Climatological Data
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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SINCLAIR WEEKS, Secretary WEATHER BUREAU F. W. RZICHELDERFPI, Chief CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA NATIONAL SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 1957 Volume 8 No. 9 ASHEVUI: 1987 C O N T E N T S SURFACE DATA Page General Summary of Weather Conditions --------------------- 413 Condensed Climatological Data - States--------------------- 414 Climatological Data - Stations----------------------------- 415 Monthly and Seasonal Heating Degree Days------------------- 419 Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena-------------------- 420 General Summary of River and Flood Conditions-------------- 438 Flood Stage Data-------------------------------------------- 438 Tropical Storms, September 1957--------------------------- 439 UPPER AIR DATA Rawinsonde Data-------------------------------------------- 442 SOLAR RADIATION DATA Solar Radiation Intensities--------------------------------- 448 Blue Hill Data--------------------------------------------- 448 Net Radiation--------------------------------------------- 448 Daily Totals and Average Daily Totals by Weeks------------- 449 CHARTS I-XVII NOTE.--This publication contains all of the climatic data formerly printed in the MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 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CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA NATIONAL SUMMARY Volume 8 No. 9 SEPTEMBER 1957 GENERAL SUMMARY OF WEATHER CONDITIONS The month was quite cool in the central Great and from 1.00 to 2.50 inches in central and west- Plains and unusually warm along the Pacific coast. ern portions, bringing only slight relief from Elsewhere, departures of the monthly averages from the prolonged dry spell in that area, In some normal were within the usual range for September. eastern parts of this area the periods January Freezing in northern areas was about on schedule through September and June through September were and crop damage, although heavy in a few scattered the driest of record. A total of 17.71 inches at areas, was not serious. Unusually heavy precipita- Providence, R. I., for the period January through tion furnished beneficial moisture to most of September was the least amount there for that northern California, the eastern Great Plains, period since the earliest records in 1832. With and South, but caused some crop and flood damage virtually no rain during the last week forest fire in southeastern Texas. Elsewhere dry weather danger again became very high in eastern and favored harvesting operations and continued the central Massachusetts and southern parts of north- drought in southern New England. Unusually heavy ern New England where many woods and brush fires snowfall for so early in the season occurred in continued to break out. In southern New Hampshire the northern rockies on the 19th. streamflow and ground water levels were unusually TEMPERATURE.--Between the Continental Divide low and many wells dry. Soil moisture was short and the Appalachians temperatures remained below in nearly all sections of southern New England seasonable levels almost all mont.h and averaged and pastures were declining rapidly at the end as much as 40 below normal. The reverse was true of the month. However, the dry, sunny weather along the Pacific coast where temperatures were favored harvesting operations. persistently above seasonable levels and averaged In other sections of the country where September as much as 40 above normal for the month. A rainfal.l was deficient the shortage was not seri- monthly average of 68.90 at Portland, Oreg., was ous due to rains of previous months, although the highest there in 55 years. fall-seeded grains in some southwestern sections In the East, temperatures generally remained needed more moisture for best growth. slightly above normal during the first 3 weeks Heavy rainfall in the South ranged up to 400 with daily maxima generally in the 70's and 80's; percent of normal in parts of Mississippi and however, along the coast maxima in the 90's ex- Alabama, and monthly totals exceeded 20 inches at tended northward to New York City on the 3d and some stations. Stations reporting record totals to southern New England on the 13th when Boston's for September included Montgomery, Ala., 9.55 930 set a new record there for the date. Ab- inches; Tallahassee, Fla., 20.32; and Chattanooga, normally cool weather prevailed everywhere east Tenn., 12.19 inches. This heavy rainfall was of the Great Plains the last week, averaging as well distributed through the month, with heavy much as 100 below normal at some stations. amounts falling during each week. Tropical storm The last week was unusually warm for the season Debbie dumped heavy rains in northwestern Florida in the Rocky Mountain States, with weekly averages and other southeastern areas on the 7th. Crawford, ranging up to 100 above normal. Scattered sta- Fla., measured a 9-inch total