February 2009 National Storm Summary
- From: Jim <jamesmunley@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:19:59 -0700 (PDT)
NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY
FEBRUARY 2009
1st-10th…Today's main weather activity occurred across the Eastern US
as a strong cold front and warm front produced a mixture of showers
and thunderstorms across the Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast. A cold
front that extended from the Northeast through the Lower Mississippi
Valley produced light to moderate snow showers over the Ohio and
Tennessee Valleys and the Mid-Atlantic as it trekked toward the East
Coast today. Brief periods of heavy snowfall were also reported across
areas of Tennessee. The eastern regions of the Ohio and Tennessee
Valleys were placed under Winter Storm Warnings. To the south, a low
pressure system over the eastern Gulf of Mexico supported numerous
showers and thunderstorms as an associated warm front stretched across
central-southern Florida. Large areas of showers pushed northeastward
across the Florida Peninsula at about 30 mph. Locations along the
leading edge of the system received winds of up to 35 mph with periods
of heavy rainfall. Strong thunderstorm activity and brief heavy
downpours were detected over southwestern Florida and the Florida
Keys. A line of storms detected over the Gulf of Mexico created an
increased risk for additional torrential downpours and cloud to ground
lightning strikes across these areas.
Active weather remained in the West as California received some much-
needed snow in an already dry winter season. Considerable rain and
high elevation snow fell once again in the state. Winter Storm
Warnings were posted for parts of the Sierra Nevadas as several inches
of snow fell and snow levels dropped. Flood Watches were posted for
some mountainous areas of Southern California as the ground was
already saturated with previous rainfall. Farther to the north, more
rain and high elevation snow fell through the Northwest and the
Cascade Mountains.
8th-14th…Two storm systems have caused significant weather activity
across the Central and Western US today. A strong storm system over
the Central US caused significant amounts of mixed precipitation and
storm activity across the Plains this afternoon. The system began the
day deepening over eastern Colorado and then lifted northeastward to
the Nebraska-South Dakota border by the afternoon. A large area of
rain, sleet, and snow has been detected across the Northern Plains.
Localized areas of heavy rainfall were also embedded within this
region. Gusty, northwest winds with speeds ranging from 25 to 40 mph
have also accompanied shower activity. Meanwhile, an associated cold
front caused a band of rain showers with isolated thunderstorms across
the Mississippi Valleys. To the west, another storm system produced
mixed precipitation, thunderstorms, small hail, and dense fog coverage
over areas of the Intermountains and across areas of the Southwest. A
low pressure system triggered light to moderate rain and snow showers
as it pushed through Nevada today.
A tornado damaged homes and businesses in the Oklahoma City area
Tuesday afternoon, carving a path of destruction several miles long.
No serious injuries were reported. Six homes were damaged or destroyed
near Edmond, a suburb north of Oklahoma City. Several businesses
reported damage in both cities. "We are trying to dodge our storms and
keep responders safe, so it is taking some time to get confirmation of
damages," said Claudia Deakins, city spokeswoman in Edmond. The
tornado damaged an Edmond business park, turning a body shop and the
vehicles inside into a twisted ball of metal. Shop manager Michael
Jerry said he went home to eat and watch the weather reports as the
storm moved into the area. "It's just surreal," Jerry said. "You just
don't believe it. Especially knowing you were just there minutes
before. The steel girders are in a ball." In northwest Oklahoma City,
one wall of a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant collapsed and windows were
blown out, Fire Chief Brian Stanaland said.
Signs were stripped and cars were damaged in the parking lot. A large
section of roof was blown off an apartment building and part of a wall
was blown off another. Cars were shifted by the wind and smashed into
each other. Power lines littered an intersection where motorists were
told to stay in their cars until crews could clear the lines. Oklahoma
Gas and Electric spokesman Brian Alford said about 14,000 customers
lost power. Lara O'Leary, a spokeswoman for Emergency Management
Services Authority, said three minor injuries were reported. National
Weather Service meteorologist Rick Smith said one tornado touched down
in the city about 3 p.m., moved toward Edmond and north into a rural
area. The path covered several miles. Winds of more than 60 mph caused
dust storms in western Texas that reduced visibility so much some
roads have been closed, the National Weather Service said. Cody
Lindsey, a meteorologist in Midland, said the winds were expected to
last through early evening.
Two strong low pressure systems brought active winter weather to the
country on Wednesday. A system moved from the Southern Plains and
towards the Great Lakes, which produced a warm front that moved up the
Ohio River Valley and a cold front that extended into the Southeast.
The warm front brought heavy rain and a few scattered thunderstorms to
the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys with 2.17 inches reported
in Forest, Indiana. Tornadoes have not yet been reported, but hail was
spotted in Crawford, Illinois. Flood watches were issued for these
areas as this system moved slowly throughout the day. Damaging winds
struck Kentucky and Tennessee, with gusts greater than 65 mph across
these areas. Reported in Carthage, Tennessee, a barn roof was
completely blown off and landed in a field. Wet weather persisted on
the West Coast due to another low pressure system moving in from the
Gulf of Alaska. This system pushed a cold front over the Pacific
Northwest and California, which kicked up scattered showers with 0.75
inches of rain reported in Arcata, CA. The Cascades and Sierras saw
plenty of snow from this system, with new snowfall accumulation
between 6 to 10 inches above 2500 feet.
