Debris is scattered through Sanford, North Carolina in the wake of one of dozens of tornadoes that truck in the past three days. View more images in the slideshow below. (Yfrog / SanfordHerald http://yfrog.com/h4rystdj)
One series of storms moved across the southeastern United States over a period of three days and wreaked havoc along the way. In their wake more than three dozen people are dead from the severe weather that brought tornadoes, hail and wind.
On Thursday Oklahoma and Arkansas were the first to experience the severe weather that spawned a line of storms hundreds of miles long. Nine lives were lost in those two states between tornadoes and deadly winds.
Friday the storms moved to the east and visited their destruction on Mississippi and Alabama. Seven fatalities were recorded including a mother and two of her children.
Mother Nature was not done yet and created an amazing display of storms as the weather system continued on its deadly path on Saturday. The Carolinas and Virginia were next on the hit list where as many as two dozen people have been killed.
The most destructive tornado struck near Sanford, North Carolina with dozens of homes and businesses reduced to rubble. A Lowe’s Home Improvement store suffered a direct strike collapsing the front half of the store. Miraculously no one was killed in the structure.
An untold number of homes and businesses have been destroyed in the severe weather outbreak. Trees and power lines were toppled and hundreds of injuries recorded.
The death toll from the three-day severe weather outbreak continues to climb with some accounts pegging the number at 45 or more. The Storm Prediction Center recorded 230 reports of tornadoes over the period and the event is by far the most extensive and deadly weather event thus far in 2011.
Do you know what to do to protect yourself and your family when severe weather strikes? The same type of events that struck in recent days can and do occur in Colorado. Check out our Severe Weather Awareness series for more:
April 17 to April 23 - This Week in Denver Weather History
As we enter the latter half of April the weather history calendar starts to reflect shift in the type of weather events we see. There are still plenty of significant snowfall events. However spring severe weather starts to appear with greater frequency including heavy rain, hail and even tornadoes.
From the National Weather Service:
13-17
In 2001…a huge dust storm over southern and Inner Mongolia during April 3rd through the 6th lifted desert dust into the jet stream. This dust cloud moved over metro Denver on the 13th and persisted through the 17th. The cloud created widespread haze…giving the sky a milkish cast due to the scattering of incoming solar radiation.
15-17
In 1922…heavy snowfall totaled 9.0 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.0 inches…fell on the 16th. This was the third major snow storm in a week. Northwest winds were sustained to 43 mph with gusts to 47 mph on the 15th.
16-17
In 1944…heavy snowfall totaled 7.5 inches in downtown Denver. Northwest winds were sustained to 18 mph on the 16th.
16-18
In 2009…a potent spring storm brought heavy snow to locations in and near the Front Range foothills. A deep easterly upslope produced nearly 5 feet of snow in parts of the foothills. The heavy snow resulted in the closure of Interstate 70…from Golden west to Vail…for approximately 16 hours. The heavy snow snapped power lines in Evergreen and Nederland. The ensuing outages affected 14200 residents. In the Front Range foothills…storm totals included: 56 inches…3 miles south of Rollinsville; 54 inches…3 miles southeast of Pinecliffe…43 inches at Aspen Springs…42 inches at Evergreen…38 inches near conifer; 37 inches at St. Mary’s glacier…and 34 inches near Nederland. Along the urban corridor and Palmer Divide…the heaviest snow occurred above 5500 feet on the 17th. Storm totals included: 22 inches…8.5 miles southwest of Franktown; 18 inches…10 miles south-southeast of Buckley Air Force Base; 17 inches near Cherry Creek and 7 miles south of Sedalia… 16 inches…6.5 miles southwest of Castle Rock; 15 inches near Beverly Hills; 12 inches near Highlands Ranch and Lafayette…with 11 inches in Broomfield. Elsewhere storm totals ranged from 4 to 10 inches. Officially…only 2.6 inches of snow was observed at Denver International Airport. The 24-hr precipitation for the day however was 1.16 inches… Which established a new record for April 17th.