for this storm, tions recorded their highest temperatures on and 2 to 4 inches were common in southern portions record for so late in the season, including Mis- of Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Another soula, Mont., 890 on the 27th, Pocatello, Idaho, tropical storm, Esther, was responsible for tor- 900 and Grand Junction, Colo., 880, both on the rential rains with falls exceeding 5 inches at 30th. many locations from southeastern Louisiana to The last week was unusually cool throughout the northeastern Florida on the 18th and 19th. eastern half of the country, thus ending a long California's heavy rainfall all occurred during period of rather hot, humid weather which had the last week from San Francisco and Sacramento prevailed in the Atlantic coast States during the northward. At San Francisco, 1.15 inches fell on first 3 weeks. Most stations in the East recorded the 28th, greatest daily amount for so early in their lowest temperatures of the month during this the season since 1918; Mt. Shasta had 4.85 inches period and freezing occurred in the Canadian Bor- and Crescent City 4.17, also early season records. der States except along the coast and in the Appa- These rains caused minor damage to prunes, grapes, lachians as far south as western Virginia. At tomatoes, and hay in the northern portion but Rochester, N. Y., a low of 310 on the 27th was the benefited ranges and ended the fire hazard. lowest ever recorded there so early in theseason. DESTRUCTIVE STORMS.--Numerous severe local PRECIPITATION.--Precipitation was less than 50 storms occurred east of the Rocky Mountains during percent of normal in southern New England, Illi- the first week as an area of low pressure with nois, and nearby areas of adjacent states, ex- a trailing cold front moved eastward from the treme eastern Montana, the Far Southwest, much of Great Plains. Hail, wind, and rain were respon- the Great Basin, and most of extreme western and sible for damage of several hundred thousand northern Washington State. In contrast, monthly dollars to crops in the northern Great Plains totals exceeded 200 percent of normal in northern and upper Mississippi Valley on the 1st. Hail California and most of the eastern Great Plains caused $100,000 damage or more to crops in Gaines and Southern States. County, Texas, on the 3d, Dundy County, Nebraska, In Southern New England, rainfall was generally on the 4th, and Hall and Childress Counties, less than 0.50 inch in extreme eastern portions Texas, on the 6th. Hail and wind combined damaged - 413 - GENERAL SUMMARY OF WEATHER CONDITIONS-Continued SEPTEMBER 1957 crops to the extent of about $200,000 in Brown Mont., and xicinity was responsible for a few County, Kansas, On the 5th. thousand dollars damage. In Helena 13.4 inches Frontal passages through the lower Great Plains of snow fell in 24 hours and a maximum depth of again during the period September 10-14 triggered 9 inches was recorded, both new records there for off numerous other storms of wind, rain, and hail September. which caused damage, mostly to crops, of a few Crop damage from heaty rainfall occurred in million dollars in Texas and several hundred southern Louisiana and Mississippi on the 18th thousand in New Mexico and Oklahoma. and 19th when tropical storm Esther moved into On the 18th and 19th heavy snowfall in Helena, the area from the Gulf of Mexico. CONDENSED CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 1957 P cipitdhaon Monthly ney es Ssodn Monthsly ens s St~tion] Station Statn - I 8 stetion L-t 'F- In. In. Al-bas eark 103 3 2 Stations Fort Morgan 17.87 Clbert Stea Plant 2.76 Arizona 2 Stations 114 5. Alpine Whiteriver 1.75 134 Stations .00 Arkansas pe 3XX 100 5 Fsyevtetille Rap St. Sig Fork 10.96 Corning .93 california Cow Creek 118 8 2 Stations Vollsers 12.25 182 Stations .00 Colorado Kit Carson 97 29 Holly 2.25 17 Stations .00 Conaecticut Ptna 93 13 -vntry West Hartland 3.59 Hrtford rainard Fid 1.20 Delaware 3 Statione 95 3r 2 Statios Newark Univ Fara 6.67 iddletown 25 3.76 Florida 2 Stations 99 4. 4 Statione Snnborn Tower 30.20 est Paee B. 2.89 Georgi a Noe 103 1 lair-ville Nap St. Valdosta 4NW 16.06 ll Ground 3.51 Idaho Grand View 100 6+ beidi.a 2NNW Stibnite 1.25 7 Stations .00 Illinois Station. 95 1 Aledo SINK L .rence.ille 4.53 Ch0005 .26 Indiana Tell City Power P1 98 2 hsatfield Borne 6.40 Wheatfield .23 low Colusbos Junction 92 1 2 Stations Andubon 5.49 Grundy Center 4NE .97 .26 Kansas Colobus 6" 102 2 Coodland WB AP Ottawa 8.00 251tati.S .85 Kentucky 3 Stations 100 1. Williasotwn 1SU Edeonton 8.51 Oenshoro DG 46 Louisiaa Plain Dealing 99 5 Coverse Quar-ntine 22.40 aynesv.illr 2.10 Maine ent Buxton 21i81 92 16 Jokn Oreenville 1.19 P.rtland .93 Maryland esetern Port 9S 2 2 Stations R ndslletown Pol Brks 9.06 esters Port Massachusetts Frasinghas 95 14 West Cn.50gtoa Pero 4.51 Sales CG Air Station 1.92.22 Michigan Dtonagon 92 1 enton US Forest Chapion Van Riper Pk 9.91 Scottville 18N .78 MKinneota aska iXH 92 1 Itsca State Park Shb Haleitad 8.33 ...S Uni Map Fars Misissippl 2 Stations 98 2.