NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

 

MAY 2009

 

1^st-9^th…Areas of active weather swept through portions of the country on Saturday. A long front stretched from the Southern Plains through the Northeast. This feature allowed a tremendous amount of moisture to pour into the Plains and Tennessee Valley. This moisture instigated areas of rain, thunderstorms, and severe weather. At least one tornado developed in northern Mississippi, and there were preliminary reports of additional tornadoes elsewhere. One of these reports was in Texas. There were also several reports of large hail and strong winds that caused damage. The thunderstorms that plagued the area produced heavy rain that raised flooding fears. Precipitation also swept through the Northeast and eventually diminished as the cold front moved into the Atlantic Ocean. A Pacific storm also moved into the West and produced much-needed precipitation along the West Coast. Scattered rain and high elevation snow also fell in the Great Basin and Rockies. The Northeast rose into the 60s and 70s, while the Southeast saw temperatures in the 70s and 80s. The Southern Plains rose into the 80s and 90s, while the Northwest saw temperatures in the 60s.

Severe weather continued across the East Coast on Monday. A strong low pressure system created a cold front that stretched from the Mid-Atlantic into the Gulf states and pulled much warm and moist air in from the Gulf. These conditions triggered strong storms and some of which turned severe with quarter to half inch sized hail reported at Churchland, Virginia. Strong winds blew trees and powerlines over a school in Norfolk, Virginia. Periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms hit the Gulf states with 2.98 inches reported in Petal, Mississippi. To the north, the low pressure system created a frontal boundary that moved up the Ohio River Valley and into New England. This system triggered continual light rain on Monday. Green Hills, Pennsylvania reported 0.59 inches of rain. Meanwhile, high pressure quickly built in behind this system and dominated the weather over the Mississippi River Valley. This brought mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures in the 70s spanning from the Upper Midwest into the Mid-Mississippi Valley. Moving west, a low pressure system developed over the Northern Rockies and pushed a cold front over the Northern Plains. This triggered light showers that moved eastward over the Dakotas, while it also brought scattered showers and thunderstorms to the Southern Plains. Temperatures dropped on Monday with highs in most areas in the upper 50s and lower 60s. The West Coast saw mostly cloudy skies with light rain in the Pacific Northwest as a low pressure system approached from the Pacific. New rainfall totals remained less than a quarter of an inch in Northern California and Oregon.

Severe weather clobbered the Southeast, Tennessee Valley, and Mid-Atlantic States on Wednesday. Two tornadoes were spotted in northern Alabama, golf ball sized hail was reported in Terry, Mississippi, and winds gusted up to 65 mph in Kosciusko, Mississippi. In Philadelphia, Mississippi, strong winds tore a porch off of a house. Heavy rain hit the region with periods of intense downfalls, a total of 1.80 inches fell over New Houlka, Mississippi. This system also produced a warm front that extended over the Ohio River Valley and moved into the Northeast, which kicked up light scattered rain showers. Most areas saw less than a quarter of an inch of rain. Meanwhile in the Northern Plains, a low pressure system produced a fast moving cold front that swept through the Upper Midwest. The system kicked up strong winds and thunderstorms which produced hail. Dime to quarter sized hail was reported in Worthington, Minnesota and Lake Spirit, Iowa. In the West, a low pressure system in the Pacific Ocean pushed a cold front over the Pacific Northwest. This triggered scattered showers throughout the day and brought cloudy skies and cool conditions with highs in the 50s. Rainfall totals ranged between a tenth and a half of an inch. The rest of the West Coast saw warmer temperatures in the 70s and 80s due to a strong offshore flow.

A long front stretched from the Middle Mississippi Valley through the Rockies and triggered severe weather. A tremendous amount of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico streamed toward the front and produced heavy rain, thunderstorms, and even some tornadoes. A cluster of storms formed a bow echo that tracked through southern Missouri and northern Arkansas before giving way to another set of storms that moved through the Tennessee Valley. This cluster of thunderstorms produced damaging wind and hail along with several tornadoes from southeastern Kansas through southern Illinois. There were initial reports of considerable damage from these tornadoes. Another tornado was reported in Iowa in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, a separate line of thunderstorms pressed through the Tennessee Valley earlier in the day before progressing into the Southeast while diminishing. Aside from some scattered afternoon showers in the Northeast, the rest of the country remained dry. The Southwest and Southern Plains remained quite warm. The Northeast rose into the 60s and 70s, while the Southern Plains saw temperatures in the 70s and 80s. The Southern Plains rose into the 90s and 100s, while the Southwest saw similar temperatures.

