2016: Wild Weather Year For The U.S. | WeatherBug
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2016: Wild Weather Year For The U.S.

December 20, 2016
By WeatherBug Meteorologists, Chad Merrill and Alexa Maines
The U.S. had wild swings in the weather this year. Crippling snow, extreme floods and record warmth topped headlines for the first half of 2016.

January: Blizzard Cripples East Coast

The fourth largest winter storm since 1900 shut down much of the East Coast not too long after the start of the New Year. More than 20 inches of snow fell on 21 million people in the Northeast by the January 22-24 blizzard conclusion. A state of emergency was declared for 11 states and Washington, D.C. The storm left the East Coast at a standstill with more than 13,000 flights being cancelled. Travel bans were implemented for New York City and Newark, N.J.

The blizzard blew through the record books along Interstate 95. John Fitzgerald Kennedy Airport in New York City was buried under 30.5 inches, breaking the former all-time snowfall record of 26 inches set in 2003. La Guardia Airport in New York City barely surpassed its all-time snowfall record from the January 1996 blizzard by 0.1 inches, ending up with 27.9 inches. Other all-time snowfall records set from this storm included Newark, N.J., with 27.9 inches, Baltimore with 29.2 inches, Harrisburg, Pa., with 30.2 inches and Allentown, Pa., with 31.9 inches.

More than 40 people died in the blizzard and a quarter of a million people were without power in the height of the storm.

February: Record Warmth Invades U.S.

The final month of meteorological winter was a warm one for the U.S. and concluded a record warm season. The average temperature in the U.S. for the second month of the year was 39.5 degrees, making it the seventh warmest on record. Alaska had its warmest February on record. The second month of the year helped push the U.S.’s average winter temperature to 36.8 degrees, making it the warmest winter on record.

NOAA reports temperature-related energy demand for the month was the ninth lowest on record. The warmth in February contributed to lack of snow cover. NOAA indicates snow coverage in the U.S. was 1.05 million square miles, making it the 13th smallest since records began 50 years ago. California had its 14th driest February, seeing only 30 percent of average precipitation.

California’s largest reservoir, the Shasta Dam, saw 2.99 inches of rain, making it the 15th driest February since records began in 1943. While most El Nino winters tend to bring soggy weather to California, the Pacific jet stream shifted a bit farther north than usual this winter, leaving central and southern California drier than usual. 

March: Rain Floods Lower Mississippi Valley

As winter turned into spring, Mother Nature unleashed heavy rain on the Lower Mississippi Valley. So much rain fell that records were shattered and significant flooding occurred. Little Rock, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn., had their wettest March on record with 12.33 inches and 16.20 inches respectively. Louisiana had its second wettest March, Arkansas had its third wettest March while Mississippi had its fourth wettest March since records began in 1895.

Four people were killed and 300 homes in the Mississippi delta were flooded. The Sabine River, which borders Louisiana and Texas, crested at 33.24 feet March 15, flooding more than 400 homes.

April: Deadly Flooding Grips Houston

A large low pressure pushed into the Central U.S. during the middle of the month producing heavy rain in the Houston area. In less than 24 -hours on April 18, up to 15 inches soaked Houston with rain falling at the rate of 4 inches per hour at times. The Houston Hobby Airport got drenched with a record 5.16 inches April 18. Eight people died in the flooding while 1,200 people were rescued from their homes. More than 100,000 people were left without power and damage was estimated at $5 -billion. The flooding resulted in more than 600 flight cancellations and delays.

May: More Downpours Soak Waterlogged Texas

As if eastern Texas didn’t have its share of rain in April, a separate storm system dumped more flooding rain in late May. Houston saw more than 4 inches of rain May 26-27, with a daily rainfall record of 2.64 inches falling May 27. At least six people died in the flooding. The Brazos River crested at a record 54 feet on the last day of the month, demolishing the former record by 3 feet. About 2,600 inmates from two prisons near the Brazos River had to be evacuated due to the rising water. Houston Continental Airport saw almost two feet of rain April into May compared to the average of 8.40 inches for both months combined.

June: Deadly Flooding Socks West Virginia

By June, attention turned from the flooding in the southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley to the Mid-Atlantic. Intense thunderstorms dropped 8 to 10 inches of rain June 23 on southern West Virginia, producing the third deadliest flooding in the state’s history. Twenty-three people died, more than 1,200 homes were destroyed by the rising water and the Elk River reached a record crest of 33.37 feet. Officials had to rescue more than 60 people by boat. To make matters worse, only two percent of residents impacted by the flooding had flood insurance.

As 2016 continued, more flooding, an active hurricane season, drought and an Arctic invasion made headlines for the year’s second half.

July: Flooding Devastates Ellicott City, Md.

