MONTHLY SUMMARY: OCT0BER 1999 UPDATED: 11/25/99 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ...Third Hurricane of Tropical Season Affects Coastal Areas... ...Irene Sets All-time Daily Precip Extremes in Southeast Virginia... ...Elsewhere, Calmer, Even Drier-than-normal Weather Noted... NOT AGAIN!! THIS TIME THE REMNANTS OF IRENE It is interesting that while Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd captivated the weather news during September- producing heavy rains, winds, tornadoes, and devastating floods- Hurricane Irene received far less attention in October, yet provided the Coastal Carolinas and Southeast Virginia with rainfalls that established all-time station daily record rainfalls at some stations. A final storm report for Irene had not been posted at NWS Wakefield's website as of our print date. However, this public information statement was issued as precip from Irene had pulled to sea. ---------------------------------------------------- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 820 AM EDT MON OCT 18 1999 RAINFALL TOTALS RECEIVED SO FAR FROM HURRICANE IRENE. LOCATION AMOUNT (INCHES) CHESAPEAKE (GREAT BRIDGE) 12.00 PORTSMOUTH 10.02 NORFOLK AIRPORT (ORF) 7.34 COURTLAND VA 7.10 HAMPTON 6.90 ELIZABETH CITY NC 4.92 JAMES CITY COUNTY 4.02 OCEAN CITY MD 3.49 WALLOPS ISLAND VA 3.27 NWS WAKEFIELD 3.86 YORKTOWN 3.29 EMPORIA VA 2.85 SALISBURY MD 2.49 ROANOKE RAPIDS NC 2.33 PETERSBURG 1.52 RICHMOND AIRPORT (RIC) .81 ---------------------------------------------------- 7.82" was recorded here in Portsmouth on the 17th of October as Irene passed! This set yet another (this year!) new all-time station daily precip max (records to 1976). When AKQ's Irene storm report is finalized, expect to see it at: http://tgsv5.nws.noaa.gov/er/akq/Irene.htm However, Wakefield has placed a Doppler radar total storm precip composite at that Internet page already. As you can see from the precip totals above, the hardest hit areas included Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Courtland, Norfolk, and Hampton, all in Southeast Virginia. This on top of heavy rainfalls from Dennis and Floyd! What clearly separated Irene from her previous brothers was a distinct lack of wind, although a strong F1 borderline F2 tornado did touch down 1 mile north of the town of Weeksville, North Carolina, in Northeast North Carolina. The NWS at Wakefield posted this storm report: 0630 PM WEEKSVILLE, NC TORNADO 10/17/99 PASQUOTANK *** 1 INJURY *** A STRONG F1...BORDERLINE F2 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 1 MILE NORTH OF THE TOWN OF WEEKSVILLE NEAR THE INTER SECTION OF TOXEY ROAD AND N.C. ROUTE 34. THE TORNADO MOVED DUE NORTH FOR ABOUT 1/5 MILE WITH A PATH WIDTH OF 50 YARDS. 2 TRAILERS WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED. 1 TRAILER WAS FLIPPED OVER AND ANOTHER SUSTAINED SOME DAMAGE. A MODULAR HOME SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WITH SEVERAL VEHICLES IN THE FRONT YARD TURNED 90 DEGREES. ONE VEHICLE WAS THROWN UP INTO A TREE AND WRAPPED PARTIALLY AROUND THE TREE. A CINDERBLOCK BUILDING SUSTAINED A WALL FAILURE AND A PARTIAL COLLAPSE OF THE ROOF. CLAY ROOFING TILES FROM THIS BUILDING WERE THROWN 100 YARDS FROM THE BUILDING. SEVERAL OTHER STRUCTURES SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. 