Tuesday, December 31, 2013

This Date in Weather History for December 31,2013 from weatherforyou.com

Weather History
For Tuesday,December 31,2013
 
 
1917 - The temperature at Lewisburg, WV, plunged to 37 degrees below zero to set a state record. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
1929 - Greenland Ranch, in Death Valley, California, went the entire year without measurable precipitation. (The Weather Channel)
1933 - A 24 hour rainfall of 7.36 inches set the stage for the worst flood in Los Angeles history. Flooding claimed 44 lives. (David Ludlum)
1941 - Snow which began on New Year's Eve became a major blizzard on New Year's Day, burying Des Moines, IA, uunder 19.8 inches of snow in 24 hours, an all-time record for that location. (The Weather Channel)
1947 - A late afternoon tornado touched down 10 miles north of Shreveport LA, and dissipated south of El Dorado AR. The tornado, as much as 400 yards in width, killed 18 persons. It damaged or destroyed two thirds of the structures at Cotton Valley LA. (The Weather Channel)
1962 - Perhaps the worst blizzard in the history of the state of Maine finally came to an end. The storm produced 40 inches in 24 hours at Orono, and a total of 46 inches at Ripogenus Dam. Gale force winds produced snow drifts twenty feet high around Bangor. A disastrous icestorm was over Georgia and South Carolina. It ravaged the two states for days causing more than seven million dollars damage. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
1963 - A snowstorm struck the Deep South. Meridian, MS, received 15 inches of snow, 10.5 inches blanketed Bay St Louis MS, and 4.5 inches fell at New Orleans LA. Freezing temperatures then prevailed for New Year's Day. (David Ludlum)
1987 - Torrential rains caused extensive flash flooding over eastern sections of the island of Ohau in Hawaii, resulting in many rock and mud slides. Rainfall totals ranged up to 22.89 inches in a 24 hour period, and property damage was estimated at 35 million dollars. Strong winds continued to usher arctic cold into the north central U.S. The temperature at Alexandria MN remained below zero through the day, and Jamestown ND reported a wind chill reading of 58 degrees below zero. Gales lashed the Great Lakes, with wind gusts to 54 mph reported at Lansing MI. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)
1988 - Warm and wet weather prevailed in the southeastern U.S. Six cities in Florida reported record high temperatures for the date. Thunderstorms produced locally heavy rains from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Southern Atlantic Coast. (The National Weather Summary)
1989 - The year and decade ended on a soggy note in the eastern U.S. Thunderstorm rains pushed precipitation totals for the year to 88.32 inches at Baton Rouge, and to 75.37 inches at Huntsville AL, establishing all-time records for those two locations. Dry weather continued in California. Sacramento and San Francisco finished the month without any rain or snow, and Santa Maria reported their driest year of record with just 3.30 inches of precipitation. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
2010 - Unusually warm air fueled strong storms in the midwestern and southern U.S., producing high winds and a preliminary count of 53 tornadoes across five states. At least eight people were killed in Missouri and Arkansas and dozens of others were injured. In Mississippi, about 200 people were evacuated from the Jackson-Evers International Airport, where an EF-2 tornado crossed a runway. (NCDC)

World Weather Hot Spot for December 31,2013-January 1,2014 from accuweather.com

Jakarta,Indonesia: Very heavy rain;received a whopping 15.75 inches of rain on Monday (December 30,2013)

Today's Worst Weather for December 31,2013 from accuweather.com

Badger,Minnesota: Frigid

National Temperature and Rainfall Extremes for December 31,2013 from accuweather.com

As of 5PM,EST/2PM,PST





Daily U.S. Extremes

past 24 hours

  Extreme Location
High 80° West Palm Beach, FL
Low -43° Embarrass, MN
Precip 0.53" Harlingen, TX

WeatherWhys for December 31,2013 from accuweather.com

The coldest January outbreaks typically occur when there is a high amplitude jetstream that is directed out of Siberia or the Arctic. Widespread snow cover also helps to sustain the cold near the surface.

