July 1939 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW 223 AEROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS [Aerological Division, D. M. LITTLEin charge] By B. FRANCISDASHIELL NoTE.-The test and tables for this sect,ion will be published in a later issue of the REVIEW.--E~.
RIVERS AND FLOODS
[River and Flood Division, MERRILLBERNARD in Charge] By THOMABS. SOUTHWICK Rainfall during June was generally above normal in period June 22 to 28. Except for the lower reaches of the eastern part of the country except for the Northeast. the Grand River, the period above flood &age at each Rainfall was much less abundant in July, above normal point was only 1 or 2 days. Stages were slight to mod- rainfall occurrin only in the Ohio Valley re.gion, portions erat,e with little damage reporte,d. of the sout,h At5 antic coast and the Far West. In t,he In July, local rains caused slight flooding at Chillicothe, Northeast, rainfall was very scanty and streams in New Mo., on the Grand River on the 5th and at Beloit, Kans., England were at quite low stages. on the Solomon River on the 37th. There was no damage. Floods were not numerous nor especially severe except OhB&n,.-Cyclonic development over Ohio on June for an extraordinary “flash” flood m Kentucky early m 18 caused heavy shoN-ers in the upper portions of the July. The floods during June a.nd July were generally Scioto and Olentangy Rivers. Tlie rainfall averaged the result of locally intense rainstorms characteristic of betwee,n 4 and 5 inches, but the low stages prevailing at summer. Flood stages were usually of short duration the time caused only minor flooding to take place. There and of local extent except in the low lying rivers of t,lie was sonie damage to prospective crops. I ower Mississippi basin. A local, but devastating “flash” flood occurred in Detailed damage figures are given in a table at t’he end eastern Kentucky on July 5. Very heavy rains resulted of this article. from t,linnderstorms associated with a cold front,. The Atlantic Slope drainage.-Locdly heavy rains occwred towns of Farmers, Clearfield, Morehead, and Keck were over the Sout,h Atlantic St,at,es from July 19 to 22 in inundn.tec1 by the sudden overflow. There were 79 lives association with frontal activity. St)reamswere at fairly lost according t,o the American Red Cross. The flood low stages and flood st,age was exceeded only on the occurred on small streams on which the Weather Bureau Cape Fear and Neuse Rivers. Flooding was slight wit,h does not maintain river gages; hence no stages are listed. practically no damage. This disast,rous flood is described by W. C. Devereaux, East Gulj of Mexico rlraina.ge.-High stages continued official in charge at the Cincinnat,i, Ohio Weather Bure.au to prevail on the Tombigbee Riwr wit,h flood stage being Office as follows: atbained during the first week in June at some stat.ions Torrential rains, varying in amount from 2.5 inches to more than and throughout its length at various dat,es from June 16 9 inches, fell in a few hours over portions of eastern Kentucky during to 28. These floods were the result of the rises of hhy the night of July 4-5, 1939. The topography of this section of the occasioned by the heavy rains during the last 2 weeks of State is mountainous. The mountain ranges extend in a northeast- hhy, augmented by the rainfall from frequent and widely southwest direction a.nd are separat.ed from each other by deep and narrow valleys. It is therefort not surprising that rainfalls of distributed thundershowers of June. Stages were mod- the proportions mentioned above, falling in from 25 to 4 hours, erate on the Tombigbee, although extreme stages were should cause the norinally placid creeks and small streams to become reported on some of the Northeastern t,ributaries. How- raging tarrent,s causing destruction to life and property. The ever, these floods, oc.curring as they did during the grow- floods were nearly all confincd to the creeks and sinall streams enter- ing the upper Licking and upper Kentucky Rivers. The only river ing season, caused widespren.d c!ama.ge, estiniatecl at over gaging station on the Licking River in this district to report flood 3 millions of dollars. Approslmately 200,000 acres of conditions wm at Farmers, KV., where a crest of 25.25 feet was land were inunda.tec1. recorded at 10:06 a. m., on July 5th, 0.25 foot, above flood. At The Bogue. Chitto aad Pearl Rivers went above flood Jackson on the upper Kentucky River 3.75 inches of rain fell be- tween 3:15 a. ni. and 8 a. in. on JuI~5th. The crest stage of the stage early in June. St’ages and consequent damago river was 20.40 feet, at 6 p. m. on the 5th (flood stage 28 feet). were moderate. Mississippi System- Upper Alississippi Basi.n.