April 2007 Nor'easter

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Spring Nor'easter of 2007
'
Storm type: Nor'easter
Formed: April 14, 2007
Dissipated: April 17, 2007
Maximum
amount1:		 23.0 inches (58.42 centimeters)
Lowest
pressure:		 969 mbar (hPa)[1]
Damages: over 2 million [2]
Fatalities: at least 18
Areas affected: East Coast of the United States, eastern Canada

1Maximum snowfall or ice accretion

The April or Spring Nor’easter of 2007 was a nor'easter that affected mainly the eastern parts of North America during its four day course April 14 to April 17, 2007. The combined effects of high winds, heavy rainfall, and high tides led to flooding, storm damages, power outages, and evacuations, and disrupted traffic and commerce. In the north, heavy wet snow caused the loss of power for several thousands of homes in Ontario and Quebec. The storm caused at least 18 fatalities.

Contents

[edit] Meteorological synopsis

The storm that would become the April 2007 Nor'easter started in the southwestern United States as an upper-level disturbance in the jetstream, on April 13.[1] It brought high wind and fire danger to California, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona. The storm then moved out into the southern Plains States, bringing heavy snow to Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas. Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms, with hail, wind, and tornadoes, affected parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas. The storm then moved across the Mid-Atlantic States, and into the Atlantic Ocean, following the East Coast. The storm then rapidly intensified into a major nor'easter, with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The storm stalled just offshore from New York City and continued to strengthen. The lowest barometric pressure recorded was 968 millibars (28.58 in Hg), equivalent to that of a moderate category 2 hurricane.[1]

[edit] Impact

Water levels of the Pompton River, New Jersey by April 16, 2007
Water levels of the Pompton River, New Jersey by April 16, 2007

The National Weather Service reported 7.57 inches (192 mm) of rain in Central Park by midnight of April 15, the second heaviest rainfall in 24 hours on record, and indicated that this storm caused the worst flooding since Hurricane Floyd in 1999.[3] Major airports in the New York area resumed flights on April 16, after having had to cancel over 500 flights before. Local rail and transit lines reported delays and cancellations affecting the MTA, NJ Transit, LIRR, Metro-North Railroad. Power failures affected several thousand people.[3]

On April 16, 2007, the storm caused sustained winds of nearly 100 mph (87 knots) on, and near New Hampshire's Mount Washington, with gusts topping out at 156 mph (136 knots).[4]

Nor'easter April 16, 2007
Nor'easter April 16, 2007

While areas closer to the shore received heavy rainfall, higher regions inland received unseasonal snow.[5] Several towns suffered from flooding including Mamaroneck in New York, and Bound Brook and Manville in New Jersey, while coastal towns had to deal with damage from high tides. Most major highways in Westchester County, New York were closed on April 15 and April 16 due to extreme flooding. In Quebec, several regions including the Laurentians and the Charlevoix regions received in excess of 6 inches (15 cm) of snow with areas exceeding well above 1 foot (30 cm) of snow. In the city of Ottawa, 17 cm (5 in) of heavy wet snow fell in just a few hours causing power lines and trees to fall down causing scattered blackouts in several parts of the city.[6] Similar damage was reported in the higher elevations north of Montreal and Ottawa.

In total, more than 175,000 homes in Canada suffered a power outage, including 160,000 Hydro-Québec customers mainly in areas from Gatineau towards Quebec City including Montreal, Lanaudière and the Laurentians with an additional 15,000 Hydro One and Hydro Ottawa customers.[7] In the US over a quarter million homes lost power with New York and Pennsylvania being the hardest hit states due to the strong winds.

Governor Eliot Spitzer of New York activated 3,200 members of the National Guard on alert. Richard Codey, acting governor of New Jersey, declared a state of emergency.[8]

Downtown Bound Brook, New Jersey, April 16, 2007
Downtown Bound Brook, New Jersey, April 16, 2007

The storm was blamed for several fatalities, including one person in a tornado in South Carolina, two people in storm-related traffic accidents in New York and Connecticut,[9] two people in West Virginia, three people in New Jersey,[10] and prior to its arrival in the East, five deaths in Kansas and Texas.[3] In Quebec, an accident between a van and a tractor trailer killed five occupants of the van in a highway north of Montreal.[11] Numerous other accidents were reported by OPP and the Sûreté du Québec during the storm.

