Winter Storm Draco ends record snowless streaks across Midwest
Winter Storm Draco is powering up over the Upper Midwest, and is poised to bring a resounding end to the record-length snowless streaks a number of U.S. cities have notched this year. Blizzard warnings are posted over portions of Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, and snowfall amounts of up to a foot are expected in some of the affected regions. While the heavy snow will create dangerous travel conditions, the .5" - 1.5" of melted water equivalent from the the storm will provide welcome moisture for drought-parched areas of the Midwest. Though much of the moisture will stay locked up as snow for the rest of the year, runoff from the storm may help keep Lake Michigan and Huron from setting an all-time record low for the month of December, and may also keep the Mississippi River at St. Louis above the -5' stage though the end of December. If the river falls below -5', barge traffic on the Mississippi may be forced to halt, costing billions of dollars. The Army Corps of Engineers is blasting away rocks on the river bottom south of St. Louis and releasing water from Carlyle Lake in Southern Illinois this week, in order to keep the Mississippi River high enough to allow barge traffic to negotiate the near-record low water levels. Several gauges on the Mississippi have set all-time record lows this year: the New Madrid, Missouri gauge on August 30, 2012 and the Tiptonville, Tennessee gauge on September 2. Records at the Tiptonville gauge go back to at least 1879.
Figure 1. Predicted precipitation totals fopr the 3-day period ending on December 22. Approximately 0.5 - 1.5" of melted water equivalent from Winter Storm Draco is expected over much of the drought-stricken Midwest. Image credit: NOAA/HPC.
Figure 2. Average water levels on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are near their lowest December levels ever recorded, preliminary data from NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory indicate.
Record snowless streaks coming to end because of Winter Storm Draco
The U.S. has had its warmest and 12th driest year on record, according to NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. It should be no surprise, then, that a number of major cities have set records for their longest period without snow. Most of these streaks have come to and end (or will do so in the next day or two) because of Winter Storm Draco:
MIlwaukee, Wisconsin's record streak without measurable snow ended December 18 with 0.5" of snow; the streak was 288 consecutive days, bookended by measurable snowfall on March 5 and Dec. 18. Milwaukee is likely to get an additional 4 - 6" of snow from Draco.
Omaha, Nebraska's record streak without measurable snow ended December 16 with 0.6" of snow; the streak was 295 consecutive days, bookended by measurable snowfall on Feb. 24 and Dec. 16. Omaha is likely to get 6 - 9" of total snow before the current storm winds down. Record latest first snow of the season: December 26, 1888.
Chicago, Illinois' new record snowless streak continues at 289 consecutive days as of Tuesday. The last measurable snow there was March 4. Previous record: 280 consecutive days between the measurable snowfalls of March 1, 1994 and December 5, 1994. Chicago has also broken its record for latest snowfall in the season, previously set on December 16, 1965. These streaks will likely end on Thursday, when 1 - 4" of snow are expected.
Rockford, Illinois' new record snowless streak continues at 289 consecutive days as of Tuesday, but this streak will likely end on Thursday, when 3 - 6" of snow are expected. The last measurable snow in Rockford was March 4. Previous record: 286 consecutive days between the measurable snowfalls of March 3, 1922 and December 13, 1922. Record latest first snow of the season: January 7, 1940.
Lincoln, Nebraska's new record snowless streak continues at 308 consecutive days as of Tuesday. This streak will likely end Wednesday or Thursday, as 6 -8" of snow are expected. The last measurable snow there was Feb. 13. Previous record: 295 consecutive days between the measurable snowfalls of Feb. 6 and Nov. 28, 2004. Record latest first snow of the season: December 31, 2006.
Syracuse, NY is often the snowiest major city in the contiguous U.S. This year, Syracuse has not yet had a 1" snowfall--the second latest such streak. The 3.0" that has fallen is over 28" below what Syracuse usually gets by this time of the season. The latest in the season that the first 1" snow has come to Syracuse occurred on December 22, 1998 (the previous warmest year on record in the U.S.) With the forecast calling for lake effect snows on the 22nd, Syracuse may just miss setting its mark for latest 1" snowfall of the season.
Jeff Masters
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NORTHEAST GEORGIA TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...
.A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE RAPIDLY THROUGH THE AREA FROM THE WEST
THIS EVENING. BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS JUST AHEAD OF THE PASSING
FRONT WILL BECOME VERY WINDY JUST BEHIND IT AS COLDER AIR SPILLS
INTO THE REGION. THE WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN FRIDAY
INTO FRIDAY NIGHT AS INTENSE LOW PRESSURE MOVES FROM THE GREAT
LAKES TO NEW ENGLAND AND STRENGTHENS THE NORTHWEST FLOW INTO THE
SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR WIDESPREAD
DAMAGING WINDS OVER A LARGE PART OF THE MOUNTAINS AND IMMEDIATELY
ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...WITH ISOLATED WIND DAMAGE POSSIBLE OUT ACROSS
THE PIEDMONT OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA.