-A pro- Heavy rainfall associated with a low that’ traversed gression of lows across the basin from June 11 to 23 Indiana on the night of Jul 17-15 result,ed in one of the resulted in enough rainfall to raise the streams, but t.lie flashiest floods of record in tK e middle upper reaches of the only flood situation was in the lower Chippewa Rirer. Wabash River. Rainfall amount,s, in a rela,t,ively small The river at Durand, Wis., was only, slightly abo\7e flood arm centere.d over Covington, Ind., averaged 3 inches. stage on June 22 and 23, and only slight damage resulted Tlie Wa.bn.shRiver at Covingt’orirose 11.6 feet in 24 hours, from the flooding of basements. but fnrt8iinntelythe local est’ent of the rn.in and the low In nort,heastern Missouri t,he passing of a low resulted summer stages then prevailing prevented other than minor in heavy and fairly wide,spread rain: on the night of flooding. Moderate damage was reported. June 20-21. This rain c.aused a rapid rise in the Salt White, Arkansas, a.nd Red Riaer Basins.-The White River which resulted in the flooding of considerable farm River be,low- Georgetown, Ark., was slightly above flood land and exte.nsive damage to crops and other farm stage at t8hebeginning of June from the rains of April and property . hclay. hloderate st,ages on the lower Mississippi River The Salt River we,nt slightly above flood stage on during the first hdf of May delayed run-off in the lower July 26 as the result of thunderst,orrn ra.ins. There mas White River. This condition, augmented by normal nominal damage to prospective c.rops. rainfall during May and early June, maintained the river He,avy showers resul.ted m the Republican, Big Blue, above. flood stage for about, 2 weeks. Little damage wa.s and Grand Rivers going above floodstage during the reported. 224 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW July 1939
Heavy rnins over the North and South Canadian Rivers Table of .flood stagt-s during Jiine and July 1939 during the last 10 days of June caused flash floods at several - localities. Moderate damage was reported. The North Lho\~flood staga3- Crest ilood dates Canadian River at Canton, Olila., went slightly above flood River and station .- stage again on July 4. >tag Frori- To- Xage 1,ute The Sulphur River nt Rillgo Crossing, Tex., went -______- slightly above flood stage on June 2, as the result of ATL.4NTIC SI.OP% PRAIY.4C.E moderate local rains. Capc Fear: Lark No. 2, Elizn- Ffet R'ct I Lower nilississippi Basin .-The Coldwn ter River at hrthtown. N. C...... 2n July 23 July '73 Y2.U July 21. Coldwater, Miss., went slightly above flood sta,ae from Nruse: Smithfic!d. N. C~ ...... 13 July ?I ~ ,lo 14.0 July 22. June 13 to 16 and ngain from July4 to 6 as the result of Ooldsborn. N. C ...... 14 ,Iul>- ?% July 2; 1s. 4 July 26. local rains. EAST GULF OF YEXICO DB.4INAGE The Tallahatchie River rose above flood stage at SMnn Tombi@er: Lake, Miss., on June 25 from moderate rains and reniaind Ah~rde~n,PJiss...... 34 Junc I9 June 32 Ri. 0 June 2n. Junr 3 June i 41.4 Junr 5. 4. . above flood stage until July 12. The crest stage of 28.5 Lnck No. D+mopolis. 413 39 June 18 June 25 43.7 June 22. May 31 .run+ 13 43. 4 June 5. W~S No. 3. Ala.-...... 33 feet was not excessive, but n considerable acreagc. Lock Juur 15 June 29 45. 7 Junc 72. flooded. This overflow, coming as it did during the grow- Lock No. 3. .%In ...... Tallahatchie.___ .____. - ______. !5.000 ...... 125, OOO WEST GULP or mnro DRAINAG Colorado...... 50. ow ...... ,..~ ...... 3(6,a00 1 Surrey by United States engineers: includes floods of May 1939. 2 Includes damage for April and May.