NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY

FEBRUARY 2024

Jan. 28-Feb. 3: A pair of Pacific storm systems arriving along the West Coast in late January and early February delivered heavy rain, mountain snow, and high winds.

The initial system, which lumbered inland on January 31 – February 1, eventually drifted eastward, producing late-week precipitation across portions of the nation’s mid-section, as well as the western and central Gulf Coast States. With little cold air available to the storm, snow was mostly limited to higher elevations of the West and the northern and central High Plains.

As the week began, heavy showers lingered in the Northeast, where daily-record totals topped an inch on January 28 in Martinsburg, WV (1.34 inches), and Williamsport, PA (1.16 inches). Most of Williamsport’s precipitation fell as rain, with snowfall on that date totaling just 0.3 inch. Elsewhere in the Northeast, January 28-29 snowfall included 5.0 inches in both Binghamton, NY, and Worcester, MA. Following a long stretch of mostly tranquil weather, heavy precipitation overspread northern California on January 31, when daily-record amounts included 2.53 inches in Mount Shasta City and 2.17 inches in Eureka. On the first day of February, heavy precipitation shifted into southern California and pushed farther inland. In southern California, record-setting rainfall amounts for February 1 reached 2.93 inches in Santa Barbara and 2.45 inches in Long Beach. With the initial Western system, wind gusts in California for the 1st included 59 mph in Needles, 53 mph in Bishop, and 47 mph in Marysville. Three days later, on the 4th, Bishop registered a gust to 50 mph, while Marysville clocked 68 mph. Gusts ranged from 60 to 80 mph on February 4 in California locations such as San Francisco International Airport (77 mph); Oroville (70 mph), Sacramento International Airport (65 mph); Merced (64 mph); and Santa Maria (60 mph), downing trees and contributing to hundreds of thousands of customers losing electricity. As the first storm system moved farther inland on February 2, Salt Lake City, UT (1.08 inches, all rain), noted its wettest February day since 1998, when 1.23 inches fell on the 24th. With 0.72 inch (5.5 inches of snow) on the 3rd, Denver, CO, experienced a tie for its third-wettest February day, behind 1.01 inches on February 19, 1953, and 0.88 inch on February 22, 1909. Similarly, Pueblo, CO (1.06 inches on the 3rd, with snowfall totaling just 0.6 inch), noted its wettest-ever February day, topping 0.90 inch on February 10, 1897.

4-10: Western storminess carried into early February, with back-to-back systems delivering torrential rain and high-elevation snow from coastal California into the Southwest. Southern California was particularly hard hit, with 4- to 12-inch rainfall totals causing flash flooding and debris flows. During the stormy spell, the average water equivalency of the Sierra Nevada snowpack jumped more than 5 inches, according to the California Department of Water Resources, from roughly 50 to 75 percent of normal.

Severe weather outbreak on February 8 produced tornadoes as far north as southern Wisconsin— a first for that state during the last month of meteorological winter. Elsewhere, some of the Western storminess translated eastward, with rainfall totaling 1 to 3 inches in the South, mainly from eastern Texas to the southern Appalachians. Another round of heavy rain struck the South on February 11, with details to follow next week.

February 4 was historically wet in southern California, where downtown Los Angeles (4.10 inches) experienced its third-wettest February day and tenth-wettest calendar day in more than 146 years. Wetter February days in downtown Los Angeles were February 24, 1913, with 4.80 inches, and February 18, 1914, with 4.26 inches. During the first 7 days of February, rainfall topped the 10-inch mark in southern California locations such as downtown Los Angeles (10.57 inches) and Long Beach (10.05 inches). Additionally, February 4 wind gusts ranged from 60 to 80 mph in California locations such as San Francisco International Airport (77 mph); Oroville (70 mph), Sacramento International Airport (65 mph); Merced (64 mph); and Santa Maria (60 mph), downing trees and contributing to hundreds of thousands of customers losing electricity. In southern California, February 4 peak gusts at coastal and higher-elevation sites reached 78 mph at Camp Nine, elevation 4,000 feet, and 74 mph at Point Conception Light, west of Santa Barbara. Farther inland, daily record snowfall totals included 8.5 inches in Reno, NV, and 5.8 inches in Havre, MT. Precipitation was slow to depart California, where daily record totals for February 5 topped the 2-inch mark in locations such as downtown Los Angeles (2.93 inches), Oceanside Harbor (2.88 inches), Long Beach (2.57 inches), Riverside (2.39 inches), and Mount Shasta City (2.08 inches). Meanwhile, thunderstorms associated with a different storm system traversing the Deep South spawned several tornadoes in northern Florida and southern Georgia. Daily-record rainfall totals for the 4th included 2.08 inches in Apalachicola, FL, and 2.07 inches in Montgomery, AL. Back in the Southwest, impressive snow fell at higher elevations. Flagstaff, AZ, measured more than 10 inches each day from February 6-8, totaling 36.1 inches. In Utah, Alta, reported 70.1 inches of snow during the first 10 days of February. By mid-week, snow returned across Montana, where Havre received an additional 2.5 inches of snow from February 7-9. However, rare February rain fell through February 8 in the upper Great Lakes region, where International Falls netted a daily record sum (0.39 inch; all rain) on that date. On the evening of the 8th, two tornadoes were confirmed in southern Wisconsin, a February first for that state. The stronger of the two tornadoes, an EF-2, cut a 24.53-mile path across Rock, Dane, and Jefferson Counties, starting at 5:41 pm CST and lasting 36 minutes. As the week ended, heavy rain returned across the South, while a band of snow emerged from the southern Rockies onto the southern High Plains. Highlights from February 11, to be detailed next week, included 4.28 inches of rain in Columbus, GA, and 5.6 inches of snow in Amarillo, TX.

