References
Regional Climate Summaries: US Highlights - 1994 Atlantic Hurricane Season
Table of Contents
Eastern and Central North America (1)
Temperatures averaged considerably below normal across eastern and central North America from late December 1993 through January 1994. Two severe cold outbreaks in January covered most of the region, establishing at least 18 new all-time record low temperatures through the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians. Most of Ontario and the Canadian Maritime Provinces experienced their coldest January since 1920, and southern Quebec endured its coldest January ever. Montreal's mean January temperature of -16.6C was the lowest since 1871. An unprecedented heating demand from the mid-Atlantic states through lower New England forced utilities to impose voltage reductions and controlled localized outages for several days.
In late January, a severe ice storm affected Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The storm caused major air travel delays in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Toronto/Pearson International was completely shut down for the first time in its 57 year history due to icy runways. To the west, moderating temperatures and rain caused rapid snowmelt and ice jams, resulting in river flooding across parts of West Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana.
In early and mid-February, two separate storm systems brought up to 30 cm of snow to the north-central states, and 25-70 cm of snow to New York and New Jersey. To the south, freezing rain caused numerous power outages from Texas to Georgia and northeastward to Delaware. After a brief respite in late February, another powerful East Coast storm brought heavy precipitation and strong winds to much of the eastern and southern United States and southeastern Canada. During this event thunderstorms brought up to 225 mm of rain to parts of the east-central Gulf Coast, while 10 to 20 cm of snow covered a large area from the western Carolinas northeastward to Boston, with up to 75 cm of snow falling in central New York.
Western United States (2)
Widespread below-normal precipitation was observed in the West during most of the 1993-94 wet season (October-April), with totals among the driest 10% of the 1961-1990 distribution observed in parts of northeastern California, northwestern Nevada, eastern Oregon, central Idaho, and western Montana. In addition, an upper-level ridge during much of the season kept temperatures abnormally high, further reducing the region's snowpack.
From mid-June through early August, temperatures averaged 1-3C above normal in the West. This heat, in combination with below-normal precipitation during the wet season, resulted in moderate to severe drought throughout the region by the end of August. These conditions created an unusually severe wildfire season across the region. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, nearly 10,120 square kms were consumed by wildfires in the United States by mid- July 1994, which was 31% more than the 1989-1993 average for the January to mid-July period.
Beginning in late October a series of storms battered the West and southwestern Canada, bringing heavy precipitation to many areas. Precipitation was particularly heavy over coastal sections of the Far West and along the windward slopes of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada where 250 to 400 mm were reported. Much of this precipitation fell as snow across the higher elevations, establishing new November snowfall records at Alta, UT (480 cm), Prince Rupert/Terrace, B. C. (182.5 cm), and Salt Lake City, UT (80 cm).
Southeastern United States (3)
In late March and early April a slow-moving cold front brought heavy rains from the lower Mississippi Valley northeastward to the mid-Atlantic states. Up to 355 mm of precipitation fell in central and southern Tennessee, forcing small rivers out of their banks. The front also spawned more than two dozen tornadoes that claimed 43 lives in northern sections of Alabama and Georgia, the western Carolinas, and southern Tennessee. During one event in Piedmont, AL nineteen individuals lost their lives and 90 others were injured when a tornado demolished a church during Palm Sunday services.
In late April through mid-May, severe weather and heavy rains inundated much of Texas. Several tornadoes in late April prompted the Federal Government to declare the entire state a disaster area, while in mid-May heavy rains (up to 330 mm) from a slow-moving upper-air disturbance inundated most of central and southern Texas.
During late June, numerous thunderstorms brought almost 250 mm of rain to northern Georgia and western South Carolina. Shortly thereafter, Tropical Storm Alberto moved over the Florida Panhandle and then stalled in central Georgia while slowly dissipating.
In mid-October, a strong low-level flow of moist, tropical air into and over a weak stationary front brought a return of exceptionally heavy rains (storm totals of 200 to 750 mm) across southeastern Texas. This event produced record or near-record flood levels to several rivers, including the San Jacinto River near Houston, where floating debris ruptured several petroleum pipelines and ignited over 1.2 million gallons of gasoline and fuel oil.