My twitter feed is abuzz with talk about the tornadoes.
eskimo518 Matthew Quinn 9m
@spann Dauphin Acres neighborhood in mobile. I talked to a resident who stated that it sounded just like a train
Well, we all have 21hrs 39mins left to live. Enjoy it everyone.
Excerpt:
THE SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MAJOR WINTER STORM IS
EXPECTED TO DEEPEN WHILE TRACKING NORTHEASTWARD TOWARDS THE UPPER
GREAT LAKES ON THURSDAY. A WIDE BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWS
SHOULD CONTINUE TO DEVELOP TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF
LOW....EVENTUALLY LEAVING BEHIND A SWATH OF SIX TO TWELVE INCH
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS INTO THE UPPER
MIDWEST. PORTIONS OF EASTERN WISCONSIN AND THE UPPER PENINSULA
AND NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN WILL SEE EVEN HIGHER AMOUNTS...WITH
STORM TOTALS IN EXCESS OF A FOOT EXPECTED. WIDESPREAD STRONG AND
GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO BE A THREAT WITH THIS STORM AND
WILL COMBINE WITH THE HEAVY SNOWS TO CREATE DRIFTING SNOW AND
HAZARDOUS WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.
Damage reported at Windsor Place Apartments in Mobile. #alwx #tornado
Debris reported on Telegraph Road in Mobile. #alwx #tornado
Krystal Restaurant on Dauphin Street in Mobile has sustained damage. #alwx #tornado
Areas around Frisco City need to seek shelter. Radar indicated #tornado approaching. 628am. #alwx
BP gas station at corner of Springhill and Union in Mobile 'completely caved in'. #alwx #tornado
I-65 service road, near Lowe's in Mobile, closed. #alwx
Damage along Frederick Street in Mobile. Via FOX10. #alwx #tornado
Road closed at Springhill and Moffett Roads in Mobile. #alwx #tornado
Flooding at trees down on Springhill Rd in Mobile. #alwx
Interstate 65 in Mobile is now closed in both directions due to debris. #alwx
Windows blown out of cars, trees down and dumpsters moved at I-65/Airport Blvd in Mobile. #alwx
Debris on Airport Blvd in Mobile. #alwx
Mobile County public schools will be open today. Superintendent says parents should use best judgement. #alwx
Damage to Lowe's on the I-65 service road in Mobile. #alwx
Trees down and windows blown out of homes, on Como Street in Mobile. #alwx #tornado
Damage has occurred at Mobile Regional Airport. #alwx #tornado
Man trapped in house. Frederick Street in Mobile. #alwx #tornado
Debris being reported on I-10 in downtown Mobile. #alwx
Multiple reports of people trapped in Mobile, after possible #tornado. #alwx
Cars flipped by possible #tornado at Mercedes dealership in Mobile, AL.
Very sad to see the damage in the Mobile area. My thoughts are with all that are being affected from this major storm.
I gotta go out in this crap this morning.
Katie bar the door!
DROVE THROUGH THESE AREAS ABOUT 10 MIN BEFOR IT HAPPENED, CRAZY THE ONE DAY I WAKE UP EARLY TO GET TO WORK, IMAGINE IF I WAS 10 MINUNTES LATER
Stay safe Doug and keep your eyes on the sky.
Atlantic Iowa pic.twitter.com/XK3Df9Kf
42k customers w/o power in Omaha metro, 26k around Des Moines; officially 11.8" of snow in Des Moines! #newx #iawx #draco
@SamChampion this morning in Mobile, AL pic.twitter.com/KR4Eihwz
Brad Panovich @wxbrad
Impressive couplet with the supercell near the MS/AL line about 10 min ago
Medical office damage on Dauphin Street... #mobwx, #alwx
Local15tv.com : LIVESTREAM
Looks as if more storms are beginning to break out along the Mississippi again, this will be key in adding to the final snow totals from Northeastern Iowa through Wisconsin.
Expect this to continue to blossom as the low rapidly deepens this afternoon as it drops from 996 to 985 mb in 24 hours.
I go there during February for skiing. :) You guys are going to see some ridiculous snowfall rates before too long as the deformation zone continues to expand. I wouldn't be surprised if you see some +3" per hour rates in many areas. Stay safe, wind is going to be terrible.
Polk County in Iowa reporting 13.1" of snow this AM. Nuts.
NWS Polk County Snowfall total.
There are more you can look through on the link above.
I got 6 inches in 4 hours last january, some places had 3-4 inch/hr snow rates in heavy bands.
Almost 36,000 without power, roads treacherous as snow piles up
Latest Updates on Power Outages:
4:55 a.m. – More than 27,600 MidAmerican Energy customers in the Des Moines area and more than 36,000 across Iowa are without power Thursday morning.
Central Iowa is taking a withering blow from what forecasters said could be the region's most intense winter storm in 16 years. The entire state and much of the Midwest is affected by a blizzard expected to cause widespread whiteout conditions Thursday and drop 10 inches or more of snow by evening.
