MONTHLY SUMMARY: JANUARY 1999 UPDATED: 3/4/99 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ...A VERY WARM MONTH THROUGHOUT THE REGION... ...NORTHERN AREAS RECOVER FROM DROUGHT... THANKS ELEANOR FOR YOUR HELP! Want to give special thanks to Eleanor Vallier-Talbot, a NWS meteorologist (who left the snows of Boston for Charleston) and former IWW member. She has kindly sent us the monthly summaries for CHS since they are almost impossible to find on the Net or even through commercial providers. Eleanor reaffirms the need for strong relationships between the NWS and those of us who work so hard to complement their efforts. More, like her, are needed!! DAVE HEADS FOR RETIREMENT! Dave Lesher has moved into retirement and is setting up a new weather site in Davis, West Virginia. He's an exchange member (NECWACR) reporting previously from Chester Gap, VA. He's agreed to remain a member and we'll add his reports to the "nearby stations" section we've used in the past (where we placed Tri-cities). SEASONAL SNOW TOTALS & A TRACE OF SNOW I noticed a couple of you reported a trace of snow (T) in December and then no snow in January. Yet, your season totals at the end of January say 0.0" Can't be!! Perhaps you reset for the first day of the year. However, this ACON's seasonal totals go back to the first snow (usually in the fall) and don't end until the last in late spring. So, please adjust on the enclosed data form. [By the way, a trace (T) indicates that some snow accumulated on the ground (but not measurable) and a trace (T) is NOT USED to indicate snow which fell and did not accumulate, likely due to melting.] STAMPS (32s WON'T WORK!!) As you know, the price of stamps rose to 33 cents on the 10th of January, so please send the new stamps or 32 cents plus 1 cent stamps if you have leftover 32s. NOTES FROM "AROUND THE LEAGUE"- Annandale - January was a wet month, the first with above average precip and the wettest month since June '98. The first third of the month was cold. Only 2 Januarys were wetter in the past 19 years... in 1996 and 1998. The max temp for January, 72, was the warmest ever recorded for Janaury at this station. The 11 degree temp recorded on the 6th was the lowest minimum since 1/19/97! The monthly mean temp was 1.67 degrees above normal. the 30.81" barometer reading on the 31st was the highest since 11/96 and the highest January reading since '94. The low barometer reading of 29.60" was the highest January minimum barometer in the last 14 years of record. (from Lowell) Arlington - NWS WBC reported the month started with a wintry intent... even some snow. By mid month, temps turned mild and that allowed the month to finish more than 3 degrees warmer than average. Two streaks were ended during the month. The first was the end of the drought that had plagued the region since early summer. The month finished more thatn 2.5 inches above normal in precipitation, the first above normal month since last June. The more than 5 inches of precip that fell was more than the last four months combined. The second streak that came to an end was the lack of 1" of snowfall in Washington. Just over 2" fell on the 8th. The last time over and inch of snow fell on the Nation's capital was almost two years ago on February 9th, 1997. That streak was long enough to break the previous similar record from February 1972 to December 1973, 22 months and 27 days. Bridgewater - The average temperature, saith Clayton, was 6.1 degrees above normal. The last thirteen months have been above normal in temperatures. Precipitation was 2.03" above normal. There were two major ice storms during the first half of the month. There was quite a bit of damage in this area with a lot of fender benders, but nothing compared to other parts of Virginia. We had wintry weather the first half of the month, but spring-like weather during the last half. The pattern so far this winter is similar to last winter's when the snows stop around mid-winter. Centreville - An interesting note from Paul... The average monthly maximum of 43.5 degrees and the average monthly minimum of 27.4 degrees occurred on the 30th when the daily high was 43.5 and the daily low was 27.4!!! The average daily temp was 4.1 degrees above normal while monthly precip was 2.52" in excess of the normal. Falls Church - January 1999 brought one of the worst ice storms this area has ever seen (January 14-15). Here I was without power for 10 hours! Our rainfall was a whopping 6 inches above average while the snowfall total of 3" was below average. The average high and low temps were above normal. (Erica) Fredericksburg - Ken noted the