Summer in March continues for Midwest; Dexter, MI tornado an EF-3
For the third consecutive day, Chicago, Illinois hit their warmest temperature on record so early in the year, going back to 1872. The mercury hit 82°F, giving the city its third consecutive day of 80°+ temperatures, smashing the old record by a month. Previously, the earliest Chicago had ever seen three consecutive 80 degree days was back on April 14 - 16, 1976. This morning's Public Information Statement from the National Weather Service in Chicago had this to say:
Chicago and Rockford have both broken high temperature records 3 days in a row and will likely break record highs for 5 days in a row. There is even the potential they could tie or break record highs for 6 or 7 days in a row depending on how warm temperatures get on Monday and Tuesday. It is extraordinarily rare for climate locations with 100+ year long periods of records to break records day after day after day. At the current pace... it is likely that Chicago and Rockford will not only break... but shatter their current record warmest Marches.
Figure 1. "This is the kind of sunset that you can expect to see in July, not in March. 77degrees when I took this," said the caption on this wunderphoto taken yesterday in Windom, Minnesota by wunderphotographer sally.
Minneapolis, Minnesota hit 79°F yesterday, the warmest it's ever been this early in the year, going back to 1872, and 39°F above average. This smashes the old record by a remarkable 6°F. Previous record: 73°F, set just two days previously, and also on March 7, 2000.
Bismark, North Dakota hit 81°F yesterday, which was a remarkable 41°F above normal. Not only does this tie Bismarck's warmest all-time monthly March temp on record (three other 81°F readings later in the month, with March 22,1910 being next earliest), it beats the next warmest early season record by a full 6°! The previous record was 75°F on March 12, 2007. Temperatures also soared into the 70's well into Canada's prairies on Friday, setting all-time warm temperature records for so early in the year across much of southern Canada.
International Falls, Minnesota hit 71°F yesterday, which was 36°F above normal, and their earliest 70°F reading by two weeks. Previously, the earliest 70°F reading came on March 30, 1967. Back on March 17, 1897, the temperature in International Falls hit -33°F!
Dexter, Michigan tornado rated an EF-3
NWS survey teams have confirmed that an EF-3 tornado with winds of 135 - 140 mph hit Dexter, Michigan on Thursday. It was the earliest EF-3 or stronger tornado in Michigan history, going back to 1950. The tornado skipped along a 7.2-mile path and had a width of up to 800 yards. It damaged or destroyed 128 buildings, but fortunately did not cause any deaths or injuries. The previous earliest appearance of an F-3 tornado in Michigan was on March 20, 1976. At least two other tornadoes touched down in Michigan Thursday, making it the second largest tornado outbreak in state history so early in the year. The record outbreak for so early in the year was the eight tornadoes that touched down on March 12, 1976.
Figure 2. Radar reflectivity image of the March 15, 2012 Dexter, Michigan tornado.
I'll be back Monday with a new post.
Jeff Masters
Another shot from yesterdays storm in Michigan
Reader Comments
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Guess what my friend,that was me when I posted the MSLP forecast by ECMWF.I will post it again.
LOL, I didn't realise it was you!
What exactly is that forecast based on, do you know?
There were no supercells today...?
EDIT: Nevermind, saw your latest post.
True. One should never stand under a Calabash tree.
Especially an inebriated one.
The fruit is hard and heavy.
That is the forecast for pressures being high or low. This one is a 180 degrees opposite from last year when it had lower pressures in the Atlantic and that was spot on.
Thanks.
That covers Jul-Aug-Sep.
Looks pretty dread.
I hope that forecast is Bunk!
Reminds me of about a year ago, where this dude was giving away pears. We took him up on his offer, with the caveat that we had to pick them. I was standing on a ladder under the tree, and one of them fell directly on my head. It hurt. Bad.
Thanks again.
As I say, Pretty Dread!
I'd like to experience a weak one, wherein my house is still very much intact. Just one that produces a shaking sensation.
