MARCH 1997 VOLUME 39 NUMBER 3 STORM DATA

[Pages:122]MARCH 1997 VOLUME 39 NUMBER 3

STORM DATA

AND UNUSUAL WEATHER PHENOMENA WITH LATE REPORTS AND CORRECTIONS

noaa NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE DATA, AND INFORMATION SERVICE

NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER ASHEVILLE, N.C.

Cover: The remnants of a building which once stood in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. An F4 tornado moved directly through the town about 2:21 PM on March 1, 1997. The tornadoes in Arkansas left 25 people dead and injured another 400. More than 13.000 structures were damaged with more than 1,000 destroyed. (Photo courtesy of Tim Hogan, Arkadelphia, AR)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Outstanding Storms of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Additions/Corrections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N/A Reference Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

STORM DATA (ISSN 0039-1972) National Climatic Data Center Editor: Stephen Del Greco Assistant Editor: Stuart Hinson

STORM DATA is prepared, funded, and distributed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Outstanding Storms of the Month section is prepared by the Data Operations Branch of the National Climatic Data Center.

The Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena narratives and Hurricane/Tropical Storm summaries are prepared by the National Weather Service. Monthly and annual statistics and summaries of tornado and lightning events resulting in deaths, injuries, and damage are compiled by cooperative efforts between the National Climatic Data Center and the Storm Prediction Center.

STORM DATA contains all confirmed information on storms available to our staff at the time of publication. However, due to difficulties inherent in the collection of this type of data, it is not all-inclusive. Late reports and corrections are printed in each edition.

Maps of the National Weather Service County Warning Areas which are used in the Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena section will be printed in all editions.

Except for limited editing to correct grammatical errors, materials submitted are generally published as received.

Subscription, pricing, and ordering information is available from:

National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue

Asheville, NC 28801-5001 (704) 271-4800 or (704) CLIMATE

The editor of STORM DATA solicits your help in acquiring photographs (prints or slides; black and white, or color), maps, clippings, etc. of significant or unusual weather events (past or present). These could be for use in the "Outstanding Storms of the Month'' or "Et Cetera'' sections of STORM DATA. We request our subscribers or other interested persons to mail such items to:

Stuart Hinson National Climatic Data Center

151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001

Any such items received by the editor will be for use in STORM DATA only. Any other use will be with the permission of the owner of said items. Materials submitted will be returned if requested in the original submission.

"I certify that this is an official publication of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is compiled from information received at the National Climatic Data Center Asheville, North Carolina 28801-2733."

Kenneth D. Davidson Acting Director, National Climatic Data Center

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M arch 1997 C onfirm ed Tornadoes

4

F Scale F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total Number 30 25 25 16 7 0 103

F Scale

F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5

OUTSTANDING STORMS OF THE MONTH

1. CENTRAL ARKANSAS DAMAGED BY TORNADOES

A severe weather outbreak on March 1 spawned numerous tornadoes in central Arkansas, leaving 25 people dead and another 400 injured. A strong cold front moved southeast from the central plains where it clashed with a warm, moist airmass moving north from the Gulf of Mexico. Surface air temperatures ahead of the front were in the mid 70's while temperatures behind the front were between 30 and 50 degrees. Surface dewpoint temperatures were in the low 70's ahead of the front and in the 40's behind the front. Doppler radar indicated cloud tops as high as 50,000 feet. A tornado warning was issued by the National Weather Service at 1:45 PM LST, 22 minutes before an F4 tornado (wind speed 207 - 260 mph) tornado touched down in Nevada County. This tornado moved into Clark County and continued northeast toward Arkadelphia causing heavy damage and five deaths as it moved through the center of town. Another F4 tornado touched down at 3:25 LST in Saline County and passed just south of Little Rock. The Shannnon Hills and Vimy Ridge sections were heavily damaged with 10 deaths, mostly in mobile homes or prefabricated housing. A total of 13,485 residential and commercial structures were damaged, including much of Arkadelphia.

Left:

An aerial view of Arkadelphia indicating the extent of damage incurred by the F4 tornado. More than 1,000 homes and businesses were severely damaged or destroyed.

(Photo courtesy of the City of Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Arkadelphia, AR)

Right: A view of a home in the outskirts of Arkadelphia. This home has only one wall remaining and most of its contents are scattered around the neighborhood. Scenes similar to this were common throughout the Arkadelphia area.

(Photo courtesy of Kenny Barnes, Arkadelphia, AR)

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Right: A carport was blown into this tree behind the City of Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce Building. It will take months for the city of Arkadelphia to complete its cleanup and rebuilding process.

(Photo courtesy of Kenny Barnes, Arkadelphia, AR)

Right: Many mobile homes and frame houses did not survive the tornadic winds. Large trees were snapped off a few feet from the ground as the tornado moved through Arkadelphia

(Photo courtesy of Bob Coats, Arkadelphia, AR)

Left:

President Bill Clinton visited his home state shortly after the tornado destroyed much of Arkadelphia. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared many counties in central Arkansas a disaster area. National Guard troops were deployed to provide help in securing the city.

