NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY

JANUARY 205

1st-9th…Rain-fell across California on Monday as another storm dumped
heavy snow in the mountains, eroded beaches and shut down a 40-mile
stretch of the state's major north-south highway. Flooded roads turned
Southern California's morning commute into a white-knuckle obstacle
course, while mountain snow left the peaks above Los Angeles capped
with white. About 2 feet of snow fell in the Tejon Pass north of Los
Angeles, stranding some drivers and shutting down a section of
Interstate 5. It was not clear when the pass would reopen. One man
died in the San Fernando Valley when his car went off a road and
slammed into a palm tree. Another man was killed in Pomona when he
tried to run across the San Bernardino Freeway and was struck by two
vehicles. In Goleta, near Santa Barbara, surging high tides washed
away tons of sand deposited last year as part of a $2 million
beach-preservation project. California has been battered over the past
week by severe storms that caused widespread street flooding. More
storms are expected later in the week. The latest storm swept through
Northern California on Sunday, delaying about half of the flights
arriving at San Francisco International
Airport and intermittently closing two main routes across the Sierra
Nevada. Both were opened Monday morning. Some ski resorts in the Lake
Tahoe area reported as much as 9 feet of snow since late last week.
The storms have been caused by an extensive low pressure system that
edged down from the Gulf of Alaska and remained parked off the Pacific
Northwest coast. The latest front was expected to linger through
Tuesday in Southern California before another system moves over the
state later this week. In Nevada, crews struggled for a fourth day to
clear roads after a powerful storm dumped up to 4 feet of snow in some
areas around Reno. "We're making progress," city spokesman Steve Frady
said, calling it the community's heaviest snowfall in 15 years.
Farther east, an ice storm made travel treacherous and extended the
holiday break for schools in Nebraska.
A large storm Tuesday dumped rain over the Plains, triggered scattered
showers in the Tennessee Valley, and brought ice and snow to Oklahoma
on Tuesday. Rain and mountain snow continued to assail Southern
California and parts of the Southwest. The storm system brought rain
to the southern Plains and Mississippi River Valley, with the heaviest
precipitation in eastern Oklahoma, northwestern Arkansas and southern
Missouri. Ice was severe in northwest Oklahoma; over .50 of an inch
was measured just north of the town of Roll. In the central and
northern Plains, light snow began to increase in parts of Kansas,
Nebraska and South Dakota. The northern Plains and upper Midwest
remained frigid. The continuing western storm dropped heavy rain and
mountain snows across much of southern California, the Great Basin and
the desert Southwest. Parts of New Mexico were doused with rain as
part of the developing Plains' storm.
In the East, a stationary front draped across the Ohio and Tennessee
Valley, is creating freezing rain and heavy rain showers up through
the Northeast on Wednesday. More than just a few places have received
over an inch of rainfall through the day. Indianapolis, Indiana is
reporting 1.81 inches of rain; and East Saint Louis, Illinois has 1.75
inches of rain. Many roadways had to be closed throughout the state of
Ohio due to the heavy rainfall overflowing local creeks. The dividing
line between the rain and freezing rain was very fine; while
Indianapolis, Indiana experienced rain showers all day, just 100 miles
to the north in Huntington, Indiana freezing rain was the name of the
game. In fact, .70 inches of precipitation fell in Huntington,
Indiana; .50 inches of sleet fell on top of .20 inches of freezing
rain. This of course, made for very dangerous driving conditions. In
the central part of the country, a major winter storm is plowing
through the northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley. Everything
from ice to snow to strong thunderstorms affected the region. As much
as .50 to .75 of an inch of ice accumulated in across northern
Illinois and eastern Missouri, which downed many trees and power lines
and kept folks from having to work. Just to the north of the freezing
rain line, widely scattered snow showers blanketed eastern parts of
the northern Plains. In fact, Sioux City, Iowa reported five inches of
new snow; and Geneva, Nebraska received eight inches of new snow.
Heavy rain showers were the main weather feature just to the south of
the freezing rain line. Roadways across southern Missouri were closed
as over an inch of rain fell. Springfield, Missouri has the most rain
for the day with 2.29 inches; and Lake Ozark, Missouri received 1.44
inches of rain. In the West, the same system affecting the central
Plains, also brought snow showers to parts of New Mexico and Colorado.
Light snow showers also fell across a good portion of the Rockies with
only light accumulations reported.