More on local conditions here.
I think remember that storm and watching the TV with it showing people attempting to drive in it in Atlanta. It's nuts when it snows that hard, if there is little wind, it's dead quite outside when it's occurring and you can't see 30 feet.
Yes. You should be able to see it with a normal backyard telescope.
It was the only time i ever remember snowflakes blowing around, like sand grains, and not always coming down, but going sideways, and up and various directions.
Winds were still only 10-15mph.
Also had the smallest snowflakes i've ever seen, and it was 26-27 degrees, the coldest temperature i remember during a local snow event
Pix taken on Haas Ave in Midtown Mobile - #StormDamage pic.twitter.com/j3Dkyew0
Which is very much a good thing.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
802 AM CST THU DEC 20 2012
ALC099-201430-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0095.000000T0000Z-121220T1430Z/
MONROE AL-
802 AM CST THU DEC 20 2012
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 AM CST FOR MONROE
COUNTY...
AT 800 AM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FRISCO CITY...OR 3 MILES NORTHWEST
OF URIAH...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PETERMAN... URIAH... MONROEVILLE...
MEGARGEL... FRISCO CITY...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST THURSDAY FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.
&&
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
805 AM CST THU DEC 20 2012
MSC039-041-111-131-201445-
/O.CON.KMOB.SV.W.0221.000000T0000Z-121220T1445Z/
STONE MS-PERRY MS-GREENE MS-GEORGE MS-
805 AM CST THU DEC 20 2012
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 845 AM CST
FOR GEORGE...GREENE...SOUTHERN PERRY AND STONE COUNTIES...
AT 800 AM CST...A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60 MPH WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM
17 MILES SOUTH OF WAYNESBORO TO 16 MILES WEST OF WIGGINS...MOVING
EAST AT 50 MPH.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MCLAIN... LEAKESVILLE... BEAUMONT...
WIGGINS... PERKINSTON... MCHENRY...
LUCEDALE...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST THURSDAY FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.
&&
The scene in downtown La Crosse:
A line of severe storms moved through the area overnight, bringing damaging winds and some rain.
Authorities say Dauphin Street at I-65 is closed. Reports say there is debris in the roadway on Springhill Avenue, along with downed power lines. The BP gas station at Union Avenue and Springhill has been severely damaged. A car was flipped onto its top at Mercedes-Benz of Mobile on the I-65 service road.
There is also a report of a natural gas leak near Dauphin and Sage Avenue.
Authorities continue to assess reports of downed trees and power lines in Mobile and Baldwin counties from the line of strong thunderstorms that continues to move eastward through the area.
The Weather Channel reported that damage in Mobile appears to be concentrated in the area between I-65 and I-165. Trees are down in there, as well as unconfirmed reports of damage to cars.
There are also reports of power outages and damage in Prichard, including damage to a Regions Bank there.
A tornado warning was issued in Mobile at approximately 4:11 a.m. Thursday, and continued into the morning. Baldwin County was placed under tornado warning at about 5:45 a.m.
LAZ059>064-066>070-201500-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
806 AM CST THU DEC 20 2012
...LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST AFFECTING UPPER LAFOURCHE
PARISH...UPPER JEFFERSON PARISH...UPPER PLAQUEMINES PARISH...LOWER
LAFOURCHE PARISH...ORLEANS PARISH...UPPER ST. BERNARD PARISH...LOWER
PLAQUEMINES PARISH...ST. CHARLES PARISH...LOWER ST. BERNARD PARISH...
LOWER TERREBONNE PARISH...LOWER JEFFERSON PARISH...
AT 800 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 6 MILES NORTH OF EAST NEW ORLEANS
TO 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAROSE...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...
MARRERO...GRETNA...HARVEY...CUT OFF...TERRYTOWN...TIMBERLANE...
CHALMETTE...JEAN LAFITTE...BARATARIA...BELLE CHASSE...LAFITTE...
GALLIANO...VIOLET...LAKE CATHERINE...GOLDEN MEADOW...MYRTLE GROVE...
YSCLOSKEY...GRAND ISLE CMAN AND POINTE A LA HACHE
THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH...
WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS.
SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE
PASSED.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
$$
Showing trucks stuck.
ALC035-099-201500-
/O.NEW.KMOB.TO.W.0098.121220T1414Z-121220T1500Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
814 AM CST THU DEC 20 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHERN CONECUH COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
MONROE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
* UNTIL 900 AM CST
* AT 810 AM CST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
TORNADO WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FRISCO CITY...OR 3 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF MEGARGEL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
A SECOND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO WAS
LOCATED NEAR MEXIA AND WAS ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PETERMAN... MONROEVILLE... MEGARGEL...
FRISCO CITY... EXCEL... BEATRICE...
REPTON... I65 AND CR 29... I65 AND AL 83...
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 65 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 93 AND 105.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST THURSDAY FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.
&&
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