Icy Chill, Snow for 2014 Winter Classic

By Samantha-Rae Tuthill, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
December 31,2013; 4:09PM,EST
 
 
It will be a cold day for the NHL's sixth Winter Classic, being held Jan. 1 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. This year's face off will be between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The last time these teams met up was on Sept. 27, during the preseason. The Red Wings came out ahead of that matchup, 5 to 2.
The Red Wings will take on the Maple Leafs for the first time since the preseason. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
It will be snowing throughout most of the day, likely accumulating 1 to 3 inches. Temperatures will likely stay in the teens, but RealFeel temperatures could be even lower.
"The wind shouldn't be that significant, but if it gusts to 10-15 mph at all, that would be enough to take RealFeel temperatures down into the single digits for a time," said AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Brian Thompson. "People will certainly need to dress warmly."
Though the cold may be rough for fans, higher temperatures could also have an adverse effect on the game. Last year's game between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers was delayed because afternoon temperatures were too high.
RELATED
'Calculated Risk': Snow Possible for Super Bowl
Three Ways to Stay Warm for the Super Bowl
Ann Arbor Forecast Center

Temperature regulation is crucial for playing on ice, making the outdoor Winter Classic games susceptible to the elements.
According to Tony Carlino, manager of the Olympic Sports Complex & Olympic Jumping Complex, warmer ambient air temperatures can impact ice and affect the way a skater or skating equipment can travel across the surface.
"Warmer temperatures are certainly a challenge," he said.
The pervasive snow may cause game delays or other disruptions in order to keep the rink clear.

Have questions, comments, or a story to share? Email Samantha-Rae Tuthill at tuthills@accuweather.com, follow her on Twitter @Accu_Sam or Google+. Follow us @breakingweather, or on Facebook and Google+.

On Social Media
Ryan Woodard
RyanWoodard2
Red Wings and the Maple Leafs, the Big House in Ann Arbor, Snow, and New Years Day the Winter Classic tomorrow is going to be awesome!!!!
Randy Esquire
EsquireRandy
I hope they hold another Winter Classic and Red Wings-Maple Leafs alumni game next year. I'll schedule no NYE gigs and go!
Panthers Hockey Live
NPHockeyLive
Detroit Red Wings forward and set to play in tomorrow's NHL Winter Classic Drew Miller - Braehead Clan pic.twitter.com/3Ogj27tlbZ
 

WINTER STORM WATCH

NORTHERN WESTCHESTER:
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW YORK HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
* LOCATIONS...PASSAIC...HUDSON...BERGEN...ESSEX...AND UNION COUNTIES IN NEW JERSEY. ORANGE...PUTNAM...ROCKLAND...WESTCHESTER NEW YORK...BRONX...RICHMOND...KINGS AND QUEENS COUNTIES IN NEW YORK.
* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS...4 TO 8 INCHES.
* WINDS...NORTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES...SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS.
* VISIBILITIES...ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES.
* TIMING...THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY.
* IMPACTS...THE ACCUMULATING SNOW...ALONG WITH AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW...WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
&&
===================
SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER:
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW YORK HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
* LOCATIONS...PASSAIC...HUDSON...BERGEN...ESSEX...AND UNION COUNTIES IN NEW JERSEY. ORANGE...PUTNAM...ROCKLAND...WESTCHESTER NEW YORK...BRONX...RICHMOND...KINGS AND QUEENS COUNTIES IN NEW YORK.
* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS...4 TO 8 INCHES.
* WINDS...NORTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES...SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS.
* VISIBILITIES...ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES.
* TIMING...THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY.
* IMPACTS...THE ACCUMULATING SNOW...ALONG WITH AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW...WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

Snowstorm Targets 70 Million in Northeast, Midwest

By , Expert Senior Meteorologist
December 31,2013; 4:05PM,EST
 
 
Two storms will merge quickly enough to produce a major snowstorm from the upper part of the mid-Atlantic to southern New England Thursday into Friday.
The storm will affect more than 70 million people in the Midwest and the Northeast combined and could have a major negative impact on travel for people returning from holiday destinations, heading back to school or resuming business activities.
It will be far from the worst storm to ever hit the area, but people should be prepared for flight delays and cancellations because of direct and indirect impacts from the far-reaching storm.