 

10^th-16^th…Monday's main weather occurred across the southeastern quadrant of the nation as a frontal boundary remained stretched across the south and an area of low pressure moved towards the East Coast. Ample amounts of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico combined with enhanced instability and produced numerous bands of precipitation and thunderstorms across the Gulf Coast states. As the day progressed the number and intensity of thunderstorms along the northeastern coast of Texas and across southwestern Louisiana increased. Stronger instability over these areas supported stronger winds with penny sized hail (0.75 inches) and caused these regions to be at slight risk for severe weather development. Meanwhile, an area of low pressure moved along the frontal boundary toward the East Coast and produced another patch of active weather across the Mid-Atlantic and South Carolina on Monday. Wrap-around moisture from the Atlantic supported widespread light to moderate rainfall across these regions. Strong northeast winds accompanied showers and increased in speed during the afternoon. Thus far, there have been multiple reports of high windspeeds with trees down and minor structural damage across the Carolinas. Hail sizes across these areas have ranged from penny sized (0.75 inches) to golf ball sized (1.75 inches) in New Hanover County, North Carolina. Numerous traffic accidents were reported in Columbus, North Carolina due to penny sized hail. Elsewhere, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms developed from the Pacific Northwest to the western regions of the Northern Plains, while the Southwest remained dry and mild.

A severe low pressure system moved through the Plains on the Wednesday and kicked up scattered showers and thunderstorms over the Mid-Mississippi River Valley. The system created a warm front that pulled warm air and moisture in from the Gulf and was quickly followed by a cold front that extended into the Southern Plains, both of which kicked up active weather. Some of these storms turned severe with periods of heavy rain and hail reported in Roby, Missouri. In Champaign, Illinois, 0.96 inches of rain fell with scattered showers that extended up the Ohio River Valley. Tornadoes were expected but have not yet been reported.

To the north, this low pressure system brought scattered showers and breezy conditions to the Northern Plains. Saint Paul, Minnesota reported 26 mph winds with gusts up to 36 mph. Most of the region saw highs in the mid-60s. Meanwhile, high pressure lingered over the East Coast and allowed for pleasant weather with mostly sunny skies and warm conditions. The Northeast reached into the 70s while the Southeast saw highs in the mid- 80s. In the West, a trough of low pressure hovered over the Pacific Northwest and brought scattered clouds with light showers. This system also brought cool conditions with a few clouds to northern California. The north saw highs in the upper 50s, while areas in the Southwest surpassed 100 degrees.

The Central Plains and Tennessee River Valley saw severe weather on Friday with periods of heavy rain, strong thunderstorms, and intense winds. A low pressure system moved off the Rockies and into the Plains, which pulled warm and moist air in from the Gulf and created a warm front that extended from Nebraska and into Pennsylvania. Severe storms were anticipated anywhere along the front, and have initiated over various areas. In Hartford, Missouri, 2.42 inches of rain has been reported due to heavy thunderstorms, while Somerset, Kentucky reported quarter size hail fell for 1 minute with 6 inches of water over a road. Tornadoes were anticipated, but have not yet developed. The region also saw strong winds with gusts up to 30 and 40 mph, which blew trees over a road in central Missouri. These storms have ample moisture associated with them and were slow moving, thus, flooding has continued to threaten the Central and Eastern U.S. Scattered showers also extended well into the Southeast on Friday. The region saw partly cloudy skies with areas of light rain and humid conditions with highs in the 80s. Meanwhile in the west, a ridge of high pressure built over the West Coast which allowed for offshore flow and brought warm and pleasant conditions to the region on Friday. The Pacific Northeast reached into the 70s while California saw highs in the 80s and 90s.

 

17^th-23^rd…Active weather hit the Gulf states on Tuesday as a front lingered over the region. The front extended from a system off the East Coast and pulled abundant moisture in from the Atlantic Ocean, which allowed for scattered shower and thunderstorm development. Severe weather has not yet been reported with this system, but some areas saw periods of heavy rain. Orlando, Florida reported a total of 2.77 inches of new rainfall. To the north, fires were a threat with warm, dry, and breezy conditions. In Albany, Georgia, 15 mph winds with gusts up to 33 mph were reported.