17
In 1889…northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph.
In 1899…apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 48 mph.
In 1935…light dust moved over the city behind an apparent dry cold front…which produced northeast winds to 19 mph with gusts to 20 mph.
In 1978…winds estimated to 70 mph occurred in Morrison. Northwest winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 2000…strong pre-frontal winds and widely scattered thunderstorms caused high winds to develop across northern metro Denver and portions of the northeast plains. Peak wind gusts included 75 mph at Louisville. South winds gusted to only 28 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2002…strong southwest winds in advance of a cold front gusted to 52 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2003…severe thunderstorms produced 1 inch diameter hail 7 miles east of Brighton. Strong thunderstorm winds blew out an auto windshield near Denver International Airport where south winds gusted to 48 mph.
The town of Tushka, Oklahoma saw extensive damage Thursday night when a tornado struck claiming at least two lives. (Twitpic / snickeraddict15 - http://twitpic.com/4l42do)
Two days of severe weather have spawned more than two dozen tornadoes, dropped softball size hail and unleashed damaging winds. The storms which have affected five states turned deadly and claimed the lives of nine people.
Yesterday a massive line of storms stretching from northern Kansas down to southern Oklahoma struck. The town of Tushka, Oklahoma took a direct strike from the storm destroying many homes and as many as five school buildings. Two elderly women were killed.
Early this morning the same storm system moved to the east bringing powerful winds to 80mph. Seven people were killed including a six-year-old boy and an 18-month-old girl. The boy’s life was claimed when a tree six feet in diameter fell on the family home.
Today the severe weather has continued as the storms continue their terrifying rampage. More than 40 tornadoes have been reported, most in Mississippi and Alabama, and as of this writing they continue their movement east.
Extensive damage has been seen in both states. In Talladega, Alabama, NASCAR officials were warning fans to be ready to evacuate as the racetrack is under a tornado watch until 9:00pm. With tens of thousands of fans on site, officials prepared evacuation routes should the need arise.
Below is video from storm chasers as one tornado crosses a highway in Jackson, Mississippi.
Saturday evening the stage was set for severe weather across the nation’s heartland and Mother Nature came through in spades. More than a dozen tornadoes were reported as were scores of significant hail events.
Despite the number of events most resulted in little damage. However one tornado, by some accounts as big as three quarters of a mile wide, struck the town of Mapleton, Iowa. This massive wedge tornado struck at 7:21 CDT and caused significant damage in the town.
The video below was captured by storm chasers as they tracked the dangerous tornado.
Forecasters are warning of a very active hurricane season and an increased potential for landfall in the United States. (Natural Disasters Examiner)
Forecasters at Colorado State University released an updated 2011 Atlantic hurricane forecast that if it holds true, portends a very eventful season. The forecast warns of a 175 percent above normal level of activity and most troubling warns that the United States is overdue to get struck by a major hurricane.
CSU forecasters are calling for 16 named storms during the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. Of those they expect nine will become hurricanes and five of those will be major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher).
These estimates far exceed the historical 1950 to 2000 average. During that period the Atlantic averaged 9.6 named storms per year, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 major hurricanes.
This story was originally posted on the Natural Disasters Examiner – Visit there for all the latest natural disaster news
The team warned that whether a hurricane forecast calls for above or below normal activity, residents should always be equally prepared. Dr. Phil Klotzbach said, “It takes only one landfall event near you to make this an active season.”
Breaking down the team’s analysis further, they gave a 72 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will make landfall along the U.S. coastline. By comparison, the long-term average probability is 52 percent.
This recent 9 of 11-year period without any major landfall events should not be expected to continue.
~ Dr. William Gray
By region CSU forecasters put a 48% chance on the probability that a major hurricane will strike the East Coast. Nearly matching that they said there was a 47% probably a major hurricane would hit on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Dr. William Gray noted that overall the Atlantic Basin is primed for significant hurricane activity. He said that since 1999, only the 2004 and 2005 seasons saw a major hurricane make landfall in the U.S. and this scenario is not likely to continue. Gray warns, “This recent 9 of 11-year period without any major landfall events should not be expected to continue.”
