NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

 

OCTOBER 2013

 

6^th-12^th…Light rain and snow moved through California and Nevada on Wednesday, while a strong cluster of showers and thunderstorms continued to pound the Mid-Atlantic coast. The Pacific Northwest avoided precipitation earlier today, besides very light showers that occurred along the coast of Washington. The Southwest and western Great Basin experienced wet weather as a low pressure system inched over the region. Winter weather advisories were issued for most of the Sierra Nevadas as light to moderate snow picked up in the morning. Snow accumulated above 6,000 feet, while mixed precipitation fell below that mark. Snowfall totals ranged from 2 to 4 inches, with heavier snowfall at highest mountain peaks. Light showers also began to pick up in Arizona and parts of New Mexico, but the bulk of the precipitation in the Southwest was focused over California. High wind advisories were issued in southern California, as well as New Mexico, as Victorville, California reported wind speeds of 46 mph earlier today. To the east, a ridge of high pressure developed over Texas, which brought warm, dry conditions to the lower Mississippi Valley and parts of the Southeast. Edinburg, Texas reported a mid-day high of 87 degrees on Wednesday. Rainy weather continued to develop along the Mid-Atlantic coast earlier today as a result of low pressure just off of the coast of Carolinas. Showers and thunderstorms drove through North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, as Hatteras, North Carolina reported a mid-day total of 3.00 inches of rain.

 

13^th-19^th…Heavy rain fell across portions of the nation’s mid-section and boosting soil moisture. On October 14-15, rain and wet snow hampered fell in the Dakotas. Weekly rainfall totaled 2 inches or more in a broad area centered on eastern South Dakota and from central Texas into western Arkansas. In contrast, rain largely bypassed the southern Plains, which have trended dry in recent weeks. Meanwhile, most of the Midwest  received only light rain, except for higher amounts of locally 2 inches or more fell in the upper Midwest. Weekly temperatures averaged at least 5 to 10F below normal across much of the Plains, Rockies, and Intermountain West. Farther east, mild, mostly dry weather prevailed in the Atlantic coastal plain and the Southeast. Warmer than normal temperatures covered much of the East, with temperatures averaging more than 5F above normal in portions of New York and New England. Rain subsided early in the week in the Mid-Atlantic States, but the month-to-date total (through October 19) climbed to 10.99 inches in Harrisburg, PA. Farther west, another round of heavy precipitation arrived across the nation’s mid-section. The bulk of the rain fell on October 14, when daily record totals

were reported in locations such as Mitchell, SD 2.93 inches; Norfolk, NE 2.34 inches; and Sioux City, IA 2.31 inches. Sioux City also experienced its fourth-wettest October day on record. Similarly, Huron, SD, reported its second wettest October day 2.94 inches on the 14th, behind only a 2.95-inch total on October 10, 1961. Bismarck, ND, received 1.34 inches of rain from October 13-15, raising its month to date precipitation total to 4.57 inches. Before this year, Bismarck’s highest October total had been 4.30 inches in 1982. On October 14-15, East Rapid City, SD endured its third significant storm of the month, with 1.17 inches of precipitation, 1.1 inches of snow, and a peak wind gust to 48 mph. Earlier, East Rapid City had weathered a blizzard from October 3-5—with 3.14 inches of precipitation, 23.1 inches of snow, and a peak gust to 68 mph followed by a wind-driven rain on October 10-11 0.96 inch of precipitation and a peak gust to 67 mph. Farther south, selected daily record rainfall totals in Texas included 2.17 inches on October 13 in Laredo and 2.63 inches on October 15 in Waco. On the 15th, heavy rain reached as far east as Arkansas, where Mt. Ida collected a daily record sum of 2.86 inches. The second half of the week featured more tranquil weather, although snow accumulated across portions of the Rockies, Intermountain West, and central High Plains. Cheyenne, WY, received a record setting total of 5.0 inches for October 17, followed the next day by a daily record snowfall 2.7 inches in Dodge City, KS. With a trace of snow and sleet on October 18, Wichita, KS, reported its first frozen precipitation in October since 1997. Although parts of the upper Midwest experienced readings of 32F or below, the growing season continued across the remainder of the Corn Belt. With a low of 36F on October 14, La Crosse, WI, experienced its first sub 40F reading of the autumn. Farther west, however, persistently chilly conditions resulted in several daily record lows. Record setting lows for October 15 included 17F in Redmond, OR, and 26F in Montague, CA. The following day, Montague

(24°F) set another record. Other record-setting lows for October 16 dipped to 20F in Cedar City, UT, and 29F in Grand Junction, CO. In contrast, early to mid-week heat was confined to the Deep South, where daily-record highs climbed to 89F on October 13 in New Iberia, LA, and 93F on October 16 in Brownsville, TX. Toward week’s end, chilly conditions reached the Plains, where Amarillo, TX, posted a daily-record low 28F for October 18. Elsewhere in Texas, Lubbock reported its first freeze on October 19, with a low of 32F. The normal date of Lubbock’s first freeze is October 31.

