NOVEMBER 2001 VOLUME 43 NUMBER 11 STORM DATA AND UNUSUAL WEATHER PHENOMENA WITH LATE REPORTS AND CORRECTIONS NATIONAL OCEANIC AND NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER noaa ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION DATA AND INFORMATION SERVICE ASHEVILLE, NC Cover: Heavy snows (6 to 14 inches) affected the upper area of Michigan on November 26, 2001. Heavier amounts were reported in Baraga and Marquette Counties. A snowplow moves slowly down a Marquette Township street lined with trees covered with wet heavy snow. (Photo courtesy: The Mining Journal, Marquette, Michigan; photo by Brian Hallbrook.) TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Outstanding Storm of the Month ..……..…………………..……………..……………..……………..…. 4 Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena ....………..…………..…..……………..……………..…. 6 Reference Notes ..……..………..……………..……………..……………..…………..………………… 121 STORM DATA (ISSN 0039-1972) National Climatic Data Center Editor: William Angel Assistant Editors: Stuart Hinson and Rhonda Mooring 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 resulting 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 confirmed 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 significant 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 permission of the owner of said items. Materials will be returned if requested. This is an official 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 November 2001 Confirmed Tornadoes 3 F Scale F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F Scale F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total Num ber 42 41 21 5 3 0 112 OUTSTANDING STORMS OF THE MONTH Severe Thunderstorms in Texas A slow moving upper-level low pressure system in the New Mexico and western Texas area brought widespread thunderstorms over south-central Texas on November 14, 2001. The upper-level low stalled over Texas on the morning of the 15th and remained in place until the evening of the 16th. Thunderstorms brought flash flooding and sixteen tornadoes (11 F0's, 5 F1's, as defined by the Fujita Tornado Scale) to the affected area. Right: Twin F1 tornadoes touch down near Kyle, Texas damaging buildings, cars and knocking over large vehicles. (Photo courtesy: Larry Eblen, WCM, NWS Austin/San Antonio, Texas.) Left: The water vapor image on November 15, 2001 at 1815Z depicts the upper- level low over Texas Big-Bend area. (Satellite courtesy: Larry Eblen, WCM, NWS Austin/San Antonio, Texas.) 4 Heavy Snow in Michigan on November 26 As a low pressure system moved across the Great Lakes region on November 26, 2001, heavy snows fell across upper Michigan. Most areas received six to fourteen inches of snowfall. A moist northeast upslope flow from Lake Superior enhanced snowfall amounts across Baraga and Marquette Counties where 18 to over 30 inches of snow fell. At the Marquette National Weather Service Forecast Office in Negaunee, Michigan, 33.1 inches of snowfall was recorded between 06Z on November 26 to 18Z on November 28, 2001. Due to the high water content of the snow, tree branches snapped and fell across power and telephone lines causing numerous outages. No deaths were reported. At least 5 minor injuries occurred due to traffic accidents. Above Left: A snow-laden tree fell on a power line causing the power pole to break and fall onto the roof of a Comfort Suites and Hudson’s Restaurant in Marquette, Michigan. Three transformers fell on and around the truck. No one was hurt. (Photo courtesy: The Mining Journal, Marquette, Michigan; photo by Brian Halbrook.) Above Right: Marquette residents shovel wet snow on November 27, 2001. Most schools were closed and events were cancelled. (Photo courtesy: The Mining Journal, Marquette, Michigan; photo by Brian Halbrook.) A special thanks to Robin Turner (WCM, NWS Marquette, Michigan) for help in getting materials and providing the necessary information. 5 Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena Time Path Path Number of Estimated November 2001 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALABAMA, North Central Lauderdale County Waterloo 24 1005CST 0 0 2K 0 Thunderstorm Wind (G50) A few trees were blown down in and around the city of Waterloo. One large tree fell and temporarily blocked a road. Power was reported out for a few hours. Marion County Countywide 24 1020CST 0 0 8K 0 Thunderstorm Wind (G55) 1040CST A few trees and power lines were blown down generally across the western half of the county. Pickens County Ethelsville 24 1037CST 0 0 0 0 Funnel Cloud 1054CST Numerous public reports of funnel clouds were received in extreme northern Pickens County, just north of Ethelsville. Pickens County 5.2 NW Palmetto 24 1055CST 0.2 300 0 0 2K 0 Tornado (F3) 1056CST Lamar County 5.7 SW Kennedy to 24 1056CST 8.5 300 2 1 600K 0 Tornado (F3) 2.8 NE Kennedy 1107CST F42MH, F63MH Fayette County 2.3 SSW Belk to 24 1107CST 29.1 300 0 0 800K 0 Tornado (F3) 1.7 NE Howard 1141CST Walker County 2 SW Carbon Hill to 24 1141CST 1.1 300 0 0 25K 0 Tornado (F3) 1 S Carbon Hill 1144CST What was the longest tornado of the day began at 10:55 am about a two tenths of a mile inside Pickens County or about 5.8 miles southwest of Kennedy. The tornado traveled across southeastern Lamar County damaging or destroying a number of structures south and east of Kennedy. The tornado traveled on a northeast track moving into Fayette County at 11:07 am. Traveling northeast it went across western and northern sections of the city of Fayette doing serious damage to a number of structures. From the city of Fayette the tornado traveled across mostly rural areas damaging occasional structures and downing numerous trees and power lines. The tornado while still strong was weaker than it had been in southern Lamar County. The tornado crossed into Walker County at 11:41 am a little south-southwest of Carbon Hill before ending. Total path length has been estimated at 38.9 miles with a Fujita-scale rating of F3. The tornado began with F0 damage in Pickens County but strengthened to F3 intensity in southern Lamar County. It weakened some as it moved across Fayette County where the Fujita rating was an F2. Damage in Walker County was rated an F1 as the tornado dissipated. The path was 300 yards wide in Lamar County but estimated to have decreased to about 90 yards wide across much of Fayette County. Two people, a mother and her daughter, were killed in a double-wide mobile home in Lamar County just southwest of Kennedy and one person was injured. No deaths or injuries were reported in Pickens, Fayette or Walker counties. Beginning: 33 31.528/88 03.156 Ending: 33 52.606/87 31.676 Greene County 9 N Clinton to 24 1056CST 0 0 3K 0 Thunderstorm Wind (G50) 10 NE Clinton 1102CST A few trees were blown down from near the Lewiston community to near Mantua. Hale County .8 NE Moundville to 24 1102CST 0.2 50 0 0 7K 0 Tornado (F0) .6 NE Moundville A tornado briefly touched down just northeast of Moundville along SR 69. The tornado knocked a few trees down and caused minor damage to a nursery and a mobile home. Beg: 33 00.047/87 37.135 End: 33 00.133/87 37.016 Marion County 8.4 NE Whitehouse to 24 1121CST 0.3 70 0 0 85K 0 Tornado (F2) 8.7 NE Whitehouse 1122CST 1 6 Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena Time Path Path Number of Estimated November 2001 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALABAMA, North Central Winston County .9 SW Haleyville to 24 1122CST 1.6 70 0 13 800K 0 Tornado (F2) .7 NE Haleyville 1124CST The Haleyville tornado first struck about 3 tenths of a mile inside Marion County just south of CR196 at 11:21 am. The tornado traveled on a northeast path moving directly through the center of downtown Haleyville severely damaging buildings including a shopping mall. The tornado continued traveling northeast through a residential and partially wooded area before ending about 7 tenths of a mile northeast of downtown Haleyville at 11:24 am.