Subtropical eastern North Pacific (4)
The persistence of abnormally warm waters across much of the subtropical North Pacific east of the date line contributed to the development of intense hurricanes in the region. For example, in July Hurricanes Emilia and Gilma, each with sustained winds of 72 m/s, passed well south of Hawaii. Both systems shattered records for the most intense storms ever observed in the central Pacific. On August 9, a typical eastern Pacific depression tracked westward and eventually became Hurricane John. Two weeks later, John intensified into the strongest storm ever recorded in the central Pacific but fortunately never affected any inhabited areas with its estimated sustained winds of 76 m/s. John crossed the date line on August 28 and then weakened to a tropical depression on September 3. The storm subsequently regained strength and was again upgraded to hurricane status. John finally became an extratropical disturbance one month after its formation.
Central South America (5)
In late May, unusually mild conditions developed across Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina, and southern Brazil, with weekly temperature departures approaching +6C at some locations. The abnormally warm weather persisted through the first half of June, with weekly departures reaching +9C at many locations during mid-month. However, in late June and early July, a brief cold outbreak brought freezing temperatures as far north as Brazil's northern Parana state, damaging part of Brazil's coffee crop.
During August, unusually dry weather developed across much of southern Brazil, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. By mid-September, 100 to 150 mm of rain brought some relief to parts of southern Brazil, southeastern Paraguay, and adjacent areas of Argentina. However, unseasonably hot weather (>40C) in late September aggravated dry conditions in some locations. The hot and dry weather spread throughout central South America during the first half of October, but widespread moderate to heavy rains during the second half of the month ended the dry spell. However, above-normal temperatures persisted through the end of the year, with only brief respites during November and December.
Europe (6)
Surplus precipitation fell on much of central Europe during the 1993-94 winter, with very large totals recorded in northwestern sections of the Iberian Peninsula and parts of the Alps. Additionally, bitterly cold air dominated Europe in late January, with several winter Olympic events in Norway nearly postponed because of extreme cold. Farther south, a bitterly cold Arctic outbreak penetrated to southern Italy and the Balkans in late January. During the event, subfreezing temperatures dominated the Continent, and readings plummeted to -50C in northern Russia, -28C in Romania, and -12C in Italy. Nearly two dozen lives were lost and travel was disrupted by heavy snows from the British Isles eastward to Russia and the Ukraine, and from the Baltic Sea southward to Turkey. In addition, heavy snows downed power lines in southern France, leaving tens of thousands without electricity, while blizzard conditions isolated hundreds of villages in Turkey.
From late May through August, below-normal precipitation was observed across large sections of Europe. By the end of July, two-month moisture shortages of 40-75 mm accumulated in many areas, while deficits of 100-140 mm were observed from southwestern France eastward into northern Romania and across north-central Europe and western Russia. Accompanying this dry spell, extreme warmth dominated Europe throughout the period. After a brief respite in mid- June, a major heat wave developed across most of Europe by the end of the month. In Spain, the prolonged dryness and high temperatures engendered wildfires which charred nearly 1500 square kilometers and claimed 21 lives.
A major change in the upper-air storm track in mid-August steered several strong storms across southern Scandinavia and the Baltics, alleviating the region's dryness. However, on 28 September, more than 900 lives were lost when the ferry boat MS Estonia sank in high seas (waves as high as 22 meters) during a powerful storm in the Baltic Sea.
Middle East and Southwestern Asia (7)
A series of winter storms moved across the region in middle to late November, forcing the closure of some Egyptian harbors and delaying convoys in the Suez Canal. Blizzards isolated villages in eastern Turkey during the period, while torrential rains in Iran claimed at least ten lives, destroyed more than 10,000 homes, and caused more than $170 million in damages. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 9C below normal in parts of Turkey and 7C below normal in Iran.
In early December snow covered much of Jordan and parts of eastern Turkey. The accompanying cold conditions persisted into mid-December but began to abate as 1995 approached. However, a late December snow storm in eastern Turkey contributed to an airplane crash that claimed 54 lives.
