A huge outbreak of severe thunderstorms hit the nation on Thursday, causing damage in fifteen states and knocking out power to over 250,000 customers. Two people were killed, one by a falling tree in Pennsylvania, and one due to a lightning strike in New York. Two possible tornadoes touched down: one in Elmira, New York and another in Brookville, PA. The severe storms covered an unusually large area, erupting along a 1,500-mile long swath of the country from Texas to Connecticut. The intensity of the thunderstorms was increased by a very hot and moist airmass; temperatures in the mid to upper 90s were common across the region Thursday. A number of record highs for the date were set, including a 98° reading at Washington D.C.'s Dulles Airport. The threat of severe weather continues for Friday afternoon over portions of the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic, as NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has placed these regions in their "Slight Risk" area for severe thunderstorms.
Figure 1. A rare sight: at 7 pm EDT on July 26, 2012, severe thunderstorm warnings were in effect for 132 counties in 15 states along a swath 1,500 miles long.
Figure 2. Visible satellite image taken at 7:02 pm EDT July 26, 2012, of the line of severe thunderstorms that extended from Texas to Connecticut. Image credit: NASA/GSFC.
Figure 3. An imposing sight: A squall line of severe thunderstorms with two bowing segments takes aim at New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey on July 26, 2012. The tip of a bow echo typically has the most violent winds in a severe thunderstorm.
Was Thursday's outbreak a derecho?
Thursday's outbreak of severe thunderstorms was not nearly as violent as the June 29 - 30 Mid-Atlantic and Midwest derecho, since the atmosphere wasn't as unstable. The June 29 storm was one of the most destructive and deadly severe thunderstorm complexes in North American history. It killed 22 people, knocked out power to at least 3.7 million customers, and did hundreds of millions in damage. There were 871 reports of damaging winds logged by the next day, and 36 of the thunderstorms had wind gusts in excess of hurricane force--74 mph. In contrast, yesterday's event had only two thunderstorms with wind gusts in excess of 74 mph, and 383 reports of damaging winds. We can probably classify yesterday's severe thunderstorm event as a weak derecho, since it met the main criteria, as defined by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center: "A derecho is a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. Although a derecho can produce destruction similar to that of tornadoes, the damage typically is directed in one direction along a relatively straight swath. As a result, the term "straight-line wind damage" sometimes is used to describe derecho damage. By definition, if the wind damage swath extends more than 240 miles (about 400 kilometers) and includes wind gusts of at least 58 mph (93 km/h) or greater along most of its length, then the event may be classified as a derecho."
Figure 4. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center logged 374 reports of damaging winds from Thursday's severe thunderstorms. Two of these thunderstorms had winds in excess of hurricane force (65 knots, or 74 mph.)
Figure 5. The climatology of derecho events over the U.S. Image credit: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Quiet in the Atlantic
There are no tropical cyclone threat areas to discuss in the Atlantic. A strong tropical wave is expected to bring heavy rains to the Lesser Antilles Islands and Puerto Rico on Monday and Tuesday, but none of the models are developing the wave. The NOGAPS computer model is suggesting development of a second tropical wave between Africa and the Lesser Antilles Islands August 2 - 3.
Have a great Olympic weekend, everyone, and I'll be back Monday with a new post.
Jeff Masters
We had high winds and heavy rain, but fortunately not serious damage. Prayers for everyone in the path of this massive storm.
Lightning from storms that slammed the Northeast today. This is at Charlestown Beach in Charlestown, Rhode Island.
at times there were gust of wind that would stir up the dirt as you can see to the right in this photo. We finally got a real good rain that lasted a while. Was under one Severe Thunderstorm Warning.
As the strom approaches the clouds are rolling over themselves and swirling into each other. Rapidly!
Taken just before thunderstorm.
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Yeah...that's a delayed broadcast from NBC...the opening ceremony started 3:00PM Jamaica time and 4:00PM EST.
Hey Civicane! How are you doing?
Doing good. You?
That's a lot to cover there... steering says west if a storm develops gulf of Mexico or east coast
I'm good...hopefully all the athletes will remain injury free through out the Olympics!
I hope so too.
The reason I worry is because New Jersey history has seen hurricanes that are clustered in years. For instance, 1954 & 1955 saw a lot of action in our state. I keep thinking that with Irene last year, are there more to come?
It's pretty dry in the eastern Caribbean with all that SAL around.
Hey wunderkid! What about the Cayman Islands?
yes Cayman is my team too but it like this my true #1 team is the UK and my #2 is Cayman if you know what I mean
Hey Kori! How have you been?
Yeah, hopefully they'll have a prosperous Olympics!
I've been okay. How about you?
Straight northwest? Odd.
I'm just anxiously awaiting the track and field segment of the Olympics.
the shear is low near the small convection
pretty strong wave
JMA also has that track.
Avatar is changed to hurricane Felix because we are nearing that time.
Ah, Felix, now that one was fun to track, also frustrating. XD
Kept producing arc clouds all the time it was in the CATL, then little popcorn clouds as it neared the Caribbean and then it basically exploded.
Tropical Cyclone Bulletin #1
TROPICAL DEPRESSION GENER (SAOLA)
11:00 AM PhST July 28 2012
================================
At 10:00 AM PhST, Tropical Depression Gener (Saola) located at 14.5°N 126.9°E or 250 km east of Virac, Catanduanes has 10 minute sustained winds of 30 knots. The depression is reported as moving north northwest at 8 knots.
Additional Information
=========================
Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas in Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides.
Estimated rainfall amount is from 10-25 mm per hour (heavy to intense) within the 400 km diameter of the tropical depression.
Tropical Depression “Gener” is expected to enhance the Southwest Monsoon that will bring rains over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao especially the western section.
Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the Seaboards of southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao due to the combined effect of Tropical Depression “Gener” and the southwest monsoon.
The public and the disaster coordinating councils concerned are advised to take appropriate actions and watch for the next bulletin to be issued at 11 PM today.
Felix just has that name of I'm going to be strong and I'm going to get you.
So is the guy getting ready to light the torch :)
haha! Yes.
Although Ivan and Igor sounded more menacing.
*sigh
Those two and Isaac, wait, why didnt I choose Isaac.
A few more like those, just for fun:
Hazel
Camille
Eloise
Frederic
Ernesto
Isaac
Danny
Charley
Ivan
Oddly, its predecessor Gilbert hardly sounds menacing at all.
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