More hurricane news from the Natural Disasters Examiner:
April 10 to April 16 - This Week in Denver Weather History
April can be a very eventful weather month and we see that in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Particularly notable are many major snow events including two in recent history – one in 2001 and another in 2005.
From the National Weather Service:
7-12
In 1959…snow falling over a 5-day period totaled 20 to 30 inches just east of the mountains…while over the plains blizzard conditions closed schools and blocked highways. The second big storm in two weeks dumped 16.4 inches of snowfall on Stapleton Airport with the most…11.6 inches… Occurring on the 8th. East winds gusted to 37 mph on the 9th. Temperatures dipped into the single digits on the mornings of the 7th and 12th when 7 degrees were registered. Low temperature records for the dates were set on the 9th…10th…and 12th. The cold temperatures caused streets to glaze with ice…resulting in the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a car in Denver. Three people died from heart attacks while shoveling the heavy… Wet snow.
8-10
In 1999…a windstorm caused 20 million dollars in damage along the Front Range urban corridor from Fort Collins south to pueblo and to the east over the plains…making the storm equal to the costliest windstorm ever…which occurred in Boulder on January 17…1982. In metro Denver… Several homes were damaged as shingles were blown off roofs. Large pieces of a roof torn off a strip mall in Lakewood damaged several cars in a parking lot. Most of the damage to homes consisted of broken fences…awnings…doors…and windows. Scores of automobiles suffered broken or cracked windshields and paint damage from flying debris. Multiple accidents were triggered as several tractor-trailer rigs were blown on their sides by the strong cross-winds. Blowing dust and dirt caused near zero visibilities at times. Both I-25 and I-76 were closed north and northeast of Denver. State Highway 93 was closed between Golden and Boulder. Several trees…power poles…and power lines were downed…causing a number of outages as well as sparking a few small grass fires. Highest wind gusts reached 112 mph atop Niwot Ridge near the continental divide west of Boulder…102 mph at Wondervu…100 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab in Boulder…98 mph at the national wind technology center near Broomfield…96 mph on Rocky Flats…92 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield and on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder…and 90 mph at Highlands Ranch in southwest metro Denver. Winds gusted to 48 mph at Denver International Airport.
9-10
In 1900…rain changed to heavy snow and totaled 6.8 inches in downtown Denver overnight. A thunderstorm occurred on the 9th. North winds were sustained to 32 mph with gusts to 38 mph on the 10th. Precipitation totaled 1.39 inches.
In 1933…post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 9.4 inches in downtown Denver. East winds were sustained to 21 mph with gusts to 22 mph on the 9th.
In 1944…7.0 inches of snow fell on downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 24 mph on the 9th.
In 1977…the two warmest days of the month resulted in two temperature records being set. High temperature of 81 degrees on the 9th set a new record maximum for the date. High temperature of 80 degrees on the 10th equaled the record maximum for the date. The unusually warm weather for so early in April produced a late afternoon thunderstorm on the 10th.
In 1993…strong downslope winds occurred along the Front Range. While the strongest winds were in the foothills north of Denver…wind gusts to 69 mph were recorded at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield. Northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 2004…a spring storm brought heavy snow to metro Denver. The heaviest snow fell in the foothills and over and near higher terrain. Snowfall totals included: 20 inches near Jamestown; 18 inches atop gold hill; 17 inches near Evergreen; 15 inches at Nederland and Eldora; 13 inches at Blackhawk; 11 inches at Aspen Springs; 9 inches in Louisville; 8 inches at Ken Caryl; 6 inches at Niwot… Near Sedalia…and in Thornton; 5 inches in Lakewood… Lyons…and Westminster. Snowfall was 4.4 inches at Denver Stapleton. Northwest winds gusted to 21 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2008…a very moist storm brought heavy snow to parts of the Front Range foothills. Storm totals included: 12.5 inches at Aspen Springs…11 inches…4 miles west- southwest of conifer; with 10.5 inches…3 miles north of central city and 6 miles southwest of Evergreen. Lesser amounts of 5 to 9 inches were observed elsewhere. North winds gusted to 43 mph at Denver International Airport on the 10th…and 1.8 inches of snow fell at the former Stapleton International Airport.
