March 2008 Storm Data Publication
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MARCH 2008 VOLUME 50 STORM DATA NUMBER 3 AND UNUSUAL WEATHER PHENOMENA WITH LATE REPORTS AND CORRECTIONS NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION noaa NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA AND INFORMATION SERVICE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER, ASHEVILLE, NC Cover: This cover represents a few weather conditions such as snow, hurricanes, tornadoes, heavy rain and flooding that may occur in any given location any month of the year. (Photos courtesy of NCDC) TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Outstanding Storm of the Month …..…………….….........……..…………..…….…..…..... 4 Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena ....…….…....…………...…...........…............ 5 Reference Notes .............……...........................……….........…..….…............................................ 356 STORM DATA (ISSN 0039-1972) National Climatic Data Center Editor: William Angel Assistant Editors: Stuart Hinson and Rhonda Herndon STORM DATA is prepared, and distributed by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena narratives and Hurricane/Tropical Storm summaries are prepared by the National Weather Service. Monthly and annual statistics and summaries of tornado and lightning events re- sulting in deaths, injuries, and damage are compiled by the National Climatic Data Center and the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Storm Prediction Center. STORM DATA contains all confi rmed information on storms available to our staff at the time of publication. Late reports and corrections will be printed in each edition. Except for limited editing to correct grammatical errors, the data in Storm Data are published as received. Note: “None Reported” means that no severe weather occurred and “Not Received” means that no reports were received for this region at the time of printing. Subscription, pricing, and ordering information is available from: NCDC Subscription Services 310 State Route 956 Building 300 Rocket Center, WV 26726 (866) 742-3322 Toll Free The editor of STORM DATA solicit your help in acquiring photographs (prints or slides; black and white, or color), maps, clippings, etc. of signifi cant or severe weather events (past or present) for use in the “Outstanding Storms of the Month’’ section of STORM DATA. We request our subscribers or other interested persons to mail such items to: Storm Data National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 e-mail: [email protected] Any such items received by the editor will be for use in STORM DATA only. Any other use will be with the per- mission of the owner of said items. Materials will be returned if requested. This is an of cial publication of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is compiled from information received at the National Climatic Data Center Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5001. Thomas R. Karl Director, National Climatic Data Center 2 March 2008 Tornado Map (! (!(! (! (!(! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (!(! (! (! (! (! (! (! (! (!(! (! (!(!(! (! (!(!(! (!(!(!(!(! (! (! ! (! (! (!(! (!(!(!(!(!(! (!(! ( (!(!(!!(! (!(!(!(! (! (! (!(!(!((!(! (!(!(! (! (! 3 (! (! (! (! (! (!(! (!(! (! (!(! (! !(! (! (!( (! (! (! (!(! (! !(! (! (!(!(! (! (! EF Scale (! ((! (! EF0 (! EF1 (! EF2 EF Scale EF0 EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5 Total (! EF3 Number 64 41 17 3 0 0 125 (! EF4 [_ EF5 OUTSTANDING STORMS OF THE MONTH THERE IS NO “OUTSTANDING STORM OF THE MONTH” FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2008. 4 Time Path Path Number of Estimated March 2008 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALABAMA, Central ALZ011>015-017> Autauga - Bibb - Blount - Bullock - Calhoun - Chambers - Cherokee - Chilton - Clay - Cleburne - Coosa - 029-032>048 Dallas - Elmore - Etowah - Fayette - Hale - Jefferson - Lamar - Lee - Lowndes - Macon - Marengo - Marion - Montgomery - Perry - Pickens - Randolph - Russell - Shelby - St. Clair - Talladega - Tallapoosa - Tuscaloosa - Walker - Winston 01 0000CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Drought 31 2359CST Several storm systems across Central Alabama brought limited improvement to the ongoing drought, that had begun in the Spring of 2007. In the first week of March, the last remaining area of Exceptional (D4) Drought was eliminated in Central Alabama, and by the end of the month, the area of Extreme (D3) Drought had been reduced as well. This area was roughly from the cities of Birmingham, Centreville, Selma, Montgomery, and Auburn, north and eastward. Most of the remainder of Central Alabama remained in Moderate (D1) to Severe (D2) Drought. ALZ018-035-040- Autauga - Chilton - Dallas - Etowah - Lee 047 07 0418CST 0 0 5.00K 0.00K Strong Wind 0600CST An atmospheric gravity wave caused high winds that blew down trees in several counties across central Alabama. Russell County Seale 14 1640CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.88) Lamar County 1 S