March 2009 Global Weather Highlights
- From: Jim <jamesmunley@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:52:18 -0700 (PDT)
GLOBAL WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS
MARCH 2009
UNITED STATES
West and East
Moderate to severe drought was present across the West and parts of
the eastern United States. Meanwhile, severe to exceptional drought
conditions engulfed much of Texas. As of March 31, 25% of the
contiguous U.S. was in moderate to exceptional drought according to
the U.S. Drought Monitor. This includes 28% of the western U.S., 48%
of the South, 8% of the High Plains, and 35% of the Southeast.
In the United States, parts of Bismarck, North Dakota experienced
localized flooding during the week of March 22. The flooding, which
resulted when an ice jam obstructed the Missouri River, was the
Bismarck
area's first major flood event since the 1950s (Associated Press).
Parts of Bismarck, North Dakota experienced localized flooding during
the week of March 22. The flooding, which resulted when an ice jam
obstructed the Missouri River, was the Bismarck area's first major
flood event since the 1950s (Associated Press).
In the northern Plains, saturated and frozen ground, exacerbated by
snowmelt and additional snowfall, caused the Red River along the North
Dakota and Minnesota border to swell. On March 28, the river crested
in Fargo at a record level of 12.4 m (40.8 feet), just 0.2 m (9.0
inches) below the city's highest levees and surpassing its previous
record of 12.2 m (40.1 feet) set in 1897 (AFP). An estimated 3,500
people were evacuated from the area and as many as 25,000 more were
expected to leave. A state of emergency was declared in North Dakota
and Minnesota (AFP). As of March 31, two fatalities, 50 injuries, and
82 rescues were reported in flood-related incidents (CNN).
Severe storms raked the Midwestern U.S., spawning 25 preliminary
reports of tornadoes on March 8. In Fayetteville, Indiana, vicious
winds damaged
19 homes and destroyed 3 others and, according to reports, the high
winds tossed a vacant school bus onto a building. In Columbia City,
Indiana, three trailers were destroyed with 20 others damaged at a
mobile home park. The storms were also responsible for other damaged
homes across the Midwest and for downing power lines that resulted in
thousands of people losing electricity across central Illinois
(Associated Press).
Spring storms on March 28 brought a mix of severe weather which
extended from the Great Plains down to the Gulf Coast. In Kansas and
Oklahoma, heavy bands dumped several feet of snow and brought brief
periods of thundersnow. In neighboring Missouri, freezing rain and
snow caused a 2-hour closure of the Kansas City International Airport.
Several meat plants, including Tyson Foods Inc., were forced to stop
operations (Reuters). While winter weather blanketed these states,
thunderstorms and flash floods tore through Alabama and Mississippi,
leaving up to 431.8 mm (17 inches) of rain within a 3-day period in
some areas. In Biloxi, more than 200 homes sustained flood damage and
hundreds of roads in the area were deemed impassable due to washouts.
Overall, two snow-related fatalities were reported in Kansas and three
injuries in Tennessee from wind damage. Only two days before, nearly
30 injuries were reported in south-central Mississippi from a tornado
outbreak across the South (Associated Press).
A major winter snowstorm affected the eastern United States during
March 1-2, blanketing the region and bringing high winds. The storm
stretched from northwestern Georgia to New Hampshire, producing
treacherous conditions that caused the cancellation of schools and
nearly 1,000 flights, and left hundreds of thousands of residents
without power (Associated Press/Reuters). Snow accumulations up to
30.5 cm (12.0 inches) were recorded across parts of the affected
regions, with more than 170 daily snowfall records set during this
period. The storm was blamed for more than 400 storm-related traffic
accidents across the northeastern U.S., with four resulting in deaths
(Associated Press).
