Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena
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JUNE 2006 VOLUME 48 NUMBER 6 SSTORMTORM DDATAATA 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: A menacing wall of dust advances southwest toward Brownfield, Texas, at 15:55 CST on June 22nd. The severe dust storm created hazardous conditions over five counties of the west Texas South Plains, and resulted in a series of chain-collision accidents along a U.S. highway. (Photo courtesy: Dennis Dean, Brownfield, Texas.) TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Outstanding Storm of the Month .................................................................................................... 4 Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena .............................................................................. 7 Additions/Corrections............................................................................................................................... 418 Reference Notes ........................................................................................................................................ 484 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 re- ceived 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 permis- sion 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 28801-2733. Thomas R. Karl Director, National Climatic Data Center 2 June 2006 Confirmed Tornadoes 3 F Scale F 0 F 1 F 2 F 3 F Scale F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total F 4 Number 106 23 8 1 0 0 139 F 5 OUTSTANDING STORMS OF THE MONTH Dust Storm on the West Texas South Plains An unusually intense dust storm affected the South Plains of west Texas during the afternoon hours of June 22, 2006. A five county area southwest of Lubbock experienced hazardous blowing dust conditions that contributed to twelve chain-collision automobile accidents and destroyed vast cotton crops. An elderly man was killed in a multi-vehicle collision, numerous motorists were injured, and total property losses were estimated to exceed $2.1 million dollars. The dust storm was a classic example of the haboob phenomenon, commonly observed in the deserts of Africa, and less frequent in the arid regions of the southwestern U.S. The South Plains haboob was associated with outflow from a complex of severe thunderstorms, and was characterized by a visually dramatic and densely whirling wall of dust as it progressed southwestward up to seventy miles from its source region. Wind speeds that accompanied the dust storm were generally sustained in the 30 mph range, with a few gusts over 50 mph. Visibilities were reduced to near zero along U.S. Highway 62/82 as the dust storm enveloped a portion of that route from Lubbock to Brownfield between 15:00 and 16:00 CST. Twelve separate vehicle accidents were attributed to low visibilities in blowing dust over a ten mile stretch, and involved at least twenty-seven vehicles including motorcycles and several large trucks. A 71 year old gentleman was killed when his vehicle slammed into the back of a jack-knifed tractor-trailer at highway speeds. Another fifteen motorists were injured in the life-threatening travel conditions. The impacts of the west Texas South Plains dust storm was additionally felt in the region’s agricultural market. Local and state officials report at least 10,000 acres of cotton were “burned” during the event, equating to a loss of over $1.5 million. Experts say the wind-driven dust stripped leaves from the young cotton plants which were already struggling to emerge due to drought-related stress. Left: A storm chaser photographed “brown-out” conditions as a haboob impacted Brownfield, Texas, at approximately 16:00 CST on June 22. (Photo courtesy: David Drummond at WX5TVS/KCBD-TV Lubbock, Texas.) 4 A Prolific Flooding Event in the Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD Region Tropical air surged northwest from the Atlantic Ocean as a stationary front located over the Mid-Atlantic remained over the area between June 23 and June 27, 2006. The result was nearly five days of showers and thunderstorms across the Washington/Baltimore Region. Due to the tropical nature of the airmass, exceptionally heavy rain occurred in short periods of time. The high rain rates combined with scattered thunderstorms, which in a few cases reformed over the same areas, producing exceptionally heavy rainfall. The entire region, from the Allegany Front and Potomac Highlands of the Appalachian Mountains, east to the Chesapeake Bay, had at least two inches of rainfall during this period. Five to ten inches was fairly common all across the Washington Metro Area. While Baltimore did not have quite as much rainfall as Washington, it was still excessive. Many of the Baltimore suburbs had more rain than either the Inner Harbor or Baltimore/Washington International Airport reporting stations. Eastern portions of the city had over 10 inches of rainfall during the period June 23 through June 27. However, many places that experienced reforming and training thunderstorms had over ten inches of rainfall. The Delmarva had enhanced thunderstorm-induced rainfall conditions on June 24 and June 25th. Places like Federalsburg, Maryland had to be evacuated when over ten inches fell in only 24 hours. Washington DC and Columbia, Maryland had similar conditions on June 25th, when seven to ten inches of rain fell in only 24 hours. Northeast Maryland, just east and northeast of Baltimore, experienced extreme rainfall on June 25th, when seven to ten inches of rain fell in only 24 hours. One of the highest rainfall totals in the entire region was at North Bel Air, MD, just north of Baltimore, which had nearly 12 inches. Another maximum rainfall area was just west of Baltimore in the Laurel and Mount Airy areas, with around 10 inches. Washington DC had several federal buildings closed, a mudslide occurred over the Capital Beltway, dozens of roads were closed, and cars were swept from parking garages and streets. Many swift water rescues were needed and dozens of buildings and homes were damaged and uninhabitable. Unfortunately, five people lost their lives to the ravages of flood waters during this flooding event. New Washington National Airport records: 24 hour rainfall record: 7.94 inches Record rainfall for one week: 11.20 inches Record rainfall for a 2 day period: 9.41 inches Daily rainfall record for Sunday, June 25: 5.19 inches Daily rainfall record for Monday, June 26: 4.22 inches First time more than four inches of rain fell on two consecutive days Record rainfall for June: 14.02 inches New Baltimore records at Baltimore/Washington International Airport: Daily rainfall record for Sunday, June 25: 2.75 inches Few of Baltimore’s official excessive precipitation records were exceeded by this event. These records were firmly set in August 1955, due to the remnants of Hurricanes Connie and Diane. 5 The photos are from Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC. These photos show displaced cars and extensive damages to roads, buildings, and other park areas. (All photos courtesy: National Park Service, Rock Creek Park staff.) Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena Time Path Path Number of Estimated June 2006 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALABAMA, Central Marion County 1 W Hamilton 01 1645CST 0 0 3K Thunderstorm Wind (G50) 4 to 5 trees down just west and northwest of Hamilton. Lamar County Vernon 02 1328CST 0 0 Hail (0.75) Shelby County Helena 12 1405CST 0 0 50K Lightning Shelby County Helena 12 1445CST 0 0 100K Lightning A total of three houses caught fire, due to lightning strikes. Shelby County Vincent 12 2346CST 0 0 Hail (0.88) Cleburne County 10 W Ranburne 20 1605CST 0 0 3K Thunderstorm Wind (G50) Several trees were reported down in the Abel Community. Randolph County Woodland 20 1635CST 0 0 2K Thunderstorm Wind (G50) A few small trees were blown down. Barbour County Clayton 21 1435CST 0 0 12K Thunderstorm Wind (G55) Trees were blown down. Tin roof of three trailers at Ventress Correctional Facility were peeled off. Tallapoosa County Daviston 21 1435CST 0 0 2K Thunderstorm Wind (G50) Trees blown down.