AccuWeather.com Chief Operating Officer Evan Myers said, "The storms will not organize fast enough to make the perfect storm, but it will cause a significant amount of snow to fall over a large area."
Deicing operations will put some airlines behind schedule. Aircraft and crews may not be where they are supposed to be, even if the weather is clear.
As colder air invades the storm, snow will stick to the roads and make for slippery conditions.
The worst of the storm is likely to be Thursday night but will cause enough snow to make roads slippery as early as Thursday in some locations.

The storm is forecast to bring a large area of 6- to 12-inch snowfall from northeastern Pennsylvania to a large part of New Jersey and southeastern New York state to southern New England. This includes the entire metropolitan area of New York City and Long Island, northward to Albany, N.Y., and Scranton and Allentown, Pa. Over a foot of snow will fall in localized areas of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut and the cities of Hartford, Conn., Providence, R.I., and Boston.
Within the heaviest snow area, the snow will fall at the rate of 2 to 4 inches per hour in some locations, making it difficult for plows to keep up.
RELATED:
AccuWeather.com Winter Weather Center
Latest Watches, Warnings, Advisories
Will it Snow at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 2?

A significant, but lesser snowfall is in store farther southwest in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and farther north in Portland, Maine, Burlington, Vt., and Pittsburgh.
For many areas this will be a dry, powdery snow. However, along the mid-Atlantic coast and even southern New England coast for a brief time, a wintery mix will occur early. However, as colder air invades the storm, the all snow will fall and the snow will become powdery as well.
The storm will strengthen quickly enough to kick up winds. Blowing and drifting snow will occur during the middle and last part of the storm from Pennsylvania to New England. In parts of New England a full-blown blizzard may evolve.
The wind will cause waves to build along the New England and the mid-Atlantic coast. Where these winds are onshore longest, over eastern New England and along the north shore of Long Island, flooding at times of high tide is likely, along with beach erosion. The new moon on New Year's Day will contribute to higher tide levels during part of the storm.
The coldest air of the season so far will empty out of eastern Canada on gusty winds in the wake of the storm. For some locations it will bring the coldest weather in several years.
Areas from New England to much of the mid-Atlantic will be very cold Friday into Saturday, while travel conditions will improve.
According to Long Range Weather Expert Jack Boston, "If New York's Central Park fails to reach 20 degrees for a high temperature on Friday, it will be the first time this has occurred since Jan. 16, 2009."
In the South, the colder air will be accompanied by a biting wind as well.
The southern part of the two storms is set to join up in the Northeast and will bring drenching rain to parts of the South and along the lower mid-Atlantic coast for a time Thursday.
The second of the two storms slated to join forces will spread a swath of accumulating snow eastward from Iowa and Illinois to Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and part of lower Michigan and southern Wisconsin Tuesday into New Year's Day.
Another storm may eye the Northeast with snow, a wintry mix and rain Sunday night and Monday as 2014 kicks winter up to a whole new level of intensity. Very cold air could also make a far-reaching appearance from the Midwest to the Northeast next week.

On Social Media
Clyde Lewis
ClydeLewis
Northeast is about to feel the cold blade of the new Ice age --again! fb.me/29QFT2yGl
Rick Brenner
rfbrenner
4-8 inches snow expected Thurs eve to Friday morn in NYC. Safe travels to all teams heading to JWQ in Fond du Lac! bit.ly/19Z6oOk
 

Harrisburg: Colder Air, Snow to Ring in New Year

By , Expert Senior Meteorologist
December 31,2013; 3:55PM,EST
 
 
Colder air has returned to the Harrisburg area in time for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day activities. The cold air will help fuel a snowstorm on Thursday.
Expect good travel weather Tuesday and New Year's Day. However, there will be a light coating of snow in some locations Tuesday evening.
The cold may be pose a challenge for those spending time outdoors.
For New Year's Eve revelers watching the giant kiss drop at Hersheypark, temperatures will dip into the 20s in the with RealFeel® temperatures in the teens.