Madagascar (8)
Five tropical systems made landfall on Madagascar during the first three months of the year. Cyclones Daisy (mid-January) and Geralda (early February) traversed the southern and central portions of the island. The latter cyclone claimed more than 200 lives as 400 mm of rain and winds exceeding 60 m/s lashed the island and destroyed numerous buildings and damaged crops. National officials described Geralda as the "Cyclone of the Century," because of its extreme devastation in Toamasina (95% of the city was reportedly damaged).
In mid-February Tropical Cyclone Julita grazed extreme southwestern Madagascar but did little damage. In mid-March, Hurricane Litanne inundated the southeastern coast of Madagascar with sustained winds of 56 m/s and 100-250 mm of rain. One week later, Cyclone Nadia, with sustained winds greater than 50 m/s, claimed a dozen lives and dumped up to 250 mm of rain on the northern tip of the island. After crossing the Mozambique Channel, Nadia continued westward into northern Mozambique, where it claimed more than 240 lives, left thousands injured and rendered almost 1.5 million people homeless.
Sahel and East-Central Africa (9)
Widespread heavy rains soaked much of the Sahel from late July through mid-October. Flooding along the Niger River left more than 130,000 homeless in Niger alone. By August, well above-normal precipitation also covered the Sudan and Ethiopia. Additional flooding in Sudan during late September and early October forced thousands of individuals from their homes. Heavy November rains inundated Kenya, Somalia, and Djibouti, and the resultant flooding claimed more than 100 lives and forced thousands to flee their homes.
Southeastern Asia (10)
In early June, Tropical Storm Russ dumped heavy rains on southeastern China and northern Vietnam. Flooding claimed over three dozen lives, stranded at least 120,000 individuals, and inflicted more than $115 million in damages. In mid-June, additional heavy rains (250 to 525 mm during June 5 - 18) caused the worst flooding in decades across portions of Guangxi and Guangdong provinces, claiming hundreds of lives and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
Relentless rains continued throughout July in association with an active western Pacific tropical storm season. In late August, Typhoon Fred slowly moved into east-central China, bringing 100-225 mm of rain, wind gusts exceeding 57 m/s, and a large storm surge. Fred's landfall near Wenzhou coincided with an unusually high astronomical tide, resulting in coastal floods that reportedly took over 1,000 lives. Total economic losses from Fred reached $1.2 billion.
Bangladesh (11)
In early May, powerful Tropical Cyclone 02B, with estimated winds of 69 m/s, slammed into southeastern Bangladesh and brought several hundred millimeters of rain to much of Bangladesh, extreme eastern India and western Burma. The storm claimed more than 250 lives in Bangladesh alone and left nearly half a million people homeless. However, advanced warnings, cyclone shelters, and the absence of a large tidal surge kept casualties to a minimum compared to the devastating 1991 cyclone that took over 135,000 lives.
Australia (12)
Severe precipitation deficits and extreme drought covered much of Australia from March- December, with overall precipitation totals the second lowest of the century. During July-September drought conditions resulted in an early start to the fire season over Queensland and New South Wales, and by late August, fires were already affecting many parts of New South Wales. In the second half of September, several major fire outbreaks occurred along the coast and in the mountain ranges north of Sydney. On 27 September, at least 200 fires extended from the Atherton Tableland in North Queensland to the south coast districts of Queensland. In the subsequent three days, these fires caused millions of dollars in damage to crops, forests, and pastures.
Indonesia (13)
Sporadic but severe flooding affected much of Indonesia from January through early April as an active monsoon brought heavy precipitation to Sumatra, Java, southern Borneo, and Celebes. Press reports indicated that flooding in January may have been the worst in a decade. However, little or no rain fell from June through mid-October over Indonesia, thereby creating large moisture deficits. The 1994-95 rainy season failed to start until late October in Java and southern Sumatra, but ample and widespread rains during November and early December eased the long-term moisture deficits throughout the region.
References
Regional Climate Summaries: US Highlights - 1994 Atlantic Hurricane Season
Table of Contents