April 3 to April 9 - This Week in Denver Weather History
As we pointed out in our April weather preview, the month can bring just about any type of weather condition and we see that in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. From powerful, damaging winds to Arctic cold to heavy snowfall this has been an eventful week in the past.
From the National Weather Service:
31-3
In 1979…total snowfall of 6.6 inches was measured at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 31 mph on the 31st. The greatest accumulation of snow on the ground was 3 inches on the 1st.
31-4
In 1905…much rain and some snow occurred over the 5 days behind an apparent cold front. Precipitation totaled 2.00 inches. There was a thunderstorm on the 3rd. Snowfall totaled 3.0 inches on the 4th. North winds were sustained to 34 mph on the 1st and 2nd and to 30 mph on the 3rd. High temperatures during the period ranged from the upper 30’s to the lower 40’s. Low temperatures were in the upper 20’s and lower 30’s.
1-3
In 1945…snow fell across metro Denver for a total of 51 consecutive hours. While the storm was not accompanied by excessive snow…the long duration made the event a heavy snow producer. Snowfall totaled 10.7 inches in downtown Denver with 9.5 inches recorded at Stapleton Airport. North winds were sustained to 21 mph on the 1st; otherwise winds were not strong. The air mass was very cold for April. The high temperatures of 26 on the 2nd and 17 on the 3rd were record low maximums for the dates. The latter was also a record low maximum for the month. Warm weather following the storm quickly melted the snow.
In 1973…heavy snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where 8.7 inches were measured. Snow began late on the 1st and continued through early morning on the 3rd. Thunder accompanied the snow during the late morning and afternoon of the 2nd. North winds gusted to 33 mph on the 2nd and 37 mph on the 3rd. Snow only accumulated to a depth of 5 inches on the ground due to melting.
In 1977 a foot of snow fell in Boulder and Broomfield. The Denver-Boulder turnpike was closed for an hour after numerous minor traffic accidents. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled 4.7 inches and southeast winds gusted to 32 mph on the 2nd. The greatest depth of snow on the ground was only 3 inches due to melting.
2-3
In 1955…strong west to southwest winds raked metro Denver on both days. Sustained winds as high as 37 mph with gusts to 60 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport where the visibility was reduced to 1/4 mile in blowing dust.
In 1974…a heavy snowfall of 6.7 inches was accompanied by northeast wind gusts to 33 mph which produced some blowing snow across metro Denver. Over eastern Colorado many highways and schools were closed due to near-blizzard conditions from the storm.
In 1986…the worst snow storm of the season blasted metro Denver. Heavy snow and high winds combined to close roads… Schools…and airports. Portions of all interstate Highways out of Denver were closed at times. The snow came after an exceptionally mild late winter and early spring; trees and bushes had already bloomed and leafed out. The snow and wind snapped many of these…causing power outages. Total snowfall amounts in metro Denver ranged from 1 to 2 feet with 2 to 3 feet in the foothills. Snowfall totaled 12.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusting to 39 mph reduced the visibility to 1/8 mile in snow and blowing snow. Most of the snow fell on the 3rd when temperatures hovered around 30 degrees for most of the day. The heavy snow halted traffic and closed businesses. A 59- year-old man was found dead from exposure in northwest Denver. The roof of a toy store in Northglenn collapsed. A 100 thousand square foot section of a greenhouse roof collapsed in Golden…destroying over a million dollars worth of plants.
