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Storm History
retelling the history
[Image: satellite image of superstorm '93 (63K)]
Surface Products:
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Satellite Images:
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On March 12, 1993, a newly formed
cyclone
moved into a low level baroclinic
zone already in place over the Gulf of Mexico and began to rapidly
intensify. The deepening cyclone turned northeastward
(Fig 1.1) and the
center of low pressure
made landfall (Fig 1.2)
in northwestern Florida
during the early hours of March 13. An intense squall line
(Fig 1.3)
preceding a rapidly moving
cold front
raced across Florida with torrential
downpours, wind gusts in excess of 40 m/s,
3-4 meter storm surges and 11 confirmed tornado touchdowns
(Radar Loop (QT-800K)).
Recorded Wind Gusts
Mount Washington, NH Franklin County, FL
Dry Tortugas, FL Flattop Mountain, NC |
mph
144 110 109 101 |
m/s
64.4 49.1 48.7 45.2
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Selected text from:
Kocin et al. (1995)
Also by this time, widespread moderate to heavy snows extended from
Alabama to New York (Fig 1.4),
virtually paralyzing the eastern third of the country.
An intense pressure
gradient developed from the rapidly dropping central
pressure (Fig 1.5),
resulting in strong winds up and down the East Coast.
Record Sea Level Pressures
White Plains, NY
Philadelphia, PA
New York, (JFK)
Dover, DE |
Inches
28.28 28.43 28.43 28.45 |
mb
961.1 962.4 962.4 963.0 |
Selected text from:
Kocin et al. (1995)
Fierce winds coupled with the heavy snow resulted in the cancellation of
25% of the nation's flights on Saturday and Sunday, interstates were
impassable and millions were without power at one point in time
or another during the passage of the storm.
Recorded Snowfall Totals
Mt. Mitchell, NC Grantsville, MD Snowshoe, WV
Syracuse, NY |
Inches
50 47 44 43 |
cm
128.0 120.3 112.6 110.1 |
Selected text from: NDSR (1995)
More than a foot of snow
fell from Alabama into Maine, combined with record cold
in the storm's aftermath. Seventy record lows were set on
March 14, with an additional 75 that following morning.
Record Low Temperatures
Burlington, VT Mount LeConte, TN Asheville, NC
Birmingham, AL |
F -12 -10 2 2 |
C -24.4 -23.3 -16.7 -16.7 |
Selected text from:
Kocin et al. (1995)
When all was said and done, 270 people were dead and total property
damage estimates exceeded $3 billion. According to the
National Disaster Survey Report (NDSR 1994),
twenty-six states were affected, impacting the lives
of nearly 100 million people, approximately half the nation's population
(Satellite Loop (QT-6M)).
For the classroom, online curriculum
is available.
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