Meanwhile in the north, a large area of high pressure sat over the rest of the East Coast and allowed for fair weather with mostly sunny skies. The Northeast saw below freezing lows and record breaking high temperatures with highs near 70. To the west, the Plains saw relatively quiet weather for mid-May on Tuesday as a ridge dominated over the region. Hot and dry conditions stretched from the Texas into the Dakotas, with highs reported in the 90s in the Central Plains and the upper 80s were reached in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Further west, a cold front dipped into the Pacific Northwest and triggered light rain with light snow at high elevations. Portland, Oregon reported periods of heavy rain with total accumulation around a half of an inch. California and the Southwest saw warm and dry conditions on Tuesday. Strong winds associated with a dry microburst damaged a car dealership in Guadalupe, Arizona.

Severe weather hit Florida on Wednesday as a low pressure system hovered over the Gulf of Mexico. This system picked up abundant moisture and triggered periods of heavy rain with scattered thunderstorms. In Bryceville, Florida, 3.8 inches of rain was reported, while quarter sized hail fell over Lakeport, Florida. Strong damaging winds also hit the region with 58 mph gusts reported in Belle Glade, Florida. This system pushed clouds over the rest of the Gulf states but precipitation has not yet been reported. To the north, a dominant high pressure ridge hovered over the East Coast and allowed for mostly sunny skies and warm conditions. The Northeast saw record breaking high temperatures which approached the 80s in some areas. Meanwhile in the Plains, a low pressure system developed off the Northern Rockies and created a frontal boundary that extended from Minnesota, over the Northern Plains, and into the Central Rockies. Extremely strong winds occurred ahead of the front, which increased fire threats as temperatures remained unseasonably high. Gilman, Minnesota reported a high of 91, with 25 mph winds and gusts up to 41 mph. The West Coast saw warm and pleasant conditions on Wednesday as a ridge hovered over the region. However, a trough over the Southwest pulled in high level moisture which triggered high level scattered showers and thunderstorms over Arizona and New Mexico. Flagstaff, Arizona reported less than a tenth of an inch of rain.

An extratropical low pressure system continued to move slowly toward the Gulf Coast on Friday. This translated to widespread showers and thunderstorms through Florida and along the Gulf Coast to Louisiana. These showers were heavy in areas and produced several inches of rain in an already soaked region. This was especially true in Florida where the space shuttle was delayed from landing due to more significant cloudiness and rain. This low pressure system was not expected to develop into a tropical cyclone before it moves ashore during the weekend. Meanwhile, a weak cold front moved through the Northeast, but the region stayed mostly dry. A line of precipitation progressed through the Plains and Upper Midwest, but this precipitation was far from widespread. Moisture continued to creep into the Southwest and instigated widespread showers and thunderstorms from Nevada through Colorado and then south through Arizona and New Mexico. Coastal fog along the West Coast kept the immediate coast cool. The Northwest and California remained dry. The Northeast rose into the 70s and 80s, while the Southeast saw temperatures in the 70s. The Southern Plains rose into the 70s and 80s, while the Southwest saw temperatures in the 70s, 80s, and some 90s.

 

24^th-31^st…Much of the nation saw active weather on Memorial Day. A strong low pressure system moved into the Plains and pulled abundant moisture into the Central and Eastern U.S. The system produced a warm front that tracked through the Northern Plains, while a stationary front developed over the Ohio River Valley. Devils Lake, North Dakota reported 1.21 inches of rain, while 0.75 inches were reported in Russellville, IL, with light scattered showers extending into New England. In Bakersfield, Texas, thunderstorms produced quarter sized hail, while a tornado was spotted in Stratton, Colorado. Meanwhile, this system also triggered active weather in the Southeast. Heavy rain fell over Jackson, Mississippi as thunderstorms initiated Monday afternoon. The storms have not yet turned severe but a half an inch of rain dumped over the area within one hour, which allowed for flooding problems over the Lower and mid-Mississippi Valley. In the Northeast, high pressure moved in from Canada and brought extremely cool temperatures with it. Frost and freeze were an issue in the early morning hours as clear skies allowed temperatures to drop into the 30s. The region saw breezy conditions with gusts up to 33 mph and daytime highs recovered into the 60s in most areas. The West saw plenty of sunshine and pleasant weather on Memorial Day as high pressure built in from the Pacific. The Pacific Northwest reached into the 60s while the Southwest saw highs in the 90s.