In 2000…a combination of strong instability and moist upslope winds allowed for a heavy…wet spring snowstorm to develop in and near the Front Range foothills. The heaviest snow occurred in southern Jefferson County. Storm totals included: 14 inches near conifer…12 inches near Evergreen and on Floyd hill; 11 inches near Blackhawk…Morrison…and tiny town; 10 inches at Aspen Springs and Eldora Ski Area; 9 inches at Chief Hosa; and 8 inches at both Golden Gate Canyon and Rollinsville. Only 2.1 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 36 mph at Denver International Airport on the 2nd.
Denver easily broke the record high temperature for April 2nd.
We knew Saturday was going to be a warm one that would likely break the high temperature record for April 2nd but it far exceeded the forecast.
The record high temperature for today’s date was 76 degrees, last set in 1996. At 1:22pm today the temperature at Denver International Airport hit 84 degrees thus easily eclipsing the old record. Warm winds and plenty of sun helped the Mile High City reach the mark.
Thornton fared even warmer as we hit a high temperature of 86.4 degrees at 3:14pm. Some cloud cover has moved in as of this writing and the temperature has dropped a bit so that may be tops for the day.
Highlighting the contrasting conditions that Denver weather can exhibit at any time, we will follow the record setting warmth today with a blast of winter-like conditions arriving tomorrow. We are expecting a quick shot of snow that will bring some much needed precipitation to the Denver metro area.
Denver is having a pitiful snow season - the third worst in the city's history. (Denver Weather Examiner)
March 31 was the last day of what is historically Denver’s snowiest month but like every other month this season, it fell dismally short in terms of the amount of snowfall. In fact, as it stands now, the Mile High City and Thornton area experiencing their third worst season of snow since record keeping began.
In a normal snow season, through the end of March, Denver historically averages 51.3 inches of snow – a healthy total needed for water supplies, irrigation and to help keep the wildfire danger down.
For the 2010 to 2011 season we are far behind that mark. As of yesterday Denver has recorded a paltry 20.6 inches of snow this season at DIA; a total more than 30 inches below normal. Only two other seasons have seen lower snow totals at this point in the season since record keeping began in 1882 – and those were more than 125 years ago.
For the season Thornton has fared worse than the official Denver totals as we have recorded a mere 19.7 inches (click here for the latest totals). Stapleton has recorded 22.8 and Denver City Park has fared the best with 26.8.
Only one month in this snow season has Denver seen at or above normal snowfall. That occurred in January when we recorded 8.0 inches of snow versus the average for the month of 7.7 inches.
By comparison, the Mile High City’s two snowiest months – March and November respectively – saw very little snowfall. In March a mere 2.5 inches fell in contrast to 11.7 inches on average. November 2010 saw only 1.5 inches of snow versus the November average of 10.7 inches.
The long range climate forecasts from the National Weather Service predict continued drier and warmer than normal weather for the month. April is however historically our third snowiest month so there may be hope, especially given the history of the two seasons on record that were worse than this one.
During the 1883 to 1884 season, April brought 18 inches of snow and the 1884 to 1885 season saw an astounding 32 inches of snowfall in the month. While both snow seasons finished below average, they made up a lot of ground in 30 days.
We can only hope that this season follows suit or we will be in for a very dry – and dangerous – summer.
April marks a transition between winter and summer for most of the country but for Denver it is especially true as we can see a stunning variety of weather. The proverbial April showers are certainly a possibility for Denver.
Snow? Tornadoes? Thunderstorms? You bet – all can happen! For good measure throw in a chance for hail and even dust storms and April gives every type of weather condition you could like – or hate.
Temperatures into the 70s and even the 80s aren’t entirely unheard of during the month. Conversely, April is our third snowiest month so we certainly have the potential for plenty of the white stuff as well.
The death toll from the three-day severe weather outbreak continues to climb with some accounts pegging the number at 45 or more. The Storm Prediction Center recorded 230 reports of tornadoes over the period and the event is by far the most extensive and deadly weather event thus far in 2011.
April marks a transition between winter and summer for most of the country but for Denver it is especially true as we can see a stunning variety of weather. The proverbial April showers are certainly a possibility for Denver.