This New Year's Day will be the coldest since 2009 in the region, when the high was only around 30 degrees.
AccuWeather.com meteorologists are monitoring the a snowstorm for the Northeast on Thursday into Friday.
The storm will spread snow over south central Pennsylvania Thursday and will continue into Thursday night. Initially, roads will be wet and slushy, but as temperatures fall late Thursday and Thursday night, wet and slushy areas will freeze. A general 2 to 4 inches of snow is forecast from the storm.

Regardless of the amount of snow that falls around Harrisburg and vicinity, Friday will bring the coldest weather of the season so far and the coldest weather in about four years with a biting wind.
RELATED:
Detailed Harrisburg, Pa., Forecast
Will it Snow at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 2?
AccuWeather.com Winter Weather Center

 

Northeast Pennsylvania: Cold, Snowstorm to Ring in New Year

By , Expert Senior Meteorologist
December 31,2013; 3:52PM,EST
 
 
Cold air has returned to northeastern Pennsylvania in time for New Year's Eve revelers and will set the stage for a Thursday to Friday snowstorm.
The cold may be pose a challenge for those spending time outdoors.
There can be a light coating of snow on some of the roads Tuesday night as a weak disturbance moves through.
On New Year's Eve, temperatures will fall through the 20s with RealFeel® temperatures in the teens.
A snowstorm will affect northeastern Pennsylvania on Thursday into Friday.

Enough snow to shovel and plow is forecast in the valley cities and to ski on in the Poconos.
The early estimate of the storm's total snowfall around the region is 6 to 10 inches with the greatest amounts over the Poconos, where locally amounts close to a foot are possible.
The worst conditions are likely Thursday evening, when the snow will be the heaviest, and winds and cold air will blow and drift the snow. Falling temperatures will cause wet and slushy areas to freeze at this time. Expect roads to become snow-covered and slippery. Flight delays at Avoca and other airports around the region are likely.
RELATED:
Detailed Scranton Forecast
Will It Snow at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 2?
AccuWeather.com Winter Weather Center

The coldest air of the season so far will empty out of Canada Friday with temperatures likely to be no higher than the single digits in many areas. RealFeel temperatures will be below zero.
The weather Friday into Saturday will be the coldest since January of 2009.

On Social Media
AccuWeather.com Videos
Breaking: Persistent Shower for South Texas
On and off rain will continue for southern Texas through tomorrow while party goers in the North Central and eastern U.S. will need to bundl...
Dan DePodwin
WxDepo
Not to self: check the @accuweather RealFeel temp before attempting a 2 mi. walk. #ShouldHaveWornAScarf
 

Monday, December 30, 2013

Wishing all bloggers here a Happy New Year!

To all my fellow bloggers here,thank you for making "WeatherFanatics",a fun,awesome place to go for news about the weather.I get my posts from articles on 4 main web-sites: The Weather Channel's site, weather.com, accuweather.com,weatherunderground.com,and I get the "This Date in Weather History",segments from weatherforyou.com.I hope you all enjoyed the articles I've posted here as much as I've enjoyed posting them throughout 2013,and I hope you all will come back in 2014 to see some more great,wonderful,awesome articles and forecasts and such,and in the meantime, Happy New Year everyone,and see you all in 2014!







William J. Smith,blog founder

First Snowstorm of 2014 to Target Midwest, Northeast

By Nick Wiltgen Published: Dec 30, 2013, 5:20 PM EST weather.com
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We won't get far into 2014 before the year's first snowstorm takes aim on parts of the Midwest and Northeast. And while this storm is still a few days away, there are already some indications that this could pack quite a punch over the Northeast.
Background

