NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY

 

JUNE 2013

 

 

1^st-8^th…Topical Storm Andrea’s interaction with a cold front led to heavy rain in the

East, with 4 inches or more falling in portions of the Atlantic Coast States from Florida to Massachusetts. Andrea made landfall during the late afternoon of June 6 in Dixie County, FL, with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph. Most of Andrea’s impacts were related to heavy rain, although weakening and acceleration after landfall helped to limit flooding.

Rain also provided much needed moisture for drought-stressed rangeland, pastures, and emerging Summer crops in the Southern Plains.  

Andrea, which developed over the Gulf of Mexico, Was first identified as a tropical storm only about 24 Hours before landfall. Andrea’s tropical moisture blended with frontal and jet stream energy to produce significant rainfall in the East. However, long before Andrea’s development, daily-record rainfall totals Across the South and East topped 2 inches in locations such as Birmingham, AL (3.57 inches on June 5); Georgetown, DE (2.98 inches on June 3); Knoxville, TN (2.50 inches on June 2); and Baton Rouge, LA (2.18 inches on June 2). Locally heavy showers also affected the Plains, where record-setting totals in

North Dakota for June 4 included 1.70 inches in Minot and 1.49 inches in Grand Forks. By June 6, daily-record totals exceeded 3 inches in several places, Including Shreveport, LA

(3.58 inches); Lynchburg, VA (3.38 inches); and Tampa, FL (3.31 inches). Even heavier rain soaked several communities on June 7, When daily-record totals climbed to 8.15 inches in Ft. Lauderdale, FL; 5.14 inches in Raleigh-Durham, NC; and 4.16 inches in

New York’s Central Park. At Week’s end, heavy showers returned to the Northern

Plains and the Upper Midwest, producing a daily-record Total for June 8 in Sioux Falls, SD

(1.87 inches).

 

9^th-15^th…Active weather pattern prevailed in most areas from the Plains to the East coast. Weekly rainfall totaled an inch or more in parts of Montana and 2 to 4 inches in some

Midwestern locations. Heavy rain also drenched areas from the Appalachians to the Atlantic coast, with a few spots receiving more than 4 inches.

Abundant rains fell in the East. Record-setting rainfall totals for June 9 included 3.23 inches in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC, and 1.56 inches in Greenwood, MS. A day later in the mid-Atlantic region, record-high amounts for June 10 reached 2.77 inches in Washington, DC; 2.32 inches in Georgetown, DE; and 2.10 inches in Philadelphia, PA. By June 11, heavy rain spread into the Northeast and developed in parts of Montana, resulting in daily-record totals in locations such as Burlington, VT (1.94 inches), and Miles City, MT

(1.10 inches). During the mid-to late week period, occasional downpours dotted the

South, East, and Midwest. Daily-record totals included 3.03  Inches (on June 12) in Key West, FL; 2.87 inches (on June 15) in Joplin, MO; 1.83 inches (on June 12) in Lansing, MI;

And 1.55 inches (on June 13) in Albany, NY. Locally heavy Showers also developed on the

Central and Southern Plains, where Chanute, KS, collected a daily-record total of 2.46

Inches on June 15. Also at mid-month, torrential rainfall (locally in excess of 10 inches) occurred in a small area of Southern Texas, where Laredo netted a daily-record total of

1.50 inches on June 14. Along the Rio Grande at Columbia Bridge, north of Laredo, the river crested 13.38 feet above flood stage on June 16—the highest level in that location since The remnants of Hurricane Alex struck in July 2010.

 

16^th-22^nd…Hit-or-miss showers and thunderstorms dotted the northern tier of the West and areas from the Plains to the East coast. However, showers were heavier—totaling 2 to 4 inches or more—across the Upper Midwest.

Two inch weekly rainfall totals were common across the interior Southeast and along the

Middle and Southern Atlantic Coast.

Early in the week, heavy showers occurred from the Central and Southern Plains into the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic States. Record-setting totals for June 17 included 2.63 inches in Abilene, TX, and 2.45 inches in Memphis, TN. Daily-record amounts for June 18 reached 2.99 inches in Shreveport, LA; 2.90 inches in Bristol, TN; and 2.10 inches in Georgetown, DE.  Elsewhere in Delaware, Wilmington set a June rainfall record, with 9.99 inches measured by the 22^nd.  In Oregon, record-breaking totals for June 19 included 1.57 inches in Baker City and 1.41 inches in Meacham. During the second half of the week, heavy showers spread across parts of the Northern Plains and Midwest. Daily-record totals topped 2 inches in locations such as Sisseton, SD (2.42 inches on June 20), and Rockford, IL (2.36 inches on June 22). Rochester, MN, and Rockford were among several Midwestern

locations reporting more than 3 inches of rain on June 21-22, along with wind gusts in excess of 50 mph on the latter date. Both cities clocked a peak gust to 53 mph. Through June 22, year-to-date precipitation in Iowa locations such as Waterloo (26.53 inches,

or 169 percent of normal) and Mason City (26.70 inches, or 164 percent) had already surpassed the cities’ 2012 annual totals (24.07 and 20.42 inches, respectively).

 

23^rd-30^th…In the Southwest, lightning strikes in advance of monsoon showers sparked several wildfires, including The deadly Yarnell Hill blaze in West-central Arizona.  

For much of the week, locally heavy showers peppered parts of The East and Midwest. Daily record rainfall totals topped 2 Inches in several locations, including Moline, IL (4.46 inches on June 24); Evansville, IN (4.10 inches on June 24); Madison WI (3.19 inches on June 26);  Lansing, MI (3.12 inches on June 28); Fargo, ND (2.56 inches on June 25);

New Bern, NC (2.31 inches On June 23); Cincinnati, OH (2.28 inches on June 26); and

Anniston, AL (2.24 inches on June 24). Madison’s Heavy rain capped its wettest first half of a year on record, with 30.95 inches (189 percent of normal).

Although no widespread rain fell across the Plains, locally severe thunderstorms developed with a thunderstorm wind gust to 89 mph on June 27.

Unusually heavy showers fell during the first half of the week as far south as northern California. Sacramento, CA, netted consecutive daily-record totals of 0.11 inch on June 24 and 25. Elsewhere in the Pacific Coast States, daily record amounts reached 0.96 inch (on June 24) in Omak, WA, and 0.42 inch (on June 25) in Red Bluff, CA.

 

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