ONLINE DAILY WEATHER SUMMARY

Wednesday, 20 January 1999

MORE WINTRY PRECIPITATION FOR THE MIDWEST
A BLUSTERY DAY ACROSS NEW ENGLAND
THE FLOODING THREAT CONTINUES
QUIET WEATHER ACROSS THE SOUTH
MORE HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS
CONTINUED STORMY WEATHER ACROSS THE WEST
YESTERDAY'S TEMPERATURE EXTREMES ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL US
ALASKAN WEATHER
HAWAIIAN WEATHER
HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS

WELCOME TO ONLINE WEATHER STUDIES - The Daily Weather Summary file will describe the current weather pattern across the U.S. Additional Supplemental Information Files will provide optional background material, when appropriate.

MORE WINTRY PRECIPITATION FOR THE MIDWEST -- While conditions were not as cold as the previous week, wintry weather continued across portions of the Midwest on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, light snow moved eastward across the lower Great Lakes. Accumulations of less than two inches resulted from this lake-enhanced snow. By evening, a relatively narrow band of light snow and freezing rain spread eastward from the Mississippi Valley to the Appalachians in western Pennsylvania. This band of wintry precipitation was associated with a warm front that extended eastward just to the north of the Ohio Valley from a weak low pressure system located in central Missouri on Tuesday night. The precipitation was the result of "overrunning", produced when relatively warm, humid air is lifted over cooler air near the surface. This weak storm system is expected to move quickly eastward through the Ohio Valley on Wednesday morning. Some precipitation in the form of snow is anticipated over portions of southern Pennsylvania, with rain to the south.

Another region of weak low pressure is expected to develop along a nearly stationary front over the Dakotas and move eastward on Wednesday afternoon, spreading a mixture of snow, ice pellets (sleet), and freezing rain across Iowa and southern Minnesota.

A BLUSTERY DAY ACROSS NEW ENGLAND -- Even though the storm system that produced the wintry weather mix across the Northeast on Monday was no longer in the area, having moved to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in the Canadian Maritimes, its effects continued to be felt across New England. The strong pressure gradient surrounding the low pressure system produced strong, gusty winds from the northwest across the region. Following some early morning snow showers across northern Upstate New York and New England, cool, dry conditions predominated.

THE FLOODING THREAT CONTINUES -- The heavy rains from Monday's storm continued to present a problem to residents of the Northeast. Flash flood watches were posted for southwest Pennsylvania, for the mid Hudson Valley of New York State and Connecticut and for the Delaware Valley between New York and Pennsylvania. Ice jams could cause flooding of these rivers and their tributaries.

QUIET WEATHER ACROSS THE SOUTH -- Relatively tranquil weather was found from the Carolinas west to Texas on Tuesday as high pressure was situated over South Carolina. Cloud-free skies were the rule, along with relatively weak winds. However, these cloud-free skies and weak winds also permit the development of fog, especially along the Gulf Coast, such as in south Texas and in Louisiana. Visibilities of less than a quarter of a mile prompted the posting of dense fog advisories.

MORE HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS -- Farther to the west, unseasonably warm air continued from Texas westward into the southern Rockies and Great Basin. This region was located to the south of a weak cold front that stretched from the mid-Mississippi Valley westward into the southern Rockies. Record high temperatures for the date were either tied or set on Tuesday afternoon in Texas at Abilene (82 degrees), Midland (82 degrees) and San Angelo (83 degrees). Elsewhere, Albuquerque, NM had a 64 degree record high, while several stations in Utah, such as Moab at 65 degrees, reached daily record high temperatures.

CONTINUED STORMY WEATHER ACROSS THE WEST -- The parade of storms affecting the West continued as one storm came on shore early Tuesday. As of late Tuesday night, another storm system was located in the eastern Pacific off the West Coast. The low pressure center was located approximately 200 miles to the west of the mouth of the Columbia River. An occluded front extended inland across the Oregon Cascades, ultimately turning into a cold front that curved south and westward across northern California.

An extensive region of precipitation, extended from the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound southward to Southern California near Santa Barbara. Snow is expected over the higher elevations of Washington State, Oregon, California and into the Intermountain West. As a result of the prolonged rains, flood warnings were continued along some of the rivers in western Washington State and Oregon. Rains in California have also prompted the issuance of urban and small stream flood advisories for the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. Severe thunderstorms moved across California's Sacramento Valley on Tuesday.

Windy conditions have also accompanied these storms. Gale warnings for winds between 39 and 54 mph were posted along the coast from Cascade Head, OR to Cape Mendocino, CA. Earlier in the day, heavy surf advisories were in effect for the California coast north of Santa Cruz Island, as swells with heights to 16 feet were reported.

Winter storm warning was issued for heavy snow and high winds in the northern Sierra of California, where a foot of snow was expected by Wednesday morning. Gusty winds, reaching 80 mph in some passes and high elevations, were also expected to produce blizzard conditions. Farther east, the Bitterroots in Idaho and Montana, the Tetons in Wyoming, and the Wasatch Mountains in Utah were anticipating between 3 to 6 inches of new snow. Winter storm watches have been posted for these regions for Wednesday, extending into Thursday, as additional accumulations are expected.

YESTERDAY'S TEMPERATURE EXTREMES ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL US --Tuesday morning's lowest temperature was 17 degrees below zero at Baudette, MN, while the highest temperature on Tuesday was 86 degrees at Sanderson, TX.

