Joe’s Disco Weather Central time Capsule

Hi everybody and welcome! This week really marked the starting of the Holiday season especially with the cool weather that filtered down the peninsula. The low pressure area that formed in the Gulf and moved across north Florida on Saturday and Sunday caused flooding in the Southern part of the state and quite a bit of rain in our area. As the storm went up the U.S. coast it pulled lots of cold dry air down across the Florida peninsula. I recorded 2.05 inches for the two-day storm period. Ending on Sunday. The low temperature on Monday morning reached a low of 46 degrees with a wind chill value of 32.7 degrees achieved at 7:09 am. The high on Sunday only reached 66.2 degrees. The highest wind recorded on Sunday was 14 mph. Since my location has a substantial amount of trees around the weather station, the wind gusts in your area may have been stronger.

The same weather system that caused our rain also caused havoc in the northeast. The Massachusetts area received a lot of bad weather including severe icing and gusty winds. Here are some actual accounts of the severe weather in that area as recorded by The National weather Service.

11/17/02 -- Collinsville, Ct – Heavy snowfall and heavy icing. Trees falling everywhere as reported by Sky warn spotter.

11/17/02 – Burlington Ct. – Heavy snowfall and heavy ice on trees. Many trees blocking roadways. Reported by the public.

11/17/02 – westborough Ma. – Heavy snowfall and heavy ice reported by NWS employee.

11/17/02 – Blue Hill Observatory, Ma. – They reported a 60-mph non-thunderstorm wind gust.

11/17/02 – Granaby, Ct. – heavy snowfall and ½ inch ice glaze. Power outages also were reported.

11/17/02 – West Springfield, Ma. – Heavy snowfall and heavy icing. Branches and wires down as reported by an amateur radio operator.

Now, on to the Time capsule:

Here are some past National weather events…

November 18, 1873 -- A severe storm raged from Georgia to Nova Scotia causing great losses to fishing fleets along the coast. In Maine, the barometric pressure reached 28.49 inches at Portland.

November 22, 1641 -- An observer at Boston MA recorded a "great tempest of wind and rain from the southeast all night, as fierce as a hurricane, and thereupon followed the highest tide which we have seen since our arrival here".

November 22, 1957 -- Extremely destructive Santa Ana winds blew from Oxnard to San Diego and inland parts of southern California. The high winds produced a 28,000 acre brush fire on a 40-mile front west of Crystal Lake. People were ordered off streets in some areas due to flying debris. (21st-22nd)

November 22, 1989 -- Strong northerly winds produced squalls along the shore of Lake Michigan, with heavy snow in extreme southeastern Wisconsin. Milwaukee WI received nine inches of snow, and in Racine County there were more than one hundred automobile accidents.

November 23,1909 -- Rattlesnake Creek was deluged with 7.17 inches of rain in 24 hours to establish a record for the state of Idaho.

November 23, 1943 -- Northern New Hampshire was in the grips of a record snowstorm which left a total of 55 inches at Berlin, and 56 inches at Randolph. The 56 inch total at Randolph established a 24 hour snowfall record for the state. In Maine, Middle Dam received a record 35 inches of snow in 24 hours.

November 23, 1989 -- Low pressure tracking across the Carolinas brought heavy rain to parts of the Southern Atlantic Coast Region for Thanksgiving Day, and blanketed the Middle Atlantic Coast States and southern New England with heavy snow. The storm produced up to nine inches of snow over Long Island NY, and up to 14 inches over Cape Cod MA, at Yarmouth. Totals of 4.7 inches at New York City and 6.0 inches at Newark NJ were records for Thanksgiving Day, the 8.0 inch total at Providence RI was a record for any given day in November, and the 6.5 inch total at Strasburg CT was a record for the month of November as a whole.

November 24, 1812 -- Southwesterly winds of hurricane force sank ships and unroofed buildings at Philadelphia and New York City.

November 24, 1863 -- The "battle above the clouds" was fought on Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga. Pre-frontal clouds obscured the upper battle- field aiding a Union victory.

November 24, 1950 -- The temperature at Chicago IL dipped to 2 below zero to equal their record for the month established on the 29th in 1872. On the first of the month that year Chicago established a record high for November with a reading of 81 degrees.

November 24, 1982 -- Hurricane Iwa lashed the Hawaiian Islands of Niihau, Kauai, and Oahu with high winds and surf. Winds gusting to 120 mph caused extensive shoreline damage. Damage totalled 150 million dollars on Kauai, and fifty million dollars on Oahu. The peak storm surge on the south shore was six to eight feet. It marked the first time in 25 years that Hawaii had been affected by a hurricane.

November 25, 1950 -- A great storm hit the Northern and Central Appalachians with snow and high winds. Winds reached hurricane force along eastern slopes of the Appalachians, with gusts to 100 mph at Hartford CT, 110 mph at Concord NH, and 160 mph at Mount Washington NH. Heavy rain also hit the eastern slopes, with eight inches reported at Slide Mountain NY. The western slopes were buried under heavy snow. The storm produced record snowfall totals of 27.7 inches at Pittsburgh PA, and 36.3 inches at Steubenville OH. The snow, and record cold temperatures, resulted in 160 deaths. (25th-26th)

November 25, 1970 -- The temperature at Tallahassee FL dipped to 13 degrees, following a high of 40 degrees the previous day. The mercury then reached 67 degrees on the 26th, and highs were in the 70s the rest of the month.

November 25, 1983 --

The "Great Thanksgiving Weekend Blizzard" hit Denver CO. The storm produced 21.5 inches of snow in 37 hours, closing Stapleton Airport for 24 hours. The snow and wind closed interstate highways around Denver. Visibility at Limon CO was down to zero for 24 hours.

