NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY

SEPTEMBER 2005

4th-9th...In the East, Tropical Storm Ophelia continued to push
northward across the Florida Atlantic coast, generating scattered
showers and thunderstorms, gusty winds, and destructive storm surges
across the northeastern coast of Florida on Friday. The coasts of
Georgia and South Carolina began to feel the effects of Ophelia today,
reporting cloud cover, gusty winds, and bigger storm surges than
yesterday. Rainfall across Florida has remained less than a third of an
inch so far this afternoon. Daytona Beach, Florida reported the highest
rainfall total across the state, with 1.23 inches. In the mid-section
of the United States, scattered showers and thunderstorms developed
across the northern Plains and upper Mississippi Valley region this
afternoon ahead of an organizing low pressure system. Many storms
across far eastern North Dakota have been severe this afternoon,
reporting penny and nickel sized hail, as well as flash flooding.
Rainfall totals have remained under a quarter of an inch. Corpus
Christi, Texas reported the highest rainfall total so far today, with
1.49 inches. In the West, a deep trough of low pressure continues to
dig into the Intermountain West and Rocky Mountains. Scattered showers
and thunderstorms developed across the northern, central, and southern
Rockies, the Great Basin, the Pacific Northwest, and northern
California as a result of low pressure moving across the region. Some
of the thunderstorms across the central Rockies, especially Utah and
western Colorado, became severe during the afternoon. Hail the size of
nickels fell east of Green River, Utah, and ping-pong ball size hail
was observed at Goblin Valley, Utah.

11th-17th...In the East, Tropical Storm Ophelia continued to inch
toward the Mid-Atlantic region, allowing for some cloudy skies, gusty
winds, and light rain showers right along the coastline of the
Carolinas. Wind gusts of 38 mph were recorded in Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina, and to 32 mph in Cherry Point, North Carolina. In the Center
of the country, a strong cold front continued to bring numerous rain
showers and thunderstorms to the northern Plains and the Upper
Mississippi Valley. A few of these storms were severe with frequent
lightning, gusty winds, large hail, isolated tornadoes, and heavy
downpours. Most of these storms developed during the early morning
hours, and then lasted well into the evening. One thunderstorm in Ord,
Nebraska dropped golf ball size hail and produced a brief tornado.
Tennis ball size hail also pounded Erwin, South Dakota, and quarter
size hail was reported in Lake Norden, South Dakota and Ellis, Kansas.
However, the main concern was the heavy rainfall of over an inch in
many locations. A moist and unstable airmass remained in place over the
southern Plains, producing scattered showers and thunderstorms across
eastern and southern Texas. In the West, a strong upper-level
disturbance pushed into the Rocky Mountain region and the High Plains,
producing gusty winds, rain showers and thunderstorms, and high
elevation snow showers. Snow showers fell across northern Wyoming above
8000 feet with 2 to 4 inches of new snow in some areas. Showers and
thunderstorms developed across the rest of the region. Gusty winds also
ripped through Wyoming and Colorado. Winds were sustained out of the
west at 20 to 30 miles-per-hour with gusts of near 50 mph at times.
Hurricane Ophelia lashed the North Carolina coast with high winds and
heavy rains Wednesday, beginning an anticipated two-day assault that
threatened serious flooding. As it brushed the coast, Ophelia ripped
away one barrier island street and chased emergency personnel to
shelter. The storm had sustained wind of 85 mph Wednesday afternoon,
according to the National Hurricane Center.
Ophelia was moving northeastward at just 7 mph after following a
looping, meandering course along the coast since it formed off Florida.
Authorities expected the storm's passage across North Carolina to take
some 48 hours from the start of rainfall on the southeastern coast
Tuesday afternoon to the storm's anticipated exit off the Outer Banks
and back into the Atlantic late Thursday.
By mid-afternoon Wednesday, about 12 inches of rain had fallen on Oak
Island at
the mouth of the Cape Fear River, said meteorologist Jeff Orrock with
the
National Weather Service in Raleigh. Wind gusts reaching 84 mph
prompted Carolina Beach to pull emergency personnel off the roads, town
spokeswoman Valita Quattlebaum said. On Ocean Isle Beach, a 50-foot
section of beachfront road was washed out by heavy surf and the only
bridge to the barrier island was closed. Police had evacuated to an
off-island safe house on Tuesday. At 5 p.m. EDT, Ophelia's large eye
was centered about 40 miles east of Wilmington and about 50 miles
southwest of Cape Lookout on the Outer Banks. Hurricane-force wind of
at least 74 mph extended 50 miles out from the center and forecasters
said some strengthening was possible.

18th-24th...There were two unconfirmed reports of tornado touchdowns on
Wednesday evening as a severe thunderstorm pushed through parts of
central and east-central Minnesota, pelting the area with hail and
knocking down trees in
its path. The storm included straight-line winds with gusts up to 70
mph. There were two reports of tornado touchdowns: a trained weather
spotter reported a touchdown in A****er at 6:15 p.m., and a member of
the public reported a tornado touchdown in Brooklyn Park about an hour
later. Neither reports could be verified until a damage survey could be
completed, said Beau Gjerdingen, of the
National Weather Service. There were also numerous reports of funnel
clouds throughout the metro area and surrounding suburbs. Early reports
of damage showed downed trees and power lines and hail damage in
several areas, including Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove. Power outages
also were reported in Albertville, Maple Grove and Rogers. Xcel Energy
reported about 56,000 customers were without power in the west area of
the Twin Cities, and about 11,000 customers had no power in the
east-metro area.

25th-30th...The remnants of Tropical Depression Rita moved north Sunday
into the
Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio valleys with flooding rains and severe
thunderstorms. Downpours caused flooding across much of west and
central Mississippi, with 3 feet of water in some low-lying areas.
Gusts nearing 60 mph were recorded in the state and downed trees were
reported in Port Gibson. Downed trees and power lines also were
reported in the Memphis, TN, area and flash floods soaked much of
western Tennessee. Eastern Louisiana and western Arkansas also
experienced strong storms and gusty winds from Rita's remnants. Farther
north, showers and thunderstorms formed from Minnesota to central New
York.
In the EAST, scattered showers and thunderstorms occurred across South
Carolina, Georgia, and Florida in association with an upper-level
disturbance over the area on Wednesday. Rainfall totals generally
ranged from a quarter inch to 1.50 inches, although some higher amounts
were reported in Florida. One severe storm dropped half-dollar sized
hail on Moore Haven, Florida this afternoon. Meanwhile, rain ahead of a
cold front began to push into the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes Region.
In the Central United States, a strong cold front plowed southeastward
across the Upper Midwest, Mississippi Valley, and central Plains. Ahead
of the front, widespread rain occurred from the Upper Peninsula of
Michigan southward through northern Missouri. This front also produced
thunderstorms over southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, and eastern
Oklahoma this afternoon. Some of these storms became severe. Wind gusts
of 65 mph were experienced in Everton, Missouri, which tore thick
branches off of trees. Meanwhile, behind the cold front, gusty winds
occurred throughout the central Plains. Wind gusts of 30 to 45 mph were
common across Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska.

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