Active weather persisted across the Eastern US on Wednesday. A strong low pressure system moved from the Plains and into the Mississippi River Valley. This system pulled in warm and moist conditions from the Gulf and produced a warm front over the Ohio River Valley. This front triggered scattered showers and thunderstorms, none of which have turned severe. In Milwood, Kentucky, 1.34 inches of rain has been reported, while 0.91 inches fell over Green Springs, Ohio. To the north, the low pressure system triggered light and constant rainfall over the Great Lakes region. In Whitehall, Wisconsin, 0.65 inches of rain was reported and hail was spotted in Swartz Creek, Michigan. Cool and cloudy conditions returned to the Upper Midwest and Northeast with highs in the 50s. Meanwhile, the back side of this low pressure system pulled in cool air from the north and created a cold front that stretched down the Mississippi River and into the Southern Plains. This brought periods of heavy rain and severe thunderstorms over the Mid- and Lower Mississippi River Valley. In Grandview, Texas, 60 mph winds were reported and penny sized hail was spotted in Melbourne, Arkansas. Florida saw severe storms as moist flow from the Atlantic and the Gulf converged over the state. The state saw strong and damaging winds with gusts over 60 mph as well as nickel sized hail reported in Boca Raton, Florida. To the west, high pressure build in over the Plains as the low pressure system pushed eastward. This allowed for mostly sunny skies and warm conditions with highs reaching into the 70s in the Northern Plains as well as the Northern and Central Rockies. The West Coast saw warm and pleasant conditions on Wednesday as high pressure hovered over the region. Highs reached into the 70s in the Pacific Northwest and 80s and 90s in the Southwest.

Active weather persisted across the Eastern US on Wednesday. A strong low pressure system moved from the Plains and into the Mississippi River Valley. This system pulled in warm and moist conditions from the Gulf and produced a warm front over the Ohio River Valley. This front triggered scattered showers and thunderstorms, none of which have turned severe. In Milwood, Kentucky, 1.34 inches of rain has been reported, while 0.91 inches fell over Green Springs, Ohio. To the north, the low pressure system triggered light and constant rainfall over the Great Lakes region. In Whitehall, Wisconsin, 0.65 inches of rain was reported and hail was spotted in Swartz Creek, Michigan. Cool and cloudy conditions returned to the Upper Midwest and Northeast with highs in the 50s. Meanwhile, the back side of this low pressure system pulled in cool air from the north and created a cold front that stretched down the Mississippi River and into the Southern Plains. This brought periods of heavy rain and severe thunderstorms over the Mid- and Lower Mississippi River Valley. In Grandview, Texas, 60 mph winds were reported and penny sized hail was spotted in Melbourne, Arkansas. Florida saw severe storms as moist flow from the Atlantic and the Gulf converged over the state. The state saw strong and damaging winds with gusts over 60 mph as well as nickel sized hail reported in Boca Raton, Florida. To the west, high pressure build in over the Plains as the low pressure system pushed eastward. This allowed for mostly sunny skies and warm conditions with highs reaching into the 70s in the Northern Plains as well as the Northern and Central Rockies. The West Coast saw warm and pleasant conditions on Wednesday as high pressure hovered over the region. Highs reached into the 70s in the Pacific Northwest and 80s and 90s in the Southwest.

Severe weather with strong winds, hail, and heavy rain persisted across the Eastern US on Thursday. A low pressure system moved into eastern Canada and produced a cold front that hovered over the East Coast. Strongest moisture advection was over the Northeast and triggered moderately heavy showers throughout the day, while light showers extended down the coast. In Albany, New York, 0.66 inches of rain was reported. Thunderstorms kicked up large hail in Swansonville, Virginia, and strong winds blew trees and power lines down in Washington DC. Scattered showers and thunderstorms stretched well into the Gulf States. The entire East Coast saw warm and muggy conditions on Thursday. Behind this system, a front tracked through the Midwest and Great Lakes region and kicked up clouds which produced a few light sprinkles. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain has been reported. High pressure over the Plains allowed for mostly sunny skies and warm conditions. The Northern Plains reached into the 70s while the Central and Southern Plains saw highs in the 80s and 90s. Further west, a weak low pressure system moved across the Central and Southern Rockies which produced scattered showers and thunderstorms. This system kicked up strong winds with gusts up to 30 mph. Storms have not yet turned severe and no significant precipitation has been reported over the Rockies. Warm and pleasant weather persisted on the West Coast as a ridge of high pressure brought dry conditions with sunny skies.

 

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