highest precip total for his site since last June, helping ease the local water shortage. First half of the month was cold including a monthly low of 5 degrees. The 2nd half here too was warmer, reaching 70 degrees twice. Hampton - Dave reports that his mother pulled through her serious illness and will need quite a bit of recovery time at home necessitating his cutting back of classes at Tidewater Community College. Great news Dave!! Weatherwise, Dave asks, "Where is the snow?" It has been 10 years since a major snowfall (6" or more in 12 hours)! The last snowfall was 2/22/89 with 13 inches. The 1995-96 season did see 21 inches, but all storm totals were 5 inches or less in 12 hours. A cold start to January '99, but the month quickly became mild for the balance of the month. A fairly wet month, but not abnormal. Record high on the 22nd with 76. With about four weeks to go before we are "out of danger" of snow (mid-March), it appears another snowless winter is in store for southeast Virginia. (We'll see... models are cranking out borderline snow/rain for parts of the area on 2/20!!) Herndon - Notes from Russ Topping: "We had significant icing on the 14th and 15th from freezing rain. Many people lost power for days, but we were spared here. To make up for it, we had an unusually mild end to the month with record temperatures. On the 31st, I noted the highest barometric pressure reading since my station records began in 1995." Newport News - Warm and wet; temperatures were 6.1 degrees above normal while precipitation was 2.13" above normal. Norfolk - NWS AKQ noted a tied daily max temp on the 23rd of 76 degrees previously established in 1967. The average monthly temperature was a whopping 6.9 degrees in excess of the norm. Ranifall was slightly below normal, -0.27". Portsmouth - January started out rather cold with a new station minimum high temperature of 29 degrees on the 5th! Most other station records were on the warm side: 51 degree max low on the 22nd; 59 max low on the 23rd; 38 max low on the 26th (yep, that's right); 69 max high on the 22nd; 74 max high on the 23rd; 71 max high on the 28th. One new daily precip record was established with 1.34" on the 24th. A new max wind speed gust on the 3rd with a 40 MPH reading. The monthly mean temp was 5.3 degrees above normal while the precip total was 74% (-1.06") of the norm. The monthly average wind speed was 6.2 MPH from the south-southwest. Richmond - NWS AKQ reports the average monthly temp in the capital city was 6.2 degrees above normal while the month's precip total was 1.46" above normal. Mechanicsville - Glenn noted no major events to report for the month although he had some freezing rain on the 3rd. Roanoke - Wendell notes cold weather during the first 10 days and mild temps for the balance of the month. Temps averaged 5.6 degrees above normal while rainfall was 1.03" above normal. Snowfall for the month was 4" below normal. Stafford - January characterized by unpredictable, wild shifts in temperature (min-max range from 9 to 74 degrees); 5 days with freezing rain (including one day with nearly 0.5" of ice buildup on all surfaces on the 15th), 1 day with thunderstorms (again, wild extremes!); 3.5" of snow on the 8th is well over 3 times the amount of snow received during the winter of '97-'98; January finishes 4.8 degrees above normal, with precipitation 2.13" above the norm; All in all, wild!!! (notes from Danny) Vienna - Our newest member, Robert Boott, reports that overall, January averaged warmer than normal by some 5.0 degrees and monthly precip was 2.81" in excess of the normal. However, the snowfall of 4.1" was only 55% of the normal. Greatest 24-hour snowfall was only 3.8" on the 8th and 9th. No measurable snowfall occured during the second half of the month. Significant weather event for the month was the widespread ice storm throughout DC/MD/Northern Virginia on the 14th and 15th. Power was out at his location for 12 hours on the 15th (unusual). Other area residents were without power for up to 5 days. Many trees and their limbs were downed with some structural damage reported. Ice accumulation at Robert's station was about 3/4" on trees and power lines. Otherwise, January was rather tranquil in his area. Woodstock - Temperatures were near normal for the month here though cold weather was noted early in the month. This January was the third wettest in the past 14 years. - notes from Lauck Asheville - The monthly average temperature was a whopping 6.0 degrees above normal. Meanwhile, NWS GSP noted total monthly precip was 3.13" in excess of the norm. Brevard - Bob noted that the mean high temperature