(Photo courtesy of Kenny Barnes, Arkadelphia, AR)

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2. SEVERE FLOODING IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY

The same storm system that spawned the tornadoes in Arkansas moved into the Ohio valley late on March 1 and caused up to 12 inches of rainfall at some locations in the Ohio Valley. There was severe flash flooding along the Ohio River and many of its tributaries in northern Kentucky and southern Ohio. Some selected rainfall totals (March 1-2) for the area include: Lexington, KY - 7.00", Louisville, KY - 7.41", Williamstown, KY - 12.00", Belton, KY - 9.25". The severe flooding event caused 30 deaths including 16 in Kentucky, 5 in Ohio, 3 each in west Virginia and Tennessee, 2 in Missouri and 1 in Indiana. Most of these deaths were caused by drivers attempting to drive across a water covered roadway and being drowned when their vehicle was swept downstream by swift moving water. Thousands of homes were evacuated and property damage was significant. Total damage to commercial and private property has been estimated near $1 Billion.

Left:

This house in Falmouth, KY along the Licking River was pushed from its foundation by the strong force of the moving water.

(Photo courtesy of Stephen Wilkinson and Julie Dian, NWS, Wilmington, OH)

Right: An aerial photograph of the swollen Ohio River at Richmond, OH. Many towns along the Ohio river and its tributaries were heavily damaged.

(Photo courtesy of Stephen Wilkinson and Julie Dian, NWS, Wilmington, OH)

Left:

Downtown Sheppardsville, KY (Bullitt County) after the Salt River flood waters had partially receded. The water crested at the Gifts sign in the left-center background of the photograph.

(Photo courtesy of Michael Koch, Meteorologist, NWS, Louisville, KY)

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Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena

Location

Time

Local/ Date Standard

Path Length

(Miles)

Path Width

(Yards)

Number of Persons

Killed Injured

Estimated Damage

Property Crops

March 1997

Character of Storm

ALABAMA, North Central

ALZ002-006-019023>024-044

Colbert - Madison - Calhoun - Tuscaloosa - Jefferson - Montgomery

01 1200CST

0

0

0

0 Excessive Heat

1800CST

Record heat affected much of the northern two-thirds of Alabama. The following record highs were reported:

Montgomery 82

Birmingham 82

Anniston 82

Huntsville 80

Muscle Shoals 82

Tuscaloosa 83

Marion County

Hamilton

03 0010CST

0

0

A few trees were reported down just west of Hamilton.

5K

0 Thunderstorm Wind (G50)

Franklin County

Hodges

03 0017CST

0

0

3K

0 Hail (0.75)

Three-quarter inch hail was reported between Hodges and Vina in western Franklin County.

Marion County

Winfield

Franklin County

Russellville

03 0031CST

0

0

Dime size hail was reported in Winfield in southern Marion County.

3K

0 Hail (0.75)

03 0039CST

0

0

6K

0 Thunderstorm Wind (G57)

A wind gust to 65 mph was reported by storm spotters along with trees down in Russellville.

Winston County

Haleyville

03 0100CST

0

0

Trees and power lines were downed in Haleyville.

Lawrence County

Moulton

03 0132CST

0

0

A wind gust to 60 mph was reported by storm spotters.

Colbert County

Sheffield

05 1210CST

0

0

Trees fell on a car in Sheffield, totally destroying the car.

5K

0 Thunderstorm Wind (G50)

0

0 Thunderstorm Wind (G52)

10K

0 Thunderstorm Wind (G50)

Franklin County

Phil Campbell

Franklin County

Russellville

Lawrence County

Mt Hope

05 1300CST

0

0

5K

0

Several large trees were blown down in Phil Campbell in the southeast part of the county.

Thunderstorm Wind (G50)

05 1315CST

0

0

15K

2K Thunderstorm Wind (G52)

Several trees were blown onto houses and cars and a garage door was ripped off one house. Roofs were blown off several chicken

houses. One chicken house was totally destroyed.

05 1325CST

0

0

3K

A gust to 60 mph was reported in Mt. Hope in western Lawrence County.

0

Thunderstorm Wind (G52)

Marion County

2 SW Haleyville

Limestone County

3 NE Decatur

05 1325CST

0

0

10K

0

Thunderstorm Wind (G50)

The EMA reported roofs were blown off two house and that two chicken houses were damaged near the intersection of highway

129 and 76 in the extreme eastern part of the county.

05 1330CST

0

0

6K

0

A tree and a power pole were blown down in Bell Mina causing a transformer to explode.

Thunderstorm Wind (G50)

Winston County

Haleyville

Morgan County

Trinity

Madison County

Huntsville

05 1330CST

0

0

8K

0

Thunderstorm Wind (G50)

Structural damage was reported to a house in Haleyville and a couple of trees were blown down.

05 1340CST

0

0

4K

0

Thunderstorm Wind (G50)

Trees were blown down in Trinity in the northwest part of the county.

05 1350CST

0

0

0

0

Funnel Cloud

A funnel cloud was reported by several sources.

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