2 TREES...A PINE AND WILLOW TREE WERE COMPLETELY STRIPPED OF ALL BRANCHES. IN ADDITION A REFRIGERATOR WAS CARRIED THE ENTIRE PATH LENGTH OF THE TORNADO AND DEPOSITED IN THE FRONT YARD OF THE MODULAR HOME. Coastal plain flooding was not as serious during this third storm of the tropical season although the previously flooded areas of North Carolina east of I-95 saw rising waters again with Irene, significant enough to raise concerns for a recurrence of flooding in earnest. Irene developed in the waters southwest and west of Cuba, moved north and headed northeast crossing the southern Florida peninsula where considerable damage was noted on the southeast coast. The storm's center then moved north-northeast, parallelling the coast northward but remaining offshore through South Carolina. Oddly, only 2.81" fell at ILM, with a low barometer of only 29.37", and a max wind gust of 38 mph. The storm moved parallel to the North Carolina coast and out to sea east of the lower Southeast Virginia Coast and intensified as it pulled away with increasing winds at the coast in its wake and on the storm's backside. During Sunday evening (10/18) a tornado warning was posted for portions of Southern Chesapeake. TIME TO BEGIN SEASONAL SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS / REFRESH YOUR METHODS IN SNOWFALL MEASUREMENT As you can see on the data request form, the new season for snowfall totals is now underway with the surprise snowfalls in northwestern Virginia and West Virginia in late October. From Canaan Heights, WV, Dave Lesher writes: "We were lucky to be home for the season's first snowfall over the weekend of the 23rd-24th. The max on the 24th was 32.2 deg. producing a very winter-like day." Dave reported a monthly total snowfall of 3.9" with 2.7" coming on the 24th. Blacksburg also reported its first snowfall (a trace) on the 24th. For a good refresher on effective snowfall measurement, reread member Lowell Koontz' article "Measuring Snowfalls" at: http://www.pilot.infi.net/~bsmoot/koontz.htm "LOCATE YOURSELF" Please find a map of our area enclosed. Would you please place a dot at your location along with your ACON identifier? Now, don't guess!! Please study the map and to the very best of your knowledge locate your site with a dot and the identifier. I am working on an updated map for distribution in a subsequent monthly mailing. Mail your map back with the monthly data request form. PLANNINGWEATHER.COM Former NWS Wakefield meteorologist David Tolleris, now residing in Richmond, has begun planningweather.com David notes "PlanningWeather.com is the Net's premiere site for Risk Assessment Weather forecasts. I provide the most detailed and accurate weather forecasts out to 10 Days for business and organizations that operate weather sensitive endeavors." With great interest I read his winter forecast 1999-2000. His prognostications are not only interesting but appear sound in reasoning and backed by quite a bit of historical "digging and comparing." Check it out at: http://www.planningweather.com NOTES FROM "AROUND THE LEAGUE"- Annandale - According to Lowell, October '99 was a little on the cool side while rainfall was 1.41" below normal. Clear skies prevailed. The average max was 1.12 deg. below normal and the average minimum was only 0.65 deg. below normal for a monthly mean departure of -0.89 deg. The month's high was only 74 deg. which was the lowest monthly max since 1987. The month had only 3 days with temps >= 70 deg. No killing frost here for the month. Skies were the clearest for October since 1991 and the month was the driest since 1992. Very little wind during the month with the least on average October since 1995. The barometer maxed at 30.46", the highest since 1996. Arlington - NWS WBC reported: "AFTER A SOGGY SEPTEMBER...OCTOBER REVERTED TO MORE TYPICAL AUTUMN WEATHER OVER WASHINGTON. TEMPERATURES WERE COOLER THAN NORMAL AND RAINFALL WAS JUST A BIT UNDER THE MONTHLY NORMAL. TEMPERATURES IN OCTOBER WERE BELOW NORMAL (-2.6 DEG.). MOST DAYS WERE IN THE 60S AND 70S...WHILE MOST NIGHTS WERE IN THE 40S AND 50S. AT TWO AND A HALF DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...IT WAS THE SECOND COOLEST OCTOBER OF THE 1990S...ALTHOUGH OCTOBER 1992 WAS A FULL DEGREE COOLER. RAINFALL WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL (-0.86") FALLING