9th-15th…Rain and mountain snow continued Monday in much of
California. Heavy rain and thunderstorms persisted over Southern
California, bringing a threat of flash flooding. Rainfall ranged up to
2 inches. Snow intensified across the Sierra Nevada and in parts of
Utah, Colorado and Idaho, leaving from 2 to 5 inches.
Rain or snow covered major portions of the East and West on Tuesday,
and precipitation was scattered through the middle of the nation. A
low pressure system continued to drop torrential rain and heavy
mountain snow over California, the Great Basin and portions of the
Desert Southwest. Flood warnings and flash flood watches were in
effect throughout Southern California. San Diego received nearly an
inch of rain by midday. Oceanside, just up the coast, reported more
than an inch.
A broad, strong cold front delivered heavy rain and snow to many
central and eastern portions of the country Thursday. Much of the
eastern Plains and Mississippi Valley saw thunderstorms and rain and
snow showers. Much of the heaviest rainfall was in Illinois: Centralia
had 3.03 inches by midday. Scattered rain showers pushed into the Ohio
and Tennessee valleys, and severe thunderstorms developed in portions
of the Tennessee Valley,Mississippi and Alabama. Several areas
reported more than an inch of rain, and heavy winds caused damage in
Cherokee, AL, Laurel, MS and Robinsonville, TN.
In the East, a strong, broad cold front pushed through much of the
Eastern Seaboard and Appalachian region on Friday. Numerous heavy rain
showers and embedded thunderstorms developed along the front, pushing
through eastern portions of the Ohio Valley, eastern portions of the
Tennessee Valley, eastern Southeast states, the Mid-Atlantic and the
Northeast. Several areas of flooding have been reported throughout
Maryland, New York, Virginia and the Southeast. Roofs have been blown
off in Danville, Virginia. Power lines, wires and trees were reported
down in Virginia, southeastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey.
Wind gusts over 60 mph have been reported in Milton, Massachusetts
this morning. Rainfall totals have been heavy so far this morning. The
highest rainfall totals are listed: Erwin, NC 4.40; Winter Haven, FL
3.30; Charlottesville, VA 2.26; Camp Springs, MD 2.17; Pope AFB, NC
1.88; Washington National Airport 1.82; Monroe, NC 1.80; Washington
Dulles Airport 1.79; York, PA 1.79; Keene, NH 1.76; Mount Pocono, PA
1.71; Quantico, VA 1.68; Middletown, PA 1.63; Leesburg, FL 1.55;
Raleigh-Durham, NC 1.55; Southern Pines, NC 1.53
Winston-Salem, NC 1.40; Andover, NJ 1.36; Harrisburg, PA 1.35;
Orangeburg, SC 1.32; Gainesville, FL 1.14.

23rd-31st…Snow showers came to an end across New York and portions of
the
Mid-Atlantic Sunday morning but continued through much of the day in
eastern New England. Snowfall rates in New York and New Jersey were
close to 1 to 2 inches
per hour. Boston and surrounding areas experienced blizzard-like
conditions, with close to 6 inches of snow falling in one hour. Gusty
winds between 50 and 70 mph contributed to whiteout conditions in some
areas. The heaviest snowfall totals were recorded in Massachusetts.
The town of Peabody, just north of Boston, had 29 inches, while most
other locations reported at least 2 feet.
Snow was widely scattered in the East and Upper Midwest on Wednesday,
while both rain and snow spread across parts of California, Nevada and
Arizona. The heaviest snow in the East fell on southern New England,
with total accumulations of 3 to 5 inches reported.
A wintry mix of snow, freezing rain and sleet spread across much of
the East on Saturday, causing dangerous travel conditions from the
Ohio Valley and Appalachians to the northern Mid-Atlantic states. The
weather caused airlines to cancel hundreds of flights, knocked out
power to thousands of customers and shut down sections of every
interstate highway in the metro Atlanta area. Snow accumulations
ranged from a trace to 3 inches. Ice accumulations ranged from a light
glaze to more than half an inch. Showers and thunderstorms developed
in other parts of the South. A few severe storms capable of producing
moderate-size hail popped up in Alabama and Florida.