The Nations Weather

NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY:

In the East, showers and thunderstorms pounded Florida and the Gulf Coast once again in association with a stationary front in the area. Moderate to heavy rain continued to drench the region, with generally up to 3 inches of rainfall reported. Small hail also fell across Georgia and Florida, with strong wind gusts up to 60 mph doing minor damage as well. To the north, scattered showers and storms hit portions of the Tennessee Valley and southern Mid Atlantic states. Strong to severe storms left a wake of downed trees across eastern Tennessee as gusty winds blew through the area. In Cliffside, North Carolina, lightning struck and injured five construction workers at the Duke Energy Cliffside Steam Station. Lifeguards at Carolina Beach in North Carolina also reported a brief waterspout. Rainfall amounts of generally 1 to 2 inches fell across the region, with a few roads throughout the Carolinas and Virginia flooded and impassable.

Across the central United States, a series of shower and thunderstorm clusters tracked through the Dakotas, northeastern Nebraska, Iowa, and southwestern Minnesota. Winds gusted as high as 74 mph in Yankton, South Dakota and golf ball sized hail there shattered windows and downed tree branches. In Nebraska, damaging wind gusts estimated at 70 mph destroyed a farm building, tennis ball size hail smashed a spotters windshield, and hail and strong winds left a swath of extensive crop damage. Large hail, up 4 inches in diameter, fell from the sky in Sheldon, Iowa, and strong wind gusts laid down corn for a brief period of time near Lake Park, Iowa. Rainfall amounts in excess of 3 inches soaked the region, with Wynot, Nebraska receiving 3.55 inches of rainfall. To the south, showers and storms tracked through Kansas and Oklahoma, while a stationary front brought shower and storm activity to Louisiana. Several trailers were damaged just south of Houma, Louisiana as storms rolled through the area. Record cold and high maximum temperatures were also reached across the central portion of the country. In the Mid Mississippi Valley, Dubuque, Iowa struggled to reach 66 degrees, breaking the old record of 72 degrees and Moline, Illinois topped out at 68 degrees. Across the Southern Plains, Borger, Texas soared to 109 degrees, breaking the previous record of 103 degrees and Wichita Falls tied the record high of 109 degrees.

In the West, isolated to scattered showers and storms were found throughout the Pacific Northwest, Intermountain West, and the Rockies. Eastern Wyoming was hit with severe weather, with golf ball size hail and wind gusts up to 70 mph reported. A downburst also produced a wind gust of 61 mph at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. Record low minimum temperatures were also established throughout the Western United States. Seattle, Washington tied the record of 53 degrees, Challis, Idaho bottomed out at 38 degrees, breaking the old record of 40 degrees, and Stanley, Idaho hit a record low of 26 degrees, which was also the coolest reading of the day.

WEATHER EXTREMES FOR YESTERDAY:

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)............116 Death Valley, CA

HIGHEST HEAT INDEX (DEGREES F).............116 Death Valley, CA

.............................................. Alice, TX

LOWEST TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)..............26 Stanley, ID

LOWEST WIND CHILL (DEGREES F)...............26 Stanley, ID

HIGHEST WIND GUST (MPH).....................74 Yankton, SD

HIGHEST PRECIPITATION (INCHES)............3.55 Wynot, NE

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY:

In 1913, the high temperature at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, California reached 134 degrees, the hottest reading of record for the United States as well as North America.

In 1926, lightning struck an ammunition magazine at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Lake Denmark, New Jersey, triggering a series of explosions. All the buildings within a half mile radius were destroyed and debris fell as far as 25 miles away. A total of 16 people were killed, with $70 million worth of damage.

In 2005, Hurricane Dennis made landfall near Pensacola, Florida as a category 3 storm. There were nine hurricane-related fatalities and 1 to $1.5 billion worth of property damage.

DTN/Meteorlogix: A Thell

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