OVER SEVEN DAYS. THAT WAS HALF THE NUMBER OF RAIN DAYS AS THERE WERE IN SEPTEMBER. THE MONTH ENDED ON A NINE DAY DRY STREAK. Year-to-date rainfall was running 3.53" below normal. Blacksburg - From NWS BCB: IN BLACKSBURG...WEATHERWISE OCTOBER WAS A FAIRLY QUIET MONTH. THE ONLY SEVERE WEATHER OCCURRED EARLY IN THE MONTH...ON THE 4TH...AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. HAIL WAS REPORTED DURING THE EVENING IN DUBLIN AND IN CHRISTIANSBURG. TEMPERATURES DURING THE MONTH VARIED WIDELY...ALTERNATING BETWEEN WINTERLIKE AND NEAR SUMMERLIKE CONDITIONS. AFTER THE COLD FRONT ON THE 4TH...TEMPERATURES REMAINED BELOW NORMAL FOR SEVERAL DAYS BUT...BY THE MIDDLE OF THE SECOND WEEK...IT WAS QUITE WARM AGAIN. BY THE 11TH...AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE 10 OR MORE DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE WEATHER TOOK A DECIDEDLY WINTERLIKE TURN ON THE 22ND WHEN A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVED THROUGH THAT EVENING. THE NEXT MORNING THE FIRST WINTRY PRECIPITATION OF THE YEAR OCCURRED. SNOW PELLETS FELL IN CHRISTIANSBURG WITH SNOW FLURRIES ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE. SATURDAY WAS WINDY AND COLDER... AND IT FELT LIKE WINTER...ESPECIALLY WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. ON SUNDAY MORNING...THE 24TH...ONE INCH OF SNOW WAS REPORTED ON THE GROUND IN BURKES GARDEN. THE MONTH ENDED WITH A THREE DAY STRETCH OF WARM WEATHER...WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S...BUT WITH COMFORTABLY LOW HUMIDITY. THE WEATHER FOR HALLOWEEN WAS ABOUT AS GOOD AS COULD BE HOPED FOR. OVERALL...AVERAGE TEMPERATURES FOR THE MONTH WERE A BIT BELOW NORMAL. PRECIPITATION WAS...ONCE AGAIN...WELL BELOW NORMAL. Bridgewater - Clayton notes: "Early forecasts indicated the possibility of heavy rain for our area from Hurricane Irene, but that didn't occur. Rainfall was 2.1" below normal. There were two thunderstorms during the month and they occurred on the same day. Average temperature was slightly below normal. I recorded six mornings with frost, but only one morning had a killing frost, along with a hard freeze. That occurred on the 25th. The month was rather quiet with very little excitement. It was a good month for turnips. Got the best turnip crop in years!" Centreville - Paul sends these notes: "With 2/3 of our rainfall during the first half of October, the last 8 days were dry as a bone. A good test for my reseeded lawn (which passed by-the-way) with an annual surplus of 9.77" That puts us slightly over 125% for the year, but it wasn't until August when we returned to showing a surplus. Although the average daily high temp was near 2 deg. below normal, the lows were 0.7 deg. above normal, a trend which is keeping weather researchers fiddling with their global warming dials I hear!" Dulles - The mean temp here was 2.0 deg. below normal while precip was 0.64" below normal. Yearly precip was running 5.59" above the norm. (NWS WBC) Falls Church - Erica reports: "October was a cooler than average month but normal, precipitation wise. The remnants of Irene came through on the 17th bringing us a little over a half inch of rain, not even close to the heavy rainfalls of Dennis and Floyd. October 1999 was a quiet and cool month here in Falls Church, VA." Fredericksburg - "Lots of blue skies served as a backdrop for the beautiful foliage." - notes from Ken Hampton - Dave writes: "More rain from Irene. Yearly total is now 55.71". A daily record of 5.80" on the 17th. Temps were slightly cooler than normal." Herndon - According to Russ, "the weather has calmed down quite a bit since September's tropical visitors left. The only thing of note was that October temperatures averaged 2 degrees below normal. We didn't see the usual last gasp of summer." Lynchburg - NWS BCB reports: TEMPERATURES RECORDED AT THE AIRPORT INDICATED BELOW NORMAL CONDITIONS. PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH WAS WELL BELOW NORMAL. THE MONTHLY MEAN TEMPERATURE WAS 2.6 DEG BELOW NORMAL WHILE THE MONTHLY PRECIPITATION WAS 2.33 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. New Market - Joyce noted below average rainfall for the month. Newport News - Gary is coming back online after his station was destroyed by lightning during the summer. For Hurricane Floyd, Gary recorded a total of 16.28" with 8.49" on the 15th. Between 2 and 3 AM Gary noted a 5-minute total of 0.39" with a 2-hour total of 2.04" between 1 and 3. Norfolk - NWS AKQ reported Norfolk Airport's average monthly temperature was 0.3 degree above normal. Precip was 4.97" above normal. The average wind speed was 7.5 MPH. Portsmouth - Yet another hurricane with which to deal. Irene remained a minimum hurricane as it pressed northeast through coastal North Carolina heading east of SE VA. Heavy rains fell from the diminishing storm, with up to 12" in Great Bridge in Chesapeake, VA, some 15 miles SE of this station. Here, 10.07" of rain fell in association with Irene, 7.82" coming on the 17th. This daily amount established not only a new daily precip record, but also was the new station all-time daily precip record, set just a few months earlier in the year!! Irene produced serious flash flooding, the third time for serious flash flooding since July. The storm intensified northeast of Virginia Beach on its way to sea with the highest winds gusting to 32 mph here behind the center on the 18th. Despite the heavy rains and unlike during Dennis and Floyd, there was no power loss at the station during the Irene event. Residual flooding resulted in the closure of schools for up to 2 days throughout the area. Flooding was particularly heavy in the Deep Creek section of Chesapeake- some 3-5 miles S of this station - and in the Hickory section of Chesapeake, located between Great Bridge and the North Carolina border. The mean temp was just above normal, some 0.3 deg. The monthly rainfall total of 11.60" was the greatest of any October since records began here in 1976. New station records included: Date Value Established 10 66 tie of max minimum temperature 17 70 new max minimum temp 17 7.82" new daily precip record new all-time daily precip record 18 2.21" new daily precip record 20 1.03" new daily precip record Month 11.60" new October rainfall record Year-to-date mean temp was 0.3 deg above normal. Total precip in the rainiest year ever at this site (records since 1976) through October was 73.29", or an unbelievable 31.29 INCHES IN EXCESS OF THE NORMAL (176%) !!!!! Richmond - The mean temp was 1.4 degrees below normal while precip was 1.28" below normal. The average wind speed was 6.1 MPH. Year-to-date rainfall was 8.74" above normal. - from NWS Wakefield (AKQ) Mechanicsville - Glenn sends this note: "Periods of heavy rain from Hurricane Irene as it moved up the Southeast US coastline." Roanoke - Wendell notes: "October was only 0.2 deg. below normal but was a very dry month being the 4th driest October on record. Rainfall of 1.08" was 2.94" below normal. We had a lot of clear, fine fall days with 21 clear days total for the month." Roanoke - NWS BCB reports: TEMPERATURES AVERAGED SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL...BUT PRECIPITATION WAS LESS THAN A THIRD THE NORMAL MONTHLY AMOUNT. ON THE LAST DAY OF THE MONTH...THE RESERVOIR AT CARVIN'S COVE WAS STILL OVER 18 FEET BELOW THE SPILLWAY. THE MONTHLY MEAN TEMPERATURE WAS 0.8 DEG BELOW NORMAL. THE TOTAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION WAS 2.66 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. Wakefield - NWS AKQ reports 60.62" of rain for the year. The 24-hour precip max was due to Hurricane