Millport 14 2347CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (1.75) Pickens County 1 SSE Carrollton 15 0045CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.75) Tuscaloosa County 3 NNE Northport 15 0115CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.88) Winston County Addison 15 0120CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.75) Tuscaloosa County 2 SW Phalan 15 0126CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.88) Hail up to nickel size was reported on Bear Creek Road. Tuscaloosa County 1 E Bucksville 15 0135CST 0 0 0.50K 0.00K Thunderstorm Wind (50EG) A large tree was blown down just south of Bellview Baptist Church. Jefferson County 1 W Oak Grove 15 0137CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (1.00) Quarter size hail was reported on Lock 17 Road. Jefferson County 1 W Concord 15 0144CST 0 0 10.00K 0.00K Thunderstorm Wind (50EG) A church on Warrior River Road sustained moderate damage. Jefferson County 1 SW Thomas Jct 15 0155CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (1.25) Half dollar size hail was reported on I-20, between exit 120 and Arkadelphia Road. Jefferson County 1 ESE Acipco 15 0159CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.75) Penny size hail was reported in downtown Birmingham. Shelby County 1 NE Maylene 15 0205CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (1.50) 5 Time Path Path Number of Estimated March 2008 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALABAMA, Central Shelby County 2 W Dargin 15 0247CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (1.00) Etowah County 1 SSW Hokes Bluff 15 0248CST 0 0 5.00K 0.00K Thunderstorm Wind (50EG) Several trees and power lines were blown down. Shelby County 2 W Alabaster Shelby Arp 15 0249CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (1.00) Shelby County Alabaster Shelby Arp 15 0250CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.75) Clay County 1 WNW Ashland Lineville Ar 15 0300CST 0 0 20.00K 0.00K Thunderstorm Wind (60EG) An aircraft hangar collapsed, and the debris was blown 100-150 yards downwind. Shelby County Columbiana 15 0303CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (1.00) Blount County 4 S Mattawana 15 0847CST 6.04 675 0 0 960.00K 0.00K Tornado (EF2) 4 SSE Oneonta Robbins Arpt 0857CST The tornado touched down just east of CR-27, about 5 miles south-southeast of Oneonta. It then moved north of River Road, through the Highland Lake community, and across CR-29 near the Appalachian Community. The Appalachian School property sustained damage, but the school was spared any significant damage. The tornado continued northeastward and strengthened as it nearly paralleled CR-12, before lifting just north of the intersection of CR-12 and US-231. Along the entire path, several hundred trees were either snapped off or were uprooted. A few dozen chicken houses were damaged and many were destroyed. Many outbuildings, garages, and sheds were destroyed. At least 25 homes sustained major damage, and another few dozen received minor damage. At least one mobile home was destroyed and a few more were damaged. At least 6 cows and hundreds of chickens were killed by flying debris. In some instances, the roof debris from damaged structures was blown over one half mile downstream. A few feed silos were tipped over and one rolled at least one half mile. Cherokee County 2 E Gnatville 15 0950CST 3.61 50 0 0 75.00K 0.00K Tornado (EF2) 2 NNW Spring Garden 0954CST The tornado touched down near the intersection of CR-6 and CR-31, just west of AL-9, about 5 miles north of Piedmont. From there, it moved just north of due east, across AL-9, and then roughly parallel to CR-10 for about 3 miles, before lifting near Hurricane Creek. Some metal roof paneling was torn off a barn and one-half of a roof was torn off a brick home. Two other homes and another barn also sustained damage. Numerous trees in the area were also snapped or uprooted. Randolph County 3 NNW Rice Mill 15 1448CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.75) 1455CST Penny size hail covered the ground at several locations east of Fosters Crossroads, to the Georgia state line. An upper level disturbance, and a developing surface low and associated cold front, caused several rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms across central Alabama. Walker County 2 SSE Jasper 28 1748CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.75) Walker County 1 NW Sipsey 28 1800CST 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Hail (0.75) Penny size hail covered the ground several inches deep in the Sipsey Community. Isolated severe thunderstorms dropped large hail. 6 Time Path Path Number of Estimated March 2008 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALABAMA, Central ALZ001>010-016 Colbert - Cullman - Dekalb - Franklin - Jackson - Lauderdale - Lawrence - Limestone - Madison - Marshall - Morgan 01 0000CST 0 0 Drought 31 2359CST Finally some longer-term drought relief came to the Tennessee Valley in March. Rainfall deficits for the year barely grew and rainfall amounts were almost near normal.