November 26, 1888 -- A late season hurricane brushed the East Coast with heavy rain and gale force winds. The hurricane passed inside Nantucket and over Cape Cod, then crossed Nova Scotia.

November 26, 1987 -- A Thanksgiving Day storm in the northeastern U.S. produced heavy snow in northern New England and upstate New York. Snowfall totals in Maine ranged up to twenty inches at Flagstaff Lake. Totals in New Hampshire ranged up to 18 inches at Errol. Gales lashed the coast of Maine and New Hampshire. A second storm, over the Southern and Central Rockies, produced nine inches of snow at Kanosh UT, and 13 inches at Divide CO, with five inches reported at Denver CO.

November 26, 1883 -- Fire engines were called out in New York City and New Haven CT as a result of the afterglow of the sunset due to vivid red ash from the Krakatoa Volcano explosion in August.

November 28, 1921 -- New England was in the midst of a four day icestorm, their worst of record. Ice was more than three inches thick in many places following the storm, and property damage was in the millions of dollars. Northern New England received heavy snow with more than two feet reported in some areas. Overnight freezing rains continued through the day at Worcester MA while the wind increased to a gale. Streets become impassable even on foot, and whole towns were plunged into darkness without communication. The storm caused 20 million dollars damage to power lines, telephone lines and trees.

Now for some past Florida weather events…

November 20, l983 -- morning and afternoon -- Panhandle and central Florida -- Escambia Co., Pensacola -- A tornado damaged mobile homes, utility sheds, and power lines. Heavy rain caused localized flooding and lightning started several house fires. One man died when he touched an electrified fence caused by downed power lines. Severe thunderstorm winds damaged six homes in Bay County. In the afternoon a tornado struck Ormond Beach in Volusia Co. damaging 18 mobile homes and 40 cars. Another tornado struck rural Flagler Co. doing little damage. Severe thunderstorm winds were reported in Putnam, Citrus, Brevard, Charolotte and Lee Cos. Damage was mainly to mobile homes, roofs and signs - no injuries.

November21, 1962 -- Marion Co., Lake Bryant -- Tornado hit ranger station in the Ocala National Forest, destroying several buildings. At Camp Kiwanis a new dormitory was nearly demolished.

November 22, l953 -- Bay County -- A Tornado destroyed five small houses and damaged many others in the Woodville community northwest of Panama City injuring 22 people.

November 22-24, 1984 -- St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach Counties. -- Great Thanksgiving Holiday East Coast Storm -- A strong low-pressure system developed east of Florida, and coupled with a high pressure to the northwest, a strong pressure gradient led to gale force winds along the east coast. As the low moved slowly north heavy rains of up to seven inches fell over south Florida. There was extensive coastal flooding and beach erosion with many structures damaged or destroyed. Fishing piers and seawalls were damaged or destroyed. Damage ran into the millions and was confined to the seashore except where heavy rain in the south caused local flooding. A man was killed when he stepped on a downed power line.

November 23 1988 -- Tropical Storm Keith moved across the Florida Peninsula, entering near Sarasota at 0200 and exiting just north of Melbourne at l000. Most of the convection had been sheared off before the storm crossed Florida. Most of the weather associated with Keith was to the north of the track. Maximum rainfall was 11 inches at Largo. Most rainfall totals were four to 7 inches to the north of the storm track and under one inch to the south of the storm track. A storm surge of nearly 6 feet maximum and three to 4 feet generally accompanied the storm on the Florida west coast south of the track as far south as Naples. Damage was near $3 million, mostly due to the storm surge. In Lee County damage was estimated at $l.5 million. Two tornadoes touched down in Pinellas Co. just before landfall, damaging hangar doors at St. Petersburg Airport.

November 24, l992 -- Escambia Co., Pensacola -- A thunderstorm gust to 65 mph was recorded at the Pensacola Regional Airport. Strong winds peeled off part of the roof of a plant in Pace.

November 25, 1979 -- Escambia Co. -- A small tornado damaged several buildings and hop scotched through northeast Escambia Co.

November 26, l9l5 -- Santa Rosa Co., Floridatown and Pace -- Tornado unroofed houses and downed timber. Most of the damage was rooftop and treetop.

November 26, 1962 -- (Continuous thru Dec. 4) Florida East Coast. A deep and persistent Atlantic storm off the southeastern U. S. coast produced continuous strong onshore winds along the entire east coast of Florida for several days. Resulting rough seas and high tides over an extended period produced considerable beach erosion and undermined buildings and roads along the immediate coast. Some tidal flooding was also reported along the coast. Greatest damages from erosion along northeast Florida coast. Winds on the mainland, although persisting for several days, caused only minor damages as storm center remained well offshore.

November27, l989 -- Martin Co., Lake Okeechobee -- The fire department reported a waterspout on the lake.

November 28, 1912 -- north Florida -- One-half inch of snow on this date is the earliest snowfall on record in Florida.

 November 28, 1960 -- Escambia Co. Cantonmont -- A tornado moved northeast, lifting and lowering along its path. It unroofed, shifted and caved in the walls of one house.

November 29, 1963 -- Lee Co., Pine Island -- Thunderstorm Winds unroofed one building and uprooted many trees.

That’s it for this week’s Time Capsule, I hope you enjoy it. If you have any weather questions or want me to cover a certain topic in the column, please e mail me at JOESDISCOWEATHER@AOL.COM. As always for the latest in severe and winter weather updates go to JOESDISCOWEATHERCENTRAL.COM! You can also join me every Saturday morning for a free cup of coffee and a free copy of the Hometown News at the Stuart K Mart Garden Center!