New Year's Day

New Year's Day

Humble Beginnings

This snowstorm is forecast to originate from what is currently a difficult-to-detect upper-air disturbance that passed over the Gulf of Alaska Monday.
With time, this disturbance will dive southeastward into the north-central U.S. as a clipper-type disturbance, bringing a stretched-out area of light snow into parts of the northern Rockies and northern Plains by Tuesday morning. A small piece of this energy will break off and bring some light snow to the southern Great Lakes New Year's Eve night as we shift from 2013 into 2014.
As the upper-air system digs southeastward, it should spin up low pressure over the south-central U.S. by late Wednesday, New Year's Day. This will continue to sustain a broad east-west oriented zone of light to moderate snow from parts of the Plains east into the Great Lakes region at that time. With cold air already in place, this snow will likely be the fine and powdery type. Some light snow may extend as far south as the Ozarks and Ohio Valley depending on how far south the upper-air system digs.
(FORECAST: Chicago | Milwaukee | Detroit)
At this time, a narrow swath of six inches or more of snow appears likely across parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley and southern Great Lakes New Year's Eve into New Year's Day and Thursday. Keep this in mind if you'll be coming or going to New Year's festivities in this area.
Meanwhile, the subtropical branch of the jet stream will start to become active over the Gulf of Mexico with an area of rain expanding along the Gulf Coast through mid-week. This should help to trigger the development of a weak coastal low near or just east of the Carolinas Thursday or Thursday night, just as the Midwestern system spreads into the Northeast.
Background

U.S. Forecast Model

U.S. Forecast Model
Background

European Forecast Model

European Forecast Model
Background

Thursday

Thursday
Background

Friday

Friday

Coastal Storm Emerges

By Thursday these two systems are expected to join forces to form a single – and much more powerful – low-pressure system.
This is where details become especially important. The exact timing of the northern and southern pieces of this system will determine the ultimate timing and location of the resulting coastal storm. This, in turn, will determine where the rain-snow line sets up – and just as importantly, when and where the heaviest snow will fall.
At this time, still three to four days out, there are some differences in the location, intensity, and especially the timing of the coastal low amongst the various computer models we use for guidance. These differences are typical for any snowstorm, and will be reconciled over the next few days. You can see a snapshot of these forecast differences in the first two inset maps at right, model forecasts for Friday morning. The green contours represent areas of precipitation, while the blue line shows a model estimate of the rain-snow line – snow being, naturally, north of that line.
That said, there are enough similarities among the majority of computer forecasts that some portion of the Northeast appears to be at risk for a significant snowstorm from this setup.
Depending on the exact timing and track of the coastal low, a large portion of the Northeast – including, potentially, even coastal areas of New England – could experience a period of snow and strong north to northeast winds Thursday into Friday. Given widespread temperatures in the teens and 20s, this could be a relatively dry, powdery snow with an added "fluff factor" – meaning deeper snow accumulations than you'd see from a wetter, gloppier snow.
(FORECAST: Boston | New York | Albany, N.Y.)
And with the coastal low whipping up the wind, we could be talking about blowing and drifting snow and poor visibility, particularly across New England, but possibly for areas farther west into New York state as well. Confidence in any snowfall reaching the Mid-Atlantic region from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., on the other hand, is considerably lower; however, the most reliable computer forecasts are hinting that those cities and points east to the Jersey shore and Delaware beaches could be in play for snow.
It's too early to be specific about snowfall amounts in particular areas, but it's not unreasonable to believe that this could produce a widespread snowfall of 6 inches or more across a significant portion of the Northeast. There's the potential for some areas to see more than a foot, but it's far too early to pin down particular towns or cities for those higher amounts.
There have been a few model simulations that wind the low-pressure center up enough to pull it just inland, in which case there would be a better chance for a changeover to rain for some coastal areas. Given a strong arctic high pressure zone over eastern Canada, this scenario seems somewhat unlikely, but still plausible.
In addition to the snow threat, there could be at least some minor coastal flooding for eastern New England due to strong onshore winds late in the week. As with everything else, the details will depend on the exact track, forward speed, and strength of the coastal low pressure center.
Stay with The Weather Channel and weather.com as we continue to update the forecast on this first winter storm of 2014.
MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Winter Storm Gandolf (first named winter storm of 2013)

Farmington, Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah
Bob Gardner clears snow in front of his home. (AP Photo/The Deseret News, Ravell Call)