NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY

 

OCTOBER 2022

 

2-8: Significant precipitation was limited to the middle Atlantic States, where the remnants of Ian contributed to multiple days of cool, rainy weather. A secondary area of precipitation affected the Southwest, eventually spreading to the southern High Plains.

 

Early in the week, the remnants of Hurricane Ian, interacting with a non-tropical disturbance and a high-pressure system, delivered heavy rain. Record-setting rainfall amounts for October 2 included 1.99 inches in Philadelphia, PA, and 3.45 inches at New Jersey’s Atlantic City Marina. October 1-3 rainfall at the Atlantic City Marina totaled 5.94 inches. Heavy rain shifted almost imperceptibly northward; daily-record amounts for October 4 topped the 2-inch mark in Pennsylvania locations such as Mount Pocono (2.21 inches) and Allentown (2.08 inches). Elsewhere on the 4th, daily records totaled 1.77 inches at both Newark, NJ, and New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The heavyrain event shifted into southern New England and finally wound down on October 5, when Hartford, CT, collected a daily-record sum of 2.17 inches. Meanwhile, Southwestern showers resulted in daily-record totals in Alamosa, CO (0.21 inch on the 2nd), and Nogales, AZ (0.69 inch on the 6th). In western Texas, Borger measured a record-setting amount (0.65 inch) for October 7. In contrast, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN, received rainfall totaling 0.03 inch during the first 8 days of October, following its driest September on record (0.24 inch, or 8 percent of normal; previously, 0.27 inch in 1882).

 

9-15: Rain fell in a few areas, however, including parts of the Northeast and Southeast. In fact, rain fell heavily in New England, where 2- to 4-inch totals were common. Southeastern rainfall was generally heaviest in parts of Alabama and Georgia. Portions of the Midwest also received some precipitation, with rain and snow showers noted downwind of the Great Lakes. Late in the week, additional rain developed across the South. Spotty showers occurred from southern California to the southern Rockies, while locally heavy rain fell from western Texas into the mid-South.

 

Rhinelander received a daily-record snowfall of 2.0 inches on the 14th. Duluth, MN, also measured 2.0 inches of snow on that date, helping to boost its October 14-16 total to 5.1 inches. Elsewhere, record-setting snowfall totals for October 14 included 0.4 inch in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, and 0.3 inches in Eau Claire, WI.

 

Precipitation across the country was scarce until mid-week, when heavy showers developed across the central Gulf Coast States. In Mississippi, record-setting rainfall totals for October 12 included 3.18 inches in Meridian and 1.89 inches in Gulfport. Showers soon swept into the East; daily-record totals for the 13th included 1.57 inches in Allentown, PA, and 1.41 inches on St. Simons Island, GA. Rain lingered in New England, particularly across Maine. Bangor, ME, received exactly 5 inches of rain on October 14-15, aided by a daily-record sum of 3.20 inches on the latter date. Elsewhere in Maine, October 13-15 rainfall totaled 3.33 inches in Augusta, 3.32 inches in Millinocket, and 3.27 inches in Portland. Late in the week, showers developed over the southwestern and south-central U.S. Phoenix, AZ, received a 2-day (October 15-16) total of 0.94 inch. Daily-record amounts for October 15 reached 0.28 inch in Winslow, AZ, and 0.15 inch in Barstow-Daggett, CA. Meanwhile, the Mississippi River fell to record-low levels in midOctober at several gauge sites between New Madrid, MO, and Greenville, MS. In Missouri, stages of -5.51 feet (on the 15th) in New Madrid and -1.82 feet (on the 16th) in Caruthersville broke records set on August 30, 2012. Farther downstream, the gauge in Osceola, AR, recorded -11.66 feet on October 17, more than a foot below the record set on July 11, 1988. The Mississippi River at Memphis, TN, also edged a July 1988 standard, falling to a stage of -10.79 feet on October 17. Meanwhile, the Ohio River at Cairo, IL (4.88 feet on October 17), fell to its lowest level since 1901.

 

16-22: Early-week rain lingered in the southwestern and south-central U.S. Phoenix, AZ, received a daily-record total of 0.32 inch on the 16th, boosting its October 15-16 sum to 0.94 inch. In Oklahoma, Lawton netted a dailyrecord total (1.43 inches) for October 16. Del Rio, TX, reported a recordsetting rainfall total (2.12 inches) for October 17. Meanwhile, snow showers developed or continued downwind of the Great Lakes. Marquette, MI, received 19.1 inches of snow from October 17-19. In addition, Marquette’s 18.1-inch total on the 17th and 18th set a station record for any 2-day period in October. Alpena, MI, received weekly precipitation totaling 2.36 inches, aided by a daily-record rainfall of 1.30 inches on October 17. Heavy rain briefly returned to northern New England on October 18, when Portland, ME, achieved a daily-record total of 1.49 inches. Elsewhere, a trace of snow fell on the 18th in Kentucky locations such as Jackson, Lexington, and Louisville. In the last 40 years, Jackson’s earliest observed snowfall had fallen on October 19, 1989. Late in the week, significant precipitation arrived in the Northwest and quickly overspread the northern and central Rockies, Great Basin, and Intermountain West. In Utah, Alta received 9.3 inches of snow in a 24-hour period on October 22-23, while Tooele reported 5.7 inches. Ely, NV, tallied daily records on October 22 for precipitation (0.35 inch) and snowfall (3.8 inches). Other record-setting precipitation totals for October 22 included 0.65 inch in Salt Lake City, UT, and 0.98 inch in Livingston, MT. Montana’s Bozeman Airport received precipitation totaling 1.19 inches, including 4.1 inches of snow, on October 22-23.