11-17: Widespread precipitation from the southern Plains into the Southeast and mid-Atlantic resulted in additional relief in areas still experiencing drought. Weekly rainfall topped 4 inches in parts of Alabama and Georgia. At times, snow was observed along the northern edge of heavier precipitation, from the southern Plains into the mid-Atlantic and southern New England.

Weekly temperatures averaged at least 5 to 10°F above normal in the upper Great Lakes region and environs. Anomalous warmth (more than 5°F above normal) was also observed in portions of the Atlantic Coast States. In contrast, cool air covered the High Plains and adjacent Rockies, with some locations reporting weekly temperatures 5 to 10°F below normal. Cooler-than-normal conditions also affected parts of the Southwest. Early-week warmth in advance of a cold front lingered across the Deep South, where Baton Rouge, LA, posted a daily-record high of 81°F on February 11. The following day, West Palm Beach, FL, notched a daily record-tying high of 87°F. Meanwhile, unusual warmth persisted in the upper Great Lakes region, where record setting highs in Wisconsin for February 12 rose to 48°F in Oshkosh and 47°F in Green Bay. Even with cooler weather arriving during the second half of the week, temperatures remained above normal in parts of the northern U.S. The coolest day during the week in Fargo, ND, was February 16—exactly 2°F above normal—with a high temperature of 22°F and a low of 9°F. The last day in Fargo with a below-normal daily average temperature was January 20. Farther west, some sub-zero temperatures moved into northern sections of the Rockies and High Plains. By February 16, low temperatures in western Nebraska dipped to -11°F in Alliance and -9°F in Chadron. Lake Yellowstone, WY, noted a low of -26°F on February 17.

Early in the week, heavy rain fell in the Southeast. In Georgia, February 11-12 totals included 7.03 inches in Columbus and 5.01 inches in Macon. In Columbus, where rainfall on the 11th reached 4.28 inches, it was the wettest February day since February 10, 1981, when 5.54 inches fell. Elsewhere in the Southeast, daily-record totals ranged from 1 to 3 inches in locations such as Montgomery, AL (2.94 inches on February 11); Jackson, MS (2.84 inches on February 11); and Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (1.88 inches on February 12). Meanwhile, wet snow blanketed parts of western Texas, where February 11 totals reached daily-record levels in Amarillo (5.6 inches) and Lubbock (3.6 inches). Two days later, snow overspread the mid-Atlantic and southern New England, where Providence, RI, netted a daily-record total of 6.2 inches on February 13. Elsewhere on the 13th, Northeastern snowfall totals that were not daily records included 9.1 inches in Allentown, PA; 7.6 inches in Bridgeport, CT; 4.9 inches in Newark, NJ; and 4.6 inches in Worcester, MA. In New York’s Central Park, where 3.2 inches fell, a record-setting streak without a 2-inch snowfall ended at 744 days (January 30, 2022 – February 12, 2024). Farther west, a separate area of snow affected the upper Midwest, where daily-record totals for February 14 reached 7.7 inches in Huron, SD, and 6.9 inches in Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), MN. The snow in MSP nearly doubled the season-to-date total through February 17 to 14.2 inches (40 percent of normal). By February 15, snow stretched across nation’s norther tier, resulting a daily-record amounts in Helena, MT (6.5 inches), and Grand Rapids, MI (5.5 inches). In Wisconsin, daily-record precipitation amounts for the 15th topped one-half inch in Milwaukee (0.55 inch) and Madison (0.54 inch), although snowfall totaled just 1.6 inches in both locations. Daily snowfall records for February 16 included 5.3 inches in Springfield, IL, and 3.8 inches in Cheyenne, WY. At week’s end, rain developed in parts of Florida, with heavy showers lasting into the 18th. Daily-record rainfall totals for February 18 topped 2 inches in Florida locations such as West Palm Beach (2.74 inches), Fort Lauderdale (2.23 inches), and Naples (2.18 inches). Heavy showers also grazed southern California, where Santa Barbara received 2.22 inches on February 18.

