches of rain. A cold front in the central
U.S. brought freezing temperatures to parts of Montana and Wyoming.
(The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
- ...1988...Early in the morning a tornado hit Kelly Air Force
Base in San Antonio, TX injuring three persons and causing twenty-eight
million dollars damage. A second tornado on the northwest side
of San Antonio caused six million dollars damage, and a third
tornado in Bexar County killed one person and injured another.
Thunderstorms associated with Hurricane Gilbert spawned a total
of forty-seven tornadoes in a two day period, with forty of those
tornadoes in central and south central Texas. (Storm Data) (The
National Weather Summary)
- ...1989...Hurricane Hugo hit the Virgin Islands, producing
wind gusts to 97 mph at Saint Croix. Hurricane Hugo passed directly
over the island of Saint Croix causing complete devastation and
essentially cutting off the island from communications. A storm
surge of five to seven feet occurred at Saint Croix. The only
rain gauge left operating, at Caneel Bay, indicated 9.40 inches
in 24 hours. Hurricane Hugo claimed the lives of three persons
at Saint Croix, and caused more than 500 million dollars damage.
A ship, Nightcap, in the harbor of Culebra, measured wind gusts
as high as 170 mph.
A cold front brought high winds to the Great Basin and the Rocky
Mountain Region, and thunderstorms along the cold front produced
wind gusts to 66 mph at Yellowstone Park, WY. (Storm Data) (The
National Weather Summary)
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Prepared by Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D., email
hopkins@meteor.wisc.edu
© Copyright, 2000, The American Meteorological Society.