NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY

 

JULY 2010

 

1^st-10^th…Severe weather swept through the Northern Rockies on Friday, while the remnants of Alex brought rain and wind to the Southern Plains. The trough in the West created a front that stretched from the Northern High Plains to the Intermountain West. The system triggered scattered showers and thunderstorms, some of which have turned severe. The region did not see significant precipitation, but quarter size hail with wind gusts up to 40 mph was reported in Brady, Montana, while strong winds blew down trees and power lines in Lothair, Montana. Meanwhile in the South, the remnants of Hurricane Alex continued to track westward through northern Mexico. Flow around this system picked up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and spread scattered showers with strong winds over Texas and Oklahoma. Houston reported another 2.30 inches of rain on Friday and most areas of Texas saw at least an inch of rain. Strong winds with gusts up to 63 mph were reported in Corpus Christi.

A front over the Central U.S. brought another rainy day with floods to the Mississippi River Valley, while Tropical Depression Two moved into southern Texas on Thursday. An area of low pressure spinning in the Gulf of Mexico reached tropical depression strength with maximum sustained winds up to 35 mph. The system quickly moved onshore and pulled ample moisture onshore from the Gulf, which spread periods of heavy rainfall over the Southern Plains. These areas saw periods of heavy rain with 2.38 inches reported in Tulsa Jones, Oklahoma, while much of southern Texas saw at least an inch of rain. To the north, a strong frontal boundary continued tracking southeastward through the Central U.S. The system brought another round of scattered showers and thunderstorms, but none of which have turned severe yet. Most of the Midwest and Great Lakes saw highs in the 80s, which allowed for another hot and humid day.

The Eastern U.S, saw a rainy day on Friday, as a cold front slowly moved through the country. A low pressure system continued to track through Canada and created a cold front that extended from the Northeast, down the Ohio River Valley, and into the Lower Mississippi and Southern Plains. The system kicked up scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, but have not yet turned severe. Flooding remained an issue along the front because this slow-moving system has poured over the Mid-Mississippi River for the past few days. Springfield, Ohio reported 1.25 inches of rain, while Jamestown, New York saw 1.12 inches of rain. In the South, the front gained energy from the remnants of Tropical Depression Two that continued to move westward along the Texas and Mexico border. The system helped pull moisture onshore from the Gulf of Mexico, and allowed for periods of heavy rainfall to persist. Wichita Falls, Texas reported 2.03 inches of rain with. Strong winds with gusts up to 40 mph were also reported in multiple areas of Texas.

 

11^th-17^th…The Eastern U.S. saw active weather on Monday, as front hovered over the East Coast. A low pressure system moved over the Great Lakes, while a smaller trough hovered over New England. These systems created a warm front that moved up the coast, pulled moisture in from the Atlantic Ocean, and kicked up scattered showers and thunderstorms. Some of these storms have turned severe. Strong winds blew down trees and power lines in Newton New Hampshire and Huntersville, North Carolina. Hail was also reported in Newton, New Hampshire. Periods of heavy rainfall was associated with this system. In Memphis, Tennessee, 3.76 inches of rain was reported, while 2.25 inches was reported in Fairborn, Ohio early Monday morning.

Unsettling weather activity developed in the Upper Midwest on Wednesday as a low pressure system hung over southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. Waves of low pressure and a cold front associated with this main low extended across the eastern Northern Plains and the Upper Mississippi Valley through the Central Plains and into the Four Corners. Meanwhile, an associated warm front stretched from the Upper Mississippi Valley through the western Ohio Valley into the western Tennessee Valley. Increasing instability associated with these disturbances combined with daytime heating and moisture to produce areas of scattered showers and thunderstorms with periods of heavy rainfall along and near the fronts in Minnesota and northern Wisconsin. Storms in these regions had a moderate chance of turning severe with large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. As of this afternoon, numerous high wind reports and several instances of penny to golf ball sized hail (1.00 - 1.75 inches) were reported in central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Scattered showers and less intense thunderstorms also developed along other portions of the associated cold front in the Central Plains. Storms from the Upper Great Lakes through the Central Plains had a slight chance of turning severe.

Wet weather persisted in the East on Friday. A low pressure system continued moving through Canada, just north of the Great Lakes. This system created a front that tracked from the Great Lakes and Midwest, into the Northeast. This front stretched southward over New England, down the Tennessee Valley, and into the Southeast. Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed along this front as it obtained moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Warm and humid conditions across the Southeast allowed for these storms to turn severe with heavy rainfall, hail, and damaging winds. Pompano Beach, Florida saw 1.31 inches of rain associated with strong thunderstorms early Friday morning. Mobile, Alabama saw 0.92 inches of rain, while trees were blown down in multiple areas across Mississippi and Alabama. Quarter size hail was reported just south of Vernon, Alabama. The northern end of this front also brought wet weather with rainfall totals near a half of an inch.

Scattered storms developed in the Midwest on Friday as a low pressure system pushed a front from the Northern and Central Plains into the Upper Mississippi River Valley. The system obtained moisture from high pressure in the Gulf of Mexico pushing warm and moist air into the Central US. Thus, scattered showers and thunderstorms developed along the warm front. Storms have not yet turned severe but periods of heavy rains swept through the Dakotas and Upper Midwest. Rainfall totals varied between 1-1.5 inches, while Sioux Falls, South Dakota reported 2.41 inches associated with strong thunderstorms. Thus, floods continued to threaten much of Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois, as these storms strengthened throughout the day.

 

Jim G. Munley, jr.
http://www.jimmunleywx.com