GLOBAL WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS
MARCH 2021
UNITED
STATES
Severe
weather produced a deadly and damaging start to meteorological spring in the
Atlanta area on the 1st). From Sunday afternoon through early Monday,
downpours and strong thunderstorms erupted across parts of the Tennessee Valley
and the Southeast. More than two dozen wind damage reports came in across the
states of Arkansas, Tennessee, northern Mississippi and Alabama, and Georgia. On
Monday, a severe storm moving through northern Georgia spawned a tornado around
6 a.m. EST. The damage was surveyed by the National Weather Service on Monday
afternoon, which confirmed the tornado as an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Despite the damage, no injuries or fatalities were reported from the tornado.
However, strong wind gusts caused tree branches to crash down nearby, which led
to one fatality in the metro Atlanta area.
Emergency evacuations have been ordered for residents in the Haiku area in Maui,
Hawaii, after heavy rainfall has caused a breach on the Kaupakalua Dam on the 8th.
Authorities also warned people that flooding in the area is "life-threatening".
Heavy rainfall in Maui has resulted in flooding and dam breach, leaving many
residents trapped in their homes. The Maui Fire Department said it received more
than a dozen calls for assistance. Mayor Michael Victorino surveyed the flooding
and reported that Kaupakalua Road was impassable in some areas. At least six
homes were heavily damaged or destroyed. After a breach was confirmed on the
Kaupakalua Dam on Monday afternoon, Victorino urged people to evacuate from the
Haiku area.
On 14
February, temperatures dipped all the way down to -19F at Minneapolis-St. Paul
International Airport, just missing a record low temperature for the date
originally set in 1875 (9th). But now just three weeks later, city
residents are dressing for a very different record. Today, the city reached a
high temperature of 62F, shattering the previous high-temperature record of 61F
for the date in the city last reached in 1879.
A
major winter storm described by the National Weather Service as "historic and
crippling" lashed parts of the U.S., bringing up to 1.2 m (4 feet) of snow over
the weekend (13th-14th). More than 2000 flights were
cancelled and over 54000 customers were left without power on Sunday. The NWS
initially warned of a "historic and crippling" winter storm that will
significantly impact all of southeast Wyoming and western Nebraska panhandle,
adding that "widespread blizzard conditions" would make travel "dangerous or
impossible." The storm rolled into parts of the Rocky Mountains late Saturday,
March 13, dropping heavy snow and rain. Up to 61 cm of snow was registered in
Denver, Colorado on Sunday, making it the city's fourth-largest snowstorm since
1881. The previous fourth strongest snowfall record was 60.4 cm set in December
1982. This was also Denver's largest snowstorm since 2006.
A
severe weather outbreak lashed the South, unleashing tornadoes that led to
serious damage to homes and businesses (17th), particularly in
Alabama and Mississippi. NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) received a total of
25 tornado reports, 17 in Alabama, 3 in Mississippi, 2 in Montana, and 1 each in
Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri.
At
least 23 tornadoes touched down in Alabama and Georgia, leaving extensive
damage, at least 5 people dead outside of Birmingham, Alabama, and multiple
injuries (25th). This is the second tornado outbreak in the region
since March 17. Severe storms started affecting the region mid-afternoon and
continued in several waves through the early evening and into the night. About
50 million people were in the path of severe weather, NWS Storm Prediction
Center (SPC) said, with portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee at most
risk. The SPC issued a high risk of severe weather risk in the South for the
second time this month. This was the first time the center has issued 2 high
risks for severe weather in the month of March since 1991.
Four
people have been killed and 130 rescued after near-record levels of rainfall hit
Nashville, Tennessee over 48 hours, causing significant flooding across the
region (27th-28th). Repeated rounds of very heavy rainfall
caused widespread flooding issues in many areas across Middle Tennessee from
Saturday morning, March 27, through Sunday morning, March 28. Through Sunday
morning, Franklin recorded 219.7 mm of rain, while Clarkrange had 213.6 mm.
SOUTH
AMERICA
A
severe storm struck Espirito Santo in southeastern Brazil, causing flooding and
landslides that left many homes damaged or destroyed on the 7th).
More than 11 000 lightning strikes were reported across the state, resulting in
one fatality in Corrego Sao Jose de Pancas. Up to 149 mm of rain was recorded in
the municipality of Marechal Floriano in a 24-hour period to Monday, March 8.
Vila Velha saw 113.7 mm and Cariacica 90.4 mm.
Heavy
rains have caused flooding and landslides in northern Peru over the past few
days, affecting as many as 3000 homes (20th). Around 160 mm of rain
fell in a 24-hour period in Yurimaguas, capital of Alto Amazonas Province in
Loreto Region, which is more than half the city's March average rainfall of 257
mm.
As
many as 45 people have died while more than 2000 homes have been damaged as a
result of severe weather in Colombia since 1 March, according to a statement by
the country's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) (23rd).
Recently, heavy rains have caused major flooding in the municipality of Dabeiba
in Antioquia on the 22nd. A total of 318 severe weather events were reported in
193 municipalities and 20 departments, leaving around 451 families affected,
UNGRD said. The disaster risk management added that there were 175 landslides
and 89 floods, including flash floods, during this period, as well as storms,
hail, and strong winds.
ASIA
The
Chinese capital of Beijing was covered in thick dust on Monday (15th)as
it experienced what its weather bureau has called the worst sandstorm in a
decade. The storm caused an unprecedented spike in air pollution measurements -
with pollution levels in some districts at 160 times the recommended limit.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled or grounded as the sky was covered by an
apocalyptic-looking orange haze. The sand is being brought in by strong winds
from Inner Mongolia. In Mongolia the severe sandstorms have reportedly caused
six deaths and left dozens missing.
AUSTRAILIA
About
18000 people have evacuated their homes after torrential rains hit New South
Wales (NSW), Australia, causing severe flooding in many parts of the state. More
evacuations are expected as the severe weather is forecast to continue mid-week
(20th-21st). The deluge has inundated coastal areas of
NSW, including parts of Sydney, prompting authorities to warn eight million
residents to avoid unnecessary travel. Several hard-hit areas recorded 250 mm of
rain in a 24-hour period, while most of the coast has seen March rainfall
records broken. The government has signed 34 natural disaster declarations, as
of March 21. Heavy downpours began Friday, March 19, causing severe flooding
which as described by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) as "potentially
life-threatening". Parts of the state experienced the worst flooding in 50
years, authorities said Sunday. Floodwaters raged from Bellingen to Port
Macquarie, Mount Seaview, Wauchope and Gloucester, and Wingham. The Kindee
Bridge peaked at 12.1 m on the 20th, breaking the 2013 major flood record. By
Saturday afternoon, officials had issued nine evacuation orders for 15 areas.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian stated that the region was experiencing a
"one-in-100-year" event, and 34 areas have been declared natural disaster areas.
CANADA
A
powerful storm brought heavy snow, damaging winds, and frozen precipitation
across some E areas of Canada, resulting in travel disruptions, suspension of
classes, and damaged homes (29th). Wind gusts of up to 164 km/h were
recorded in Nova Scotia, while multiple power outages were reported in
Newfoundland and parts of the Prairies. In Newfoundland, many roofs were blown
away from homes as the storm brought damaging winds and heavy snow. The intense,
low-pressure system also delivered a blast of heavy rain and snow to New
Brunswick and strong winds in Nova Scotia. St. Joseph du Moine, Grand Etang, and
Plateau on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia saw violent wind gusts of 164 km/h,
159 km/h and 151 km/h, respectively.
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