 

20^th-26^th…Dry weather covered the upper Midwest. Any Midwestern precipitation was light and confined to the early to mid-week period, except for persistent snow showers downwind of the Great Lakes. Weekly temperatures averaged more than 10F below normal at many Midwestern locations. Cool, dry weather also covered the South. Showers fell across areas including Florida’s peninsula early in the week, followed by late week downpours in parts of eastern Texas and southeastern Oklahoma. In fact, dry weather also

covered much of the western half of the U.S.  Cold conditions dominated the Plains, particularly from the Dakotas to Oklahoma, while near to above normal temperatures prevailed in the West. Despite the cold regime across the eastern half of the nation, only a few dozen daily record lows were established. On October 24 several record lows were reported. Moline, IL, collected a daily record low of 23F. The following day, record setting lows for October 25 included 20F in Lincoln, IL, and 21F in St. Joseph, MO. Elsewhere in Missouri, Columbia 22F was recorded on October 25 posted a daily record low and experienced its lowest reading since March 27, when the temperature also fell to 22F. In addition to tying a record 23F on October 25, Rockford, IL, reported its first daily record low since February 10, 2011. Farther east, Portland, ME, tied a 1949 record for its latest first freeze on record at the airport observation site, with a low of 31F on October 25. Lynchburg, VA 27 and 24F), and Jackson, TN 27 and 29F closed the week with consecutive daily record lows on October 25-26. With a low of 22F on October 26, Bristol, TN, experienced its coldest October day since October 27, 1962, when the temperature dipped to 20°F. Other daily record lows for October 26 included 26F in Bowling Green, KY; 28F in

Huntsville, AL; and 29F in Florence, SC. Cooler weather also arrived in Florida, replacing early-week warmth. On October 22, daily-record highs had reached 92F in Melbourne and Vero Beach. Meanwhile in the West, warmer weather displaced an early-week chill. Douglas, AZ, tallied a daily-record low of 29F on October 21. A day later, record setting highs in Washington for October 23 included 73F in Yakima and 70F in Ephrata. Later,

Ramona, CA, registered a daily record high of 91F on October 26. The first snow of the season accompanied the Midwestern cold wave, although amounts were generally light. Daily record snowfall totals of 1.0 inch occurred in locations such as Waterloo, IA on October 22, and Dayton, OH on October 23. Heavier snow was confined to areas downwind of the Great Lakes, where Sault Sainte Marie, MI, received 6.1 inches of snow from October 22-25. Most 4.7 inches of Sault Sainte Marie’s snow fell on October 23. At week’s end, showers developed across the southeastern Plains, with precipitation carrying into Sunday. In Texas, College Station received a daily record rainfall of 1.40 inches on October 27.

 

27^th-31^st…A cold frontal boundary moved across parts of the West Coast on Monday, while a ridge of high pressure kept the Southeast warm and muggy. A cold front stretched from central California to the eastern side of Nevada on Monday, which provided snow showers for the Sierra Nevadas and parts of the Great Basin. Light to moderate rain also fell in parts of central and southern California due to this frontal boundary. Indian Springs, Nevada reported a midday total of 1.56 inches of rain, while Boca Reservoir, Nevada reported a midday total of 5.00 inches of snow. A separate, more extensive cold front extended from the Pacific Northwest, across the Intermountain West, over the central U.S. and into the Northeast on Monday, and provided wet weather for a number of regions. The northern Intermountain West and the northern Plains experienced snowy weather, while showers and thunderstorms moved across parts of the southern Plains. Houston Hull, Texas reported a midday total of 0.85 inches of rain. This cold front also provided cold weather to the northern Plains and upper Midwest. Bigfork, Minnesota recorded a morning low of 12 degrees, while Hallock, Minnesota recorded a morning low of 15 degrees. Light showers also passed through the Northeast, while the Southeast remained clear of precipitation and experienced very warm, muggy conditions. Hollywood, Florida recorded a midday high of 100 degrees on Monday.

A stationary front brought showers and thunderstorms to the central U.S. on Wednesday, while the majority of the West Coast avoided precipitation. Clouds began to move over the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday as a cold frontal boundary approached the region. Temperatures ranged between the 40s and 50s throughout Washington and Oregon. To the south, dry conditions persisted throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona due to a ridge of high pressure. Temperatures ranged between the 50s and 60s, while the southern California and Arizona deserts experienced midday temperatures in the 70s. To the east, a stationary front stretched from Wyoming to New Mexico, while a warm front extended from Oklahoma to the Mid-Atlantic. Flood warnings were issued throughout the central U.S. due to strong thunderstorms along the warm front. Okmulgee, Okla., reported a midday total of 2.80 inches of rain, while Shawnee, Okla., reported a midday total of 2.30 inches of rain. Gusty winds also accompanied these thunderstorms, as Omaha, Neb., recorded wind speeds of 40 mph. Meanwhile in northern Missouri, severe thunderstorms watches were issued due to interactions between this warm front and the stationary front coming from the west. The majority of the East Coast avoided precipitation on Wednesday, although spotty showers moved across parts of the Delaware and New Jersey coasts. The Southeast remained very warm and muggy, as Hollywood, Fla., recorded a midday high of 96 degrees.

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