Irene. Vienna - Robert sends these notes: "October temperature departure was -0.9 deg. October precip departure was -1.01" No freezing weather occurred this month. No significant weather events were noted this month." Woodstock - Lauck reports precipitation was a little above average while temps were a little below. Asheville - The average monthly temperature was 0.1 degree above normal and the precip total was 0.28" below normal. Monthly average wind speed was 5.6 mph. - NWS GSP Brevard - Bob's notes: "October, 1999 was an 'average' month. The average high temperature, 68.8 deg. F, was 0.5 deg. cooler than the ten year average for the month, while the average low, 46.3 deg., was 2.4 deg. warmer than the ten year average low. Precipitation also appears to have returned to normal, 5.48 inches being recorded. As might be expected, cumulative rainfall for the year through October reveals a marked deficit, 15.16" below the ten year average. A similar deficit, 15.92" was recorded in 1990 when the year record low of 47.48" was recorded compared with a ten year average of 67.11". Charlotte - NWS GSP reported the monthly average temp was 2.4 deg. below below normal while total precip was 2.11" above normal. The average wind speed was 5.2 MPH. Raleigh - Bob reports an uneventful month after Floyd. Temps for the month were slightly below normal while rainfall was only 0.32" below normal. Rainfall for the year still over 18" above normal. The Neusse River at Smithfield downstream was a flood stage during most of the month. Raleigh - NWS RDU reported: No temperature records were set during the month. The average monthly temp was 1.5 degrees below normal while total precip was only 4/10ths inch below normal. Roxboro - Merriell sends these notes: October temperatures averaged near normal with precipitation totalling 1/4 inch below normal. No major events this month except the beauty and brilliancy of the autumn colors from the trees. Wilmington - Excerpts from NWS ILM's summary:...A NEAR NORMAL MONTH IN THE PORT CITY...AFTER AN EXTREME SEPTEMBER IN THE PORT CITY... THINGS RETURNED TO NEAR NORMAL IN OCTOBER (AND THAT WAS IN SPITE OF ANOTHER HURRICANE). THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH WAS ONLY 0.2 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL. NO RECORD TEMPERATURES WERE BROKEN OR TIED. THINGS DRIED SOMEWHAT IN OCTOBER AFTER THE RAINIEST MONTH IN HISTORY. THE TOTAL OF 3.81 INCHES WAS STILL 1.12 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL... BUT NOT THE 20-PLUS INCHES WE SAW IN SEPTEMBER. THE 2.80 INCHES WHICH FELL ON THE 17TH WAS THE MOST IN A SINGLE DAY AND IT ALSO BROKE THE DAILY RECORD... WHICH WAS 2.50 INCHES IN 1956. SUN WAS PLENTIFUL IN OCTOBER AS 70 PERCENT OF POSSIBLE WAS RECEIVED. THE PASSING OF HURRICANE IRENE ON THE 17TH DID NOT DRAMATICALLY IMPACT THE OCTOBER WIND STATISTICS. THE AVERAGE WIND SPEED FOR THE MONTH WAS ONLY 6.6 MPH. BUT IT DID WIN ALL THE WIND AWARDS. THE 17TH WAS THE BREEZIEST DAY WITH A DAY-LONG AVERAGE OF 12.8 MPH. IT ALSO HAD THE HIGHEST 2-MINUTE WIND (32 MPH FROM THE NORTHWEST) AND THE PEAK GUST (38 MPH FROM THE NORTHWEST). Columbia - The average temperature for the month was 0.4 degree below normal while rainfall was 0.96" below normal. Rainfall for the year is running 15.62" below normal. - from NWS CAE Charleston - Eleanor's reports temps were 0.4 deg. below normal while precip was 3.30" above the norm! The average wind speed was 7.9 MPH. Year-to-date precip is running 3.73" below normal. New records for the area: Charleston International Airport 17th--24 hour precipitation 3.72" (Irene) -- Previous was 2.01" in 1976 Downtown Charleston (Custom House) 17th--24 hour precipitation 3.91" (Irene) -- Previous was 2.05" in 1976 No records set or tied in Beaufort in October. October Weather Headlines The big weather