for the month was slightly above and the mean low slightly below the averages for past Januarys. The month was about three inches drier. Charlotte - NWS GSP reports that Charlotte's monthly mean temp was 6.4 degrees in excess of the norm while precip was just above normal (+0.16"). Greensboro - The monthly mean temp was 6.0 degrees in excess of normal while the total precip was 2.22" above normal. A record minimum of 13 degrees tied the previous record set in 1959. A record high minimum was set on the 23rd when the temp only dropped to 57! The previous record was 52 set in 1952. A record low maximum was set on the 2nd when the temp only climbed to 32 degrees, 2 shy of the previous record low max set in 1944. On the 4th, another record low max of 31 was established with the old record of 32 in 1958 falling. (from NWS RDU) Henderson - In his final report for our group written the day before his death, George Stevenson, Jr. noted a month with normal temps and precipitation. He added that he reckoned the hardest area in the country to predict snow is in Northeast North Carolina and Southeast Virginia. He noted that these are very tricky areas to forecast and have given many a forecaster gray hair!! George added a personal note to me here in SE VA: "I'm figuring you're getting some snow up there tonight, February 21 at 9:45 PM; As I close this report up, we didn't get "none!" (George died of a heart attack the next day but did complete the morning report at 6:30 AM.) Raleigh - Bob Woodson reports very mild temperature, especially after the 6th. 18 days had 60 degrees plus for high temperatures. Also, this was a very wet month, 3.26" above normal. Raleigh - Another station experiencing a warm month with the monthly mean temp 6.8 degrees above normal. Precip was plentiful as well, some 2.29" above normal. NWS RDU reports a new record max temp was set on the 23rd when the temp rose to 77 breaking the old record of 76 in 1974. A record high of 75 was set on the 28th breaking the old record of 73 set in 1975. Record high minimums were set on the 22nd with a 51 reading (surpassing the 44 set in 1972) and on the 23rd with a 59 degree high min (surpassing the old record of 49 set in 1950)! Roxboro - Merriell reports the month began with wintry weather during the first week; but the next three weeks were more like early spring! The month ended on more-like-winter days. The month was wetter and warmer than normal... but no snow! Wilmington - Wilmington experienced another month of well above normal temps. The month was 6.7 degrees above normal!! A record high of 78 degrees was set on the 22nd breaking the old mark of 77 in 1937. A record warm low (max minimum) was set on the 23rd when then temp only dropped to 65 degrees. This surpassed the previous record of 64 set in 1937. January was also a little wet with an excess from normal of 0.93". No precip records were tied or broken. January saw 67% of possible sunshine, up from 41% in December. (NWS ILM) Columbia - NWS CAE noted a monthly mean temp 5.5 degrees above normal. The monthly precip was below normal, some -0.48". Charleston - Eleanor noted the NWS CHS monthly average temperature was 5.8 degrees in excess of the norm. The nearly 5" of rain was 1.51" above the norm. New records included: 6th, record low 17 degrees; 22nd, record high 80 degrees; 22nd, Beaufort record high 80 degrees; 29th, Downtown Charleston record high 77 degrees tied record; 30th, Downtown Charleston record high 78 degrees. Greenville-Spartanburg - The monthly mean temp was 5.4 degrees above normal and the total precip was just below normal (-0.26"). Ruby - The month, saith Franklin, was rather warm and wet. Tri-cities - NWS Morristown, TN noted an average monthly temp 5.9 degrees above normal at Tri-cities. Precip was 1.71" above normal. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATED MEMBERS' E-MAIL ADDRESSES: BRE Bob Keehn Bob_Keehn@citcom.net BRI Clayton Towers Ctowers@rica.net POR Bill Trotter wtrotter@whro.org RAL Bob Woodson woods@pipeline.com CEN Paul Bassett III pbassett@digizen.net WSH David Yowell runamok@runamok.com FCH Erica Page ERICA96661@aol.com RMD Roy Britt rbritt@erols.com NEW Joyce Winfree joywood@shentel.net FRB Ken McKneely mckneelys@email.msn.com STF Danny Jessee cumulus@erols.com WOO Lauck Walton jwalton@shentel.net NPN Gary Leonard garleonard@aol.com LKU Joe Bowers jmbiii@mnsinc.com CHS Eleanor Vallier-Talbot Eleanor.Vallier-Talbot@noaa.gov HAM Dave Kessell tccdkessel@yahoo.com VNA Robert Boott boottr@vrinet.com Dave Lesher wxdave@boo.net -----------------------------------------------------------------------------