A spring blizzard struck parts of the southern Plains during March
26-28, dumping as much as 38.1 cm (15.0 inches) of snow in northern
Texas in western Oklahoma, and over 50.8 cm (20.0 inches) across
parts of Kansas Amarillo, TX received 27.9 cm (11.0 inches) of snow
during the event, ranking as the fifth largest snowfall from a
snowstorm in Amarillo during the month of March. The storm was blamed
for two deaths in Kansas, and two traffic-related fatalities and for
leaving nearly 6,000 residents without power in Oklahoma (Associated
Press). In Texas, the blizzard was responsible for closing major
highways and causing numerous accidents. However, no fatalities were
reported in Texas. Twenty new all-time snowfall records were
established and eight were tied during March 2009.
On March 30-31, a large storm system affected the northern Plains
causing blizzard conditions from Colorado into west central Minnesota.
It was the second snowstorm to hit the region within a week's time.
Snow totals of over a foot were common, with as much as 68.6 cm (27.0
inches) in some locations. These significant accumulations combined
with high winds to create snowdrifts up to 1.8 m (6.0 feet) in such
areas as Sheridan, Wyoming. In Fargo, a new monthly record snowfall of
71.4 cm (28.1 inches) replaced the previous March record of 66.5 cm
(26.2 inches) set in 1997. Snow in this region only worsened the Red
River Valley flooding, as the snowpack's high liquid equivalent
translated into as much as 50.8 mm (2.0 inches) of liquid (National
Weather Service). Six fatalities were reported in association with
this winter storm, including 3 traffic-related deaths in the Denver
area where an 18-vehicle pileup occurred (Associated Press).
A massive storm, which extended from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico,
brought heavy snow to parts of the Dakotas and hail to parts of Texas
on
March 31. Bismarck, ND received 43.2 cm (17 inches) of snow, which
brought the seasonal total snowfall (as of 1 April 2009) to 254.5 cm
(100.2 inches), just 3.6 cm (1.4 inches) shy of tying the seasonal
total snowfall record set in 1996-1997. Meanwhile, March 2009 tied
with March 1950 as the fifth largest monthly snowfall, when a total of
75.4 cm (29.7 inches) fell over Bismarck. Hail battered parts of the
southern Plains, resulting in reports of damage to roofs and cars in
Dallas, TX (Associated Press).
MIDDLE EAST
The Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, experienced one of the most
powerful
sandstorms in decades on March 10. According to reports, visibility
was
reduced from kilometers to a few meters in seconds. The storm caused
school closings and flights delays (BBC News).
AFRICA
According to a report released 31 March 2009, Somalia's severe drought
conditions intensified. The most affected areas were central and
southern Somalia. The lack of potable water prompted people to drink
untreated water, causing sickness and death. The conditions also
caused livestock to perish and the cost of drinking water to increase
significantly as donkeys used to ferry water died (IRIN).
During the first two weeks of March, southern Angola was drenched by
heavy rains, causing floods that affected nearly 125,000 people in its
Cunene province and washed away homes and livestock (BBC News).
SOUTH AMERICA
Resulting from heavy rains, a deadly landslide on March 2 claimed the
lives of 13 people and left 17 others missing in Peru's southeastern
region of Puno (BBC News).
NEW GUINEA
In Papua New Guinea, heavy downpours triggered a landslide that killed
seven people on March 3 (AFP).
INDONESIA
A 76-year-old dam burst on March 27 as heavy rain fell over the
Indonesian capital of Jakarta, wreaking havoc across the affected
area.
The wall of water engulfed hundreds of homes as residents slept. Homes
were flooded and damaged, telephone lines were downed, cars were swept
away, and 77 bodies were recovered, while over 100 people were still
missing and nearly 180 others were injured (Associated Press/Reuters).
INDIA
Vicious storms spawned a deadly tornado that ripped through Orissa, in
eastern India, on March 31. According to reports, the tornado lasted
for an hour, leaving a trail of destruction as it swept through 11
villages. More than 300 homes were damaged, trees were uprooted, and
power lines were downed. Fifteen fatalities were reported, along with
over 150 injuries (Xinhua/BBC News).
.
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