Rainfall map
Rainfall map

The Boston Marathon took place in what many considered to be the worst weather in its 110 year history. Race officials held serious talks about whether or not to cancel the race.[12] The men's race had the slowest winning time in thirty years (1977). In the women's race, "[t]he rainy and windy conditions led to the slowest winning time since 1985".[13]

High winds during the storm prevented emergency medical services from using helicopters for evacuation of the injured at the Virginia Tech massacre.[14]

The Internal Revenue Service delayed by two days the deadline for tax filing for victims of the nor'easter.[15]

While filing for federal disaster relief, acting governor Codey of New Jersey indicated that the storm caused $180 million in property damage in New Jersey, making it the second-worst rain storm in its history, after Hurricane Floyd.[10]

[edit] Tornado table

Confirmed
Total		 Confirmed
EF0		 Confirmed
EF1		 Confirmed
EF2		 Confirmed
EF3		 Confirmed
EF4		 Confirmed
EF5
36 15 16 4 1 0 0

[edit] Confirmed tornadoes

[edit] April 13 event

F# Location County Time (UTC) Path length Damage
Texas
EF0 NE of Rule Haskell 1845 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 Weak tornado producing no damage
EF0 S of Seymour Baylor 1938 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 Large tornado (1/2 mile wide) over rural areas producing no structural damage.
EF0 S of Benbrook Tarrant 2255 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 Damage to trees, fences and signs as well as the facade of a business
EF1 NE of Fort Worth Tarrant 2309 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 1 death - Several commercial buildings, homes, a grocery store and two churches were damaged with some recreational vehicules and trailers being destroyed.
EF0 NE of Dallas Dallas 0000 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 Damage to roof of apartments, trees and fences
EF0 S of Royse City Rockwall 0045 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 Two barns were destroyed and fences were downed
EF0 SW of Greenville Hunt 0053 unknown Damage limited to trees
Source: NCDC Storm Data

[edit] April 14 event

F# Location County Time (UTC) Path length Damage
Mississippi
EF0 N of Pinebur Marion 1510 unknown Damage limited to trees
EF0 SE of Oak Bowery Jones 1535 unknown Brief tornado touchdown with no damage
EF1 SE of Petal Forrest 1641 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 One home had significant damage with the carport being destroyed and other damage to sidings, roof and windows. Trees were snapped or uprooted and a power pole also snapped
Alabama
EF1 Vredenburgh area Monroe 1833 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 Two churches were damage and a old home was pushed from its blocks. A microburst in the area preceded the tornado.
EF0 NW of Saville Crenshaw 2100 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 Damage to a poultry farm, three farm buildings and three other buildings
EF1 NW of Castleberry Conecuh 2212 unknown One residence was damage and trees were blown down
EF1 Tanyard area Bullock 2311 3 miles
(4.8 km)		 One barn was destroyed and several homes had minor roof damage. Trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF1 N of Ozark Dale 0005 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 A carport, two sheds, a barn and a greenhouse were destroyed. Some homes sustained some damage. A residential gable collapsed and numerous were snapped or blown down.
Georgia
EF0 N of Morgan Calhoun 0145 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 One structure was damaged and trees were knocked down
EF1 NW of Leesburg Lee 0230 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 Fifteen structures were damaged including a mobile home and a frame home being destroyed. Trees and power lines were downed.
EF1 Eastman area Dodge 0523 4 miles
(6.4 km)		 A greenhouse, an announcers booth at a football field and two mobile homes were destroyed. One home was destroyed by a fallen tree injuring both occupants. Trees and power lines were downed some on homes.
EF2 S of Dublin Laurens 0545 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 Two mobile homes and greenhouse were destroyed while several mobile homes and homes were damaged. 3 people were injured.
EF0 NE of Cedar Grove Laurens 0550 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 Outbuildings and trees were damaged
EF1 SE of Orland to NW of Norristown Junction Treutlen, Emanuel, Johnson 0604 14 miles
(22.4 km)		 One mobile home was rolled over and a utility building lost portions of its roof. About a dozen homes in Adrian were damaged. Two homes at a campground were also damaged due to fallen trees. In Orianna homes were damaged some heavily and two outbuildings were destroyed. A mobile home was also destroyed in Emanuel County near the end of the path.
EF1 SE of Dublin to SW of Kite Laurens, Johnson 0605 19 miles
(30.4 km)		 Outbuildings were destroyed. Several homes had minor to moderate damage while a church and family life center were also damaged.
EF2 E of Twin City Emanuel 0656 5 miles
(8 km)		 Outbuildings were destroyed while a mobile home and two homes were heavily damaged.
EF1 S of Warwick to NE of Arabi Worth, Crisp 0723 15 miles
(24 km)		 A home and several silos were damaged while trees and power lines were downed. A mobile home was also pushed off its foundation while a car was thrown into a guard rail on Interstate 75
Source: NCDC Storm Data