Active weather took place across the nation on Friday. The Central
Plains saw the most serious weather as a snowstorm moved out of
Colorado into Nebraska and Iowa where it dropped heavy snow throughout
the day. Snow accumulations up to 8 inches were reported, with
widespread reports of over 4 inches. By late afternoon, precipitation
had begun to taper off in most areas, though portions of Iowa
continued to experience moderate snow with visibilities reduced to
around 1000 feet. The Gulf Coast also saw wet weather Friday as a warm
front lifted out of the Gulf of Mexico. Steady heavy rain was reported
throughout southern Mississippi and Alabama and thunderstorms rumbled
across Louisiana and Southeastern Texas. In the West, California also
saw rain and snow as an intense Pacific storm moved ashore in the
overnight hours. Moderate to heavy rain fell below around 2000 feet
throughout much of the state, but at higher elevations, heavy snow was
reported. In the Sierra Nevada mountains, a heavy band of snow moved
through the region around mid-day dropping about 2 inches per hour.
15th-21st…A Pacific storm system located just off the northern
California shoreline continued to produce heavy winter precipitation
across central and southern California today. Heavy rainfall was
detected along the central and southern coast and valleys, while
strong southerly-southwesterly flow produced abundant snowfall across
the mountains and high elevations. Isolated thunderstorms and 15 to 30
mph winds with wind gusts of up to 40 mph accompanied heavy rainfall
rates of one-half inch per hour across southern California. Elsewhere,
isolated thunderstorms accompanied lighter rain showers with rainfall
rates of one-tenth inch per hour across the inner valleys and
foothills. Areas along the southern California Coast were placed under
Flash Flood Watches and Flood Advisories. Meanwhile, veering winds
assisted in producing significant snowfall over the Sierras and the
Tehachapi mountain vicinities. The mountain regions and higher
elevations of California remained under Winter Storm Warnings and
Winter Weather Advisories.
A strong winter storm moved from the Central Plains up the Ohio River
Valley on Wednesday. This system produced a warm front that extended
from Ohio, through the Tennessee Valley, and into the Southeast, which
brought light rain and kicked up scattered thunderstorms. These storms
turned severe over the Ohio Valley with multiple hail reports ranging
from golf ball sized in Allen, Kentucky, to penny size in Oak Grove,
Kentucky. In Richmond, Kentucky, hail covered the ground at two inches
deep. Strong winds have also been reported, but none of which have
reached severe strength. Campbellsville, Kentucky saw 26 mph winds
with gusts up to 35 mph.
One person was killed and at least 16 were injured when fierce
thunderstorms swept Georgia and Alabama, bringing tornadoes, hail and
lightning and downing trees and power lines, authorities said
Thursday.
At least three tornadoes touched down in central Georgia when the
storms swept through overnight, according to National Weather Service
teams who rolled out after daylight to determine if twisters had hit
based on the damage. The storms gutted homes, and destroyed a
nightclub and damaged schools. Most of the 143-year-old Hickory Grove
Missionary Baptist Church, which is across the street from Baker's
home, was leveled and nearby graves were uprooted by toppled trees.
Kent McMullen, a meteorologist with the weather service in Peachtree
City, said one confirmed tornado cut a 7-mile swath through rural
Jasper County with winds of up to 100 mph. At least 10 people were
injured and as many as 100 structures were damaged in Jasper County,
emergency managers said.
Two other twisters touched down in Taylor County and at Robins Air
Force Base in Warner Robins, south of Macon, McMullen said. In
Alabama, an apparent tornado uprooted trees in Geneva near the Florida
line. No injuries were reported. The storms also damaged at least two
schools in Fayette County south of Atlanta. Across Georgia, roughly
13,400 homes and businesses lost power during the height of the storm.
Much of it was restored by Thursday morning. The storms might just be
a preview of the spring tornado season. A record outbreak of 21
tornadoes struck the state on March 1, 2007, wrecking a hospital in
Americus and killing nine people. A tornado struck downtown Atlanta on
March 14 last year, causing millions of dollars in damage, and some
buildings still have broken windows.
22nd-28th…The nation's main weather stories occurred over the Western
US today. Northern California continued to see showery weather as
leftover boundary layer moisture produced scattered rain showers
across the coast and valleys with limited snowfall over the higher
elevations. Plumes of moisture spread southward and triggered bands of
rainfall across southern California as well. Moist instability along
the California shoreline made conditions favorable for isolated
thunderstorms, small hail development, and brief periods of heavy
downpours. Thus far, several instances of isolated thunderstorms have
been reported along the southern California Coast, with a lightning
strike reported over Santa Catalina Island. Strong southerly winds
sustained at about 25 mph with gusts to around 40 mph also accompanied
showers across the central and southern valleys. The central valleys
remained under a Wind Advisory, while the higher elevations of
northern California remained under a Winter Storm Warning.
The Pacific Northwest also saw wet weather conditions this afternoon.
A cold front associated with a low pressure system located off the
Northwest Coast produced healthy onshore flow and instigated shower
activity across the Pacific Northwest. Strong, south winds with gusts
to 60 mph caused areas along the Pacific Northwest Coast to be placed
under a High Wind Advisory.
Active weather persisted across the Eastern and Western US on
Wednesday. Starting in the West, a low pressure system moved into the
Pacific Northwest from the Gulf of Alaska and brought extremely cold
northern air with it. This cold air mass created a cold front lowered
snow levels in the mountains and triggered light rain over lower
elevations of Washington, Oregon, and northern California. In
Portland, Oregon 0.29 inches of rain has been reported, with 6-10
inches of snow in the Cascades.
The most active weather in the country remained in the East on
Saturday. This was due to a frontal system that moved very slowly
through the Southeast and off the eastern seaboard. As the northern
edge of the front moved off the East Coast, precipitation ended in New
England and the Mid-Atlantic. The heaviest precipitation occurred in
the Southeast due to a developing low pressure system that developed
along the frontal system. This precipitation included heavy rain and
thunderstorms that spawned several tornadoes in Alabama. There were
also several reports of wind damage due to thunderstorms in Georgia.
Tornado Watches remained posted in southern Georgia and Florida late
into the afternoon.
.
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