story for the Lowcountry was the approach and, once again, near miss of Hurricane Irene on the 17th. Irene was a weaker storm than Hurricane Floyd, which passed well east of South Carolina in September. Tropical Storm Irene formed in the western Caribbean during midday on October 13th. Irene attained minimal hurricane strength early on the 14th as it slowly approached western Cuba. As it moved close to the Isle of Youth around midday on the 14th, Irene stalled briefly. The storm then moved near Havana, Cuba, around 5 PM on the 14th, then across the Florida Keys into southwestern Florida on the 15th. Irene crossed the Everglades to south of Melbourne and Cape Canaveral on the 16th. Irene maintained minimal hurricane strength as it emerged off the Florida coast east of Cape Canaveral, then continued a northerly track close to the 80 degree longitude line, heading toward Charleston. However, a strong cold front was approaching from the northwest on the 16th. As Irene approached, the rain shield north of the storm brought precipitation into coastal South Carolina and extreme southeastern Georgia late on the 16th. The storm's closest approach to Charleston was at 2 PM on the 17th as it began its turn to the northeast. Irene was only 70 miles southeast of Charleston at that time. The cold front picked up Irene and moved it northeast, skirting along the North Carolina coast during the evening of the 17th. Cold, dry air worked into the western part of Irene, and the rain cleared the region by late on the 17th. As Hurricane Irene became extratropical late on the 18th southeast of Nova Scotia, its forward speed had increased to an incredible 63 mph! Once again, the biggest effects felt across the Lowcountry by Hurricane Irene was rain. Rainfall amounts were highest along the central South Carolina coast, with John's Island reporting 6.22". Other rainfall amounts include: 4.23" in downtown Charleston, 3.93" at Charleston International Airport, 3.09" in Ladson/Oakbrook (near Summerville in Dorchester county), 2.13" in Beaufort and only 0.59" in St. George (northern Dorchester county). In Georgia, Sapelo Island reported 1.38", with only 0.56" in Savannah and 0.50" in Clyo (eastern Effingham county). Record 24 hour rainfall amounts were recorded at both Charleston locations on the 17th, with 3.72" at Charleston International Airport and 3.91" in downtown Charleston. Highest wind gust was reported in downtown Charleston at 48 mph, with a 44 mph gust in Savannah and 38 mph gust at Charleston International Airport. Offshore, a gust to 59 mph was reported at the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Buoy, just off the Georgia coast. Tides ran about 3 feet above normal on Irene's closest approach. Only minor beach erosion was reported. A few trees were downed, with only isolated power outages. Greenville-Spartanburg - NWS GSP noted the average monthly temp was 0.6 degree above normal while rainfall was 1.87" above normal. The average wind speed was 5.4 MPH. Ruby - Franklin sends this note: "We did not have as much rain this month and temps were near normal." Tri-cities - NWS Morristown, TN reports that the Tri-cities/Bristol area recorded monthly average temps 1.2 degrees below normal with precipitation 0.42" below normal. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATED MEMBERS' E-MAIL ADDRESSES: BRE Bob Keehn Bob_Keehn@citcom.net BRI Clayton Towers Ctowers@rica.net POR Bill Trotter pwrs@pilot.infi.net 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 doppler2k3@hotmail.com danny@tidalwave.net (while at UVA) 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 evaltal@wpmedia.com HAM Dave Kessell tccdkessel@yahoo.com VNA Robert Boott boottr@vrinet.com CHW Dave Lesher wxdave@boo.net -----------------------------------------------------------------------------