 

19-23: As the week began, heavy snow blanketed portions of the Rockies and Intermountain West. In Utah, snowfall during a 24-hour period ending the evening of October 23 reached 9.3 inches in Alta and 5.7 inches in Tooele. Alta received measurable snow on 6 consecutive days from October 22-27, totaling 26.1 inches. Meanwhile, Miles City, MT, reported a daily-record precipitation total of 0.67 inch on the 23rd. By October 24, heavy showers developed across the Plains and mid-South. Record-setting rainfall totals for the 24th included 0.96 inch in Minot, ND; 1.35 inches in Amarillo, TX; and 1.69 inches in Joplin, MO. Elsewhere in Missouri, daily-record amounts for October 25 reached 2.31 inches in St. Louis and 1.75 inches in West Plains. The Mississippi River in St. Louis rose more than 4 feet, from a minimum stage of -3.09 feet on October 24 to 1.09 feet by the morning of October 26, before falling back slightly. Stages below -3.09 feet in St. Louis have occurred only four times since the beginning of the 21st century—in January and October 2003; December 2005; and December 2012 – January 2013. The second half of the week featured mostly tranquil weather, until heavy rain developed across the western Gulf Coast region. In Texas, record-setting rainfall totals for October 28 reached 2.29 inches in Tyler and 1.74 inches in Abilene. By the 29th, daily rainfall records included 4.15 inches in Hattiesburg, MS, and 2.37 inches in Memphis, TN. At the end of October, the Mississippi River at Memphis had risen 2.64 feet from a record-low stage of -10.79 feet on October 17.

 

6-12: On the 10th, Nicole became the first November hurricane to make landfall on the U.S. mainland since 1985, when Kate struck near Mexico Beach, FL, on November 21. Nicole, a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds near 75 mph, moved ashore just south of Vero Beach, FL, around 3 am EST. The entire state of Florida, except the western panhandle, was subjected to tropical storm-force winds (39 mph or greater).

 

Nicole’s remnants eventually affected the entire eastern U.S., providing varying degrees of relief from autumn dryness. Some of the heaviest rain, locally 4 inches or more, fell in the central and southern Appalachians and neighboring areas. The rain helped to boost streamflow in the upper reaches of the Ohio River basin, with runoff moving downstream as the week ended. Elsewhere, a late-week storm system produced heavy snow and local blizzard conditions in the north-central U.S., while parts of the West received drought-easing precipitation.

 

As the week began, a significant precipitation event unfolded across the West. On November 6, Eugene, OR, netted a daily-record total of 1.32 inches. Farther inland, Spokane, WA, measured a record-setting snowfall (3.8 inches) for November 7. Elsewhere on the 7th, Elko, NV, set daily records for precipitation (0.76 inch) and snowfall (7.5 inches). Elko’s November 7-9 snowfall reached 13.1 inches. Similarly, Alta, UT, noted a 3-day (ending November 10) storm total of 27.7 inches. Precipitation spread to other areas of the West by November 8, when daily-record amounts in southern California included 1.44 inches at Los Angeles International Airport and 1.13 inches in Burbank. Elsewhere in southern California, 48-hour totals on November 7-9 included 6.84 inches on Palomar Mountain, 6.76 inches at Big Bear Lake, and 4.80 inches in Idyllwild. In Utah, 24-hour precipitation totals on November 8-9 topped an inch in Randolph (1.20 inches), Logan (1.09 inches), and Zion National Park (1.05 inches). Daily-record snowfall on the 9th totaled 3.1 inches in Pocatello, ID, and 3.0 inches in Kanab, UT. During the extended period of unsettled weather, Pocatello noted 8.8 inches of snow from November 7-10. Meanwhile, tropical showers began to overspread Florida, where daily-record totals for November 8 included 1.23 inches in Sanford and 1.01 inches in Orlando. Sanford received another daily-record sum (1.95 inches) on the 9th, helping to boost its November 8-10 sum to 5.32 inches. On the 10th, the day Nicole moved ashore in Florida, daily-record totals reached 2.64 inches in Jacksonville and 2.51 inches in Gainesville. Closer to the point of landfall, peak gusts on the 10th reached 72 mph in Melbourne and 70 mph in Daytona Beach. As rain spread northward on the 11th, daily-record amounts topped 2 inches in many locations, including Roanoke, VA (2.88 inches); Pittsburgh, PA (2.36 inches); Wheeling, WV (2.30 inches); Asheville, NC (2.26 inches); and Zanesville, OH (2.20 inches). Rain in the Northeast lingered into the 12th, when Houlton, ME (1.89 inches), notched a daily-record sum.

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