Localized heavy rain pushed through the Mid-Atlantic at the end of July, resulting in devastating flooding. On July 30, more than 6 inches of rain swamped the suburban city of Ellicott City, Md., in just a couple of hours. Since Ellicott City is settled in a deep valley, a flash flood devastated the historic downtown area. Two people died and the flooding produced at least $22.4-million dollars in damages. Emergency officials responded to 120 water rescues. Ellicott City was declared a disaster. More than 100 homes were destroyed and more than 170 cars damaged from the flooding.

August: Heavy Rain Floods Louisiana

A stationary storm system caused relentless rain to fall over southern Louisiana the week of August 8. Up to 30 inches of rain walloped Baton Rouge within just a few days. The Red Cross said this was the worst disaster to hit the United States since Hurricane Sandy. Thirteen people died and the flooding produced more than $10-billion in damages. More than 60,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and the entire state was put under a declaration of emergency. Not to be outdone, 20,000 people and more than 1,000 pets had to be rescued from the high water.

September: Hurricane Hermine Wreaks Havoc on Florida

What started as a tame hurricane season quickly ramped up in September. Hurricane Hermine formed in the Gulf of Mexico on August 28, and made landfall on the Florida Panhandle September 2. It was the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Category 1 Hermine wreaked havoc on the Southeast during Labor Day Weekend, creating many vacation and travel problems. The Dominican Republic and Cuba saw the worst of Hermine, with up to 5 inches of rain falling in one day.

The storm damaged 200 homes in the Dominican Republic before producing $800-million in damage in the U.S. The storm left more than a quarter of a million people in the dark along Florida’s Gulf Coast and two people in Florida died as a result of the storm.

October: Hurricane Matthew Punishes East Coast

Deadly  Hurricane Matthew formed in the Atlantic September 27 and rapidly intensified as it passed through the warm Caribbean. In just 24-hours from early afternoon Thursday, September 29 to early Friday afternoon, September 30, Matthew intensified from a Category 1 hurricane to a major Category 3 hurricane, with winds increasing from 75 mph to 120 mph. After wreaking havoc on Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, Matthew made a beeline for the Florida’s Atlantic Coast, where it brought strong storm surge, intense wind gusts and torrential rain to the Southeast Coast. Matthew finally made landfall on October 8 in McClellanville, S.C., and quickly dissipated as it swept out to sea.

The storm produced more than $6-billion in damages in the U.S. and left more than one million people without power. Emergency officials responded to more than 880 flood rescues in North Carolina. Matthew put a big wrinkle in the U.S. transportation system, with more than 3,500 flights cancelled. In total, Matthew was responsible for more than 49 deaths in the Southeast.
 
November: Southeast Drought Helps Ignite Big Wildfires

The second largest number of wildfires ever recorded in the U.S. occurred in November. A total of 8,560 wildfires burned more than 275,000 acres. One of those wildfires, fueled by the intense Southeast drought, burned 17, 860 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains. Strong winds ahead of a storm system allowed the fire to grow out of control and sweep through Gatlinburg, Tenn. More than 100 people were hurt, 14 people died and more than 1,400 buildings were damaged or destroyed during the November 28 event. Mother Nature finally came to the rescue and produced more than 4 inches of rain less than 24-hours after the deadly wildfire, helping to squelch the flames.

December: Arctic Outbreak Chills Northern Tier

The U.S. quickly jumped into meteorological winter head first. Multiple Arctic plunges produced several daily cold weather records in December. Denver’s record low for December 17 of minus-13 degrees was shattered by two degrees. Denver’s high temperature of 3 degrees that same day blew away the former coldest high temperature for December 17 of 7 degrees set in 1884.

Several Montana cities also felt the Arctic chill. Belgrade Field, Dunkirt, Ennis and Valentine all set new cold high temperature records, staying at least 31 degrees below zero for a high temperature.

The cold weather helped unleash a snowy month across the northern tier. On December 5, Chicago got slammed with 6.4 inches of snow, breaking the former daily snow record of 5.1 inches set just 6 years ago. The Twin Cities just clinched the daily snow record December 10 by getting coated with 2 inches. The former record of 1.8 inches set December 10, 2013 was therefore wiped off the board.

2016 Recap

Even so, 2016 will likely end up as one of the top 5 warmest years on record. Through the end of November, the U.S.’s average temperature was just 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit shy of the warmest year on record (2012). Alaska, Georgia, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina and Virginia all had their warmest year so far.

While precipitation was 1.37 inches above average in the U.S., most of this occurred in the northern tier. Wisconsin had its second wettest year-to-date, Minnesota its third wettest and Washington its eighth wettest year so far. On the contrary, Georgia, Connecticut and Massachusetts ranked in the top 10 for driest years on record.
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Story Image: Left: The aftermath of the January blizzard is seen in Newark, N.J. (WeatherBug User Piotr) Right: A car is seen crushed by a tree during Hurricane Matthew in Norfolk, Va. (WeatherBug User L. Winfrey)