ALASKAN WEATHER -- A large region of high pressure continued to dominate the weather across a large portion of mainland Alaska on Tuesday. This ridge of high pressure extended westward from the Yukon Territory west across Alaska's Yukon Valley, the Seward Peninsula to the Bering Strait. Relatively cloud-free skies were found under this high pressure region. Some locations in northern and interior Alaska had overnight low temperatures that ranged from 30 degrees below zero to 40 below. Some fog developed in the valleys as a result of nighttime cooling. A trough of low pressure system extending from south of Dutch Harbor to north of Shemya was responsible for cloudy skies from the Aleutians into the Alaska Peninsula, the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island. High winds associated with this system were reported over the eastern Aleutians and the western Alaska Peninsula, with gusts reaching 47 mph at Dutch Harbor and to 31 mph at Cold Bay. Strong winds were also reported along the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound, with Whittier reporting gusts to 40 mph and Seward to 31 mph. Light snow fell at Cold Bay, Anchorage, Homer, Fairbanks and Kotzebue.

The state lowest overnight temperature on Tuesday morning was 51 degrees below zero at Chandalar Lake and the highest temperature by mid afternoon was 39 degrees at Dutch Harbor.

HAWAIIAN WEATHER -- Winds from the northeast continued across the islands on Tuesday. An approaching high pressure cell located well to the northwest of Hawaii is expected to approach the islands during the next several days. As this system advances, it is expected to "build" (as its central pressure intensifies). Consequently, the winds over the islands should increase to gale force, reaching speeds ranging from 39 to 54 mph. While presently dry, rainfall should increase across the islands, especially along the windward sides of the islands. High surf advisories were posted for the north and west shores of the islands.

HISTORICAL WEATHER EVENTS - 20 January

From the files of the Aviation Weather Center, Kansas City, MO and Intellicast

...1854...A large tornado struck the Brandon and Mount Vernon areas in central Ohio. (Intellicast)
...1937...The wettest Inaugural Day of record with 1.77 inches of rain in 24 hours. Temperatures were only in the 30s as President Franklin D. Roosevelt was sworn in for his second term. (David Ludlum)
The record low temperature for the state of California was set at Boca when the thermometer dropped to 45 degrees below zero. (Intellicast)
...1943...Strange vertical antics took place in the Black Hills of South Dakota. While the temperature at Deadwood was a frigid 16 degrees below zero, the town of Lead, just a mile and a half away, but 600 feet higher in elevation, reported a balmy 52 degree reading. (David Ludlum)
...1954...The temperature at Rogers Pass, MT plunged to 69.7 degrees below zero to establish a new record for the continental U.S. (David Ludlum)
...1961...The "Kennedy Inaugural snowstorm" belted the mid Atlantic area and New England. Up to 29 inches of snow fell in northern New Jersey and southeastern New York. Areas north and west of Boston, MA received over two feet. This was the second of three major snowstorms during the 1960-61 winter season in the northeastern U.S. (Intellicast)
...1978...Snowblitz! -- A paralyzing "Nor'easter" blasted New England and the mid Atlantic states. Boston, MA recorded 21 inches in 24 hours to set a new record 24 hour snowfall amount -- only to have it broken 2 weeks later. Snowfall was under-forecast since a predicted change-over from snow to rain did not occur. Elsewhere, 15 to 20 inches in Rhode Island, and one to two feet of snow in Pennsylvania. Winds along the coast of Connecticut gusted to 70 mph. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast)
...1987...Gale force winds lingered along the northern Atlantic coast in the wake of a holiday weekend storm. High winds along the eastern slopes of the Northern Rockies gusted to 67 mph at Livingston, MT, and high winds in southern California gusted to 70 mph near San Bernardino. (National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1988...A storm in the Upper Midwest produced heavy snow and gale force winds. Up to 27.5 inches of snow was reported along the Lake Superior shoreline of Michigan, with 22 inches at Marquette. (National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1989...The temperature in the Washington, DC area warmed into the lower 50s for the Presidential Inauguration during the late morning hours, before gusty northwest winds ushered in colder air that afternoon. (National Weather Summary)
...1990...While heavy thunderstorm rains drenched the Central Gulf Coast States, with 4.23 inches reported at Centreville, AL in 24 hours, unseasonably warm weather continued across Florida. Five cities in Florida reported record high temperatures for the date. Tampa, FL equaled their record high for January of 85 degrees. (National Weather Summary)
...1993...A fast moving 980 millibar low produced high winds in the Pacific Northwest. A wind gust to 64 mph occurred at the Seatac airport in Seattle, WA -- the second highest wind gust ever recorded at this location. Wind gusts neared 100 mph at the mouth of the Columbia river. Over 750,000 people in the vicinity of Puget Sound lost power. Damage was severe, with 79 homes destroyed and 581 suffering major damage. In Oregon, wind gusts hit 89 mph at Netarts and 86 mph at Cape Blanco.
In the southern U.S., train echo thunderstorms drenched Lafayette and Baton Rouge, LA with 10.83 and 9.02 inches of rain in 24 hours, respectively (Intellicast)
...1994...Frigid conditions persisted over the northeastern U.S. Rangeley, ME reported 45 degrees below zero for a morning low for the cold spot in the nation. First Connecticut Lake, NH dropped to a frigid 44 degrees below zero. Both Pittsburgh, PA and Cleveland, OH completed their longest stretch of subzero readings on record, with 52 and 56 consecutive hours, respectively. (Intellicast)