18-24: The week began with rain pelting Florida’s peninsula. On February 18, daily-record totals topped 2 inches in Florida locations such as West Palm Beach (2.74 inches), Fort Lauderdale (2.23 inches), and Key West (2.23 inches). Separately, heavy rain returned across southern California. Santa Barbara, CA, measured 3.86 inches from February 18-21, aided by a daily-record sum of 2.22 inches on the 18th. Through February 24, month-to-date rainfall in downtown Los Angeles, CA, reached 12.56 inches, approaching the normal annual rainfall of 14.25 inches. Even without additional rain, Los Angeles has secured its fourth-wettest February and seventh-wettest month on record. Similarly, February 1-24 rainfall in Long Beach, CA, climbed to 11.93 inches, marking the second-wettest February and third-wettest month in that location. Western precipitation extended to other areas, with daily-record totals being observed on February 19 in Bishop, CA (0.93 inch), and Klamath Falls, OR (0.77 inch). In Utah, 24-hour snowfall totals on February 20 21 included 8.0 inches in Randolph and 3.1 inches in Logan. Month-to-date snowfall in Alta, UT, totaled 121.3, well above the February normal value of 81.2 inches. By February 22, rain briefly overspread the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians; in West Virginia, daily-record totals on that date included 1.01 inches in Clarksburg and 0.93 inch in Morgantown. Elsewhere, season-to-date snowfall remained in the 4- to 10-inch range in upper Midwestern communities such as Mobridge, SD (5.5 inches, or 24 percent of normal), and Fargo, ND (8.5 inches, or 23 percent).

25-Mar. 2: During a late-February surge of warmth and high winds, tragic wildfires swept across the northern panhandle of Texas, scorching well over a million acres; destroying homes and farm infrastructure, including fencing; killing or injuring at least hundreds of head of cattle; and resulting in two human fatalities. Warm, windy weather also covered the remainder of the Plains, Midwest, mid South, and Northeast.

An impressive storminess arrived in the Northwest and soon spread southward into northern and central California. Sierra Nevada snowfall topped 5 feet in several locations, with ridge-top winds locally exceeding 150 mph. Despite travel disruptions across mountain ranges, long-term impacts of the Western precipitation were mostly positive, with improved prospects for spring and summer water supplies. Elsewhere, parts of the South and East also received significant precipitation, with rainfall topping 2 inches in numerous locations. In addition, an early-season severe weather outbreak on February 27-28 primarily affected areas from the eastern Corn Belt into the central and southern Appalachians. On the first day of the outbreak, tornadoes were spotted as far north as northern Illinois and southern Michigan.

Precipitation spread inland across the Northwest. On February 26, Bozeman (Montana State University) received daily-record totals—0.32 and 6.4 inches, respectively—for precipitation and snow. Elsewhere on the 26th, Pocatello, ID, netted a daily-record precipitation total of 0.27 inch. Much heavier precipitation arrived in Pocatello from March 1-3, totaling 2.18 inches, including 11.6 inches of snow. By February 28, when a cold front swept across the Midwest, Houghton Lake, MI, reported a daily-record sum of 0.93 inch, as rain changed to snow and accumulated 0.3 inch. A separate area of precipitation led to daily-record totals for February 28 in Arizona locations such as Safford (0.64 inch) and Nogales (0.33 inch). On Leap Day, February 29, heavy precipitation associated with a sprawling Pacific storm system moved into the Northwest, resulting in daily-record totals topping an inch in Oregon locations such as Roseburg (1.71 inches), North Bend (1.67 inches), Salem (1.36 inches), Eugene (1.15 inches), and Portland (1.10 inches). Farther east, light precipitation fell across recently burned areas in Texas, with Amarillo reporting 1.0 inch of snow on the 29th. Snow squalls downwind of the Great Lakes led to a record-setting snowfall (10.0 inches) for February 29 in Syracuse, NY. As March began, there were separate areas of heavy precipitation in the eastern and western U.S. March 1 featured daily-record rainfall totals exceeding 3 inches in Hattiesburg, MS (3.47 inches), and Charleston, SC (3.04 inches). The following day, record-setting totals for March 2 topped an inch in Atlantic City, NJ (1.77 inches), and Georgetown, DE (1.08 inches). Meanwhile in California, record-setting totals for March 1 topped an inch in Ukiah (1.45 inches) and Merced (1.04 inches). At the Central Sierra Snow Lab in Donner Pass, CA, season-to-date snowfall climbed about 75 inches to more than 288 inches by March 4, up from 213 inches at the end of February. After sunset on March 1, unofficial gusts in California near the crest of the Sierra Nevada reached 190 mph at Palisades Tahoe, elevation, 8,700 feet, and 184 mph at Alpine Meadows, elevation 8,643 feet. Just to the east, Reno, NV, received 10.6 inches of snow on March 2-3, aided by a daily-record sum of 9.4 inches on the 2nd.

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