[edit] April 15 event

F# Location County Time (UTC) Path length Damage
Georgia
EF2 SE of Eastman Dodge 0825 4 miles
(6.4 km)		 Two mobile homes, a barn and a garage were destroyed while several homes sustained minor to heavy damage.
Florida
EF2 NW of Baxter Baker 1115 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 One home had property damage with widespread tree damage and an outbuilding destroyed
EF1 NW of Summer Haven St. Johns 1410 unknown Boat house roofs were blown off, trees were snapped and some structures had window damage. Signs were also damaged
EF0 Dundee area Polk 1600 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 Several manufactured homes were damaged to various degrees some were left inhabitable.
South Carolina
EF0 E of Springton Bamberg 1147 8 miles
(12.8 km)		 Damage to trees and power lines
EF0 E of Ehrhardt Bamberg 1211 4 miles
(6.4 km)		 Damage limited to trees.
EF3 NW of Pinewood to NW of Mayesville Sumter 1220 19 miles
(30.4 km)		 1 death - Seven mobile homes were destroyed, nine frame homes were severely damaged while 62 mobile and frame homes were damaged at varying degrees. 5 other people were injured.
EF1 E of St. Charles Lee 1250 4 miles
(6.4 km)		 Minor damage to a mobile home and church while trees and power lines were downed
EF0 Bowman area Orangeburg 1337 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 Damage to trees and power lines
EF1 S of Islandton Colleton 1338 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 A large barn was destroyed while a home was damaged. A horse trailer and a grain wagon were carried some distance while a bass boat was flipped over. Farm equipment was also damaged while trees were downed including one that damaged a mobile home.
EF1 SE of Islandton Colleton 1341 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 A outbuilding was destroyed while two empty grain silos were carried some distance. A dog was severely injured.
EF1 SW of Ruffin Colleton 1344 8 miles
(12.8 km)		 3 mobile homes were overturned and seven others were shifted from their foundations. Another mobile home, a vehicle and an outbuilding were damaged while a storage shed was destroyed and trees were snapped or uprooted. 9 people had minor damage
Source: NCDC Storm Data

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c NWC (2007). Spring 2007 Nor'easter. NOAA. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
  2. ^ FEMA Approves Federal Disaster Declaration for Vermont; May 4, 2007, State of Vermont; Retrieved March 14, 2008
  3. ^ a b c Robert McFadden (2007-04-16). East Coast Storm Breaks Rainfall Records. New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  4. ^ Patriot's Day Storm Packs a 156-mph Punch. Mount Washington Observatory. Retrieved on 2007-04-26
  5. ^ A spring to remember Rutland Herald (April 17, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-30
  6. ^ Heavy snow brings cancellations, frustration. Ottawa Citizen (April 16, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-26
  7. ^ More than 100,000 without power as storm hits Ontario, Quebec. CBC News (April 16, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-26
  8. ^ Storm brings evacuations, road closings in New Jersey. Associated Press. Home News Tribune (2007-04-16). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  9. ^ Karen Matthews (2007-04-16). 3 Deaths blamed on East Coast Storm. abcnews.go.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  10. ^ a b Lorin, Janet Frankston (AP writer). "Storm damage pegged at $180M", Home News Tribune, 2007-04-26. 
  11. ^ Le tragique accident a fait cinq victimes. LCN Quebecor media, April 17, 2007. (French) Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
  12. ^ The Marathon They Almost Canceled - The Boston Globe
  13. ^ 111th Boston Marathon Race Day Commentary. Boston Athletic Association. Retrieved on 2007-05-02
  14. ^ Holley, Joe. "Students Recount Shootings", Washington Post, 2007-04-16. Retrieved on 2007-05-02. 
  15. ^ Internal Revenue Service (2007-04-16). "IRS Gives April 16 Storm Victims Additional 48 Hours to File Income Tax Returns". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.

[edit] External links