That's what she sai--
Lucky that you managed to stay on the ladder....
"Man killed by falling Pear" would have made a great headline though...
u shoulda hear my gandfather today!! talk about stubborn as a MULE!!
------------------------------------------------- --
Me: This system just east of Asheboro has some weak rotation, look at the SRM and radar.*points*. Tornadoes are VERY unlikely, but something i might watch for fun.
Him: if a tornado develops, it will head SW to NE.
Me: a tornado will move whichever direction the storm is moving.
Him: if a tornado develops, it always goes NE. i have never seen any go any other way.
Me: you know, once there was some supercells out west that developed and went southwest. they produces tornadoes and the TORNADOES moved southwest, with the storm.
Him: yeah the storm can go one way but the tornado will move SW to NE
Me: *shakes head* NO, a tornado aint gonna leave the storm into open air!! it will stay inderneath the rotation present with the storm.
* He laughs and walks away*
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and im like, REALLY!? listen to the guy who studies this stuff!!!geez!
I assure you, they leave you feeling VERY defensless for a LONG time.
Terra Firma is not supposed to move around under our feet.
I don't like them at all at all.
I've only been in minor quakes, I hope I never experience a 7.0+ M quake
Yep. If that pans out,then closer to land or the so called homegrowns will be the order of this 2012 season. Apart from that,the MDR is below average right now on the sst's and that may also be a contributing factor to have homegrowns.
You should of been locked up for that, LOL!
Poor tree.
Bad Red, huh?
Last decent one we had was 6.2.
My wife was driving on the highway and thought that the steering had gone bananas.
Couldn't keep the car in a straight line....
At home we lost some stuff from shelves, and about half the water from the fish tank.
A Tsunami!
That's so reassuring for him, I'm sure.
LOL, how you doing Keeper?
Sorry. I thought that was a Death Grimace!
Neutral Atlantic there.
Still, that's plenty warm enough for all kinds of Mischief!
December 16, 1811, 1415 UTC (8:15 a.m.); (M ~7.2–8.1) epicenter in northeast Arkansas. This shock followed the first earthquake by six hours and was similar in intensity.[2]
January 23, 1812, 1500 UTC (9 a.m.); (M ~7.0–7.8[2]) epicenter in the Missouri Bootheel. The meizoseismal area was characterized by general ground warping, ejections, fissuring, severe landslides, and caving of stream banks. Johnson and Schweig attributed this earthquake to a rupture on the New Madrid North Fault. This may have placed strain on the Reelfoot Fault.[3]
February 7, 1812, 0945 UTC (4:45 a.m.); (M ~7.4–8.0[2]) epicenter near New Madrid, Missouri. New Madrid was destroyed. At St. Louis, Missouri, many houses were severely damaged, and their chimneys were toppled. This shock was definitively attributed to the Reelfoot Fault by Johnston and Schweig. Uplift along a segment of this reverse fault created temporary waterfalls on the Mississippi at Kentucky Bend, created waves that propagated upstream, and caused the formation of Reelfoot Lake by obstructing streams in what is now Lake County, Tennessee.[3]
The strongest I've experienced was a magnitude 5.3
... and Grothar was there.....
The largest quakes tend to occur along subbuction zones and are more likely to produce megathrust quakes (9.0 )
The eastern caribbean sits next to a subduction zone plate boundary, so the area around Japan which is reffered to as the ring of fire plate
The main entrance was discovered by Aaron Higgenbotham in 1810 while he was surveying the nearby Chickamauga Trail on Cardwell Mountain in what is now Warren County. According to legend, Higgenbotham was the first man to enter the cave and it was named Higgenbotham Cave in his honor. Another smaller cave, also located on Cardwell Mountain, was also discovered about this time and was named Henshaw Cave. Although not nearly as big as Higgenbotham Cave, Henshaw Cave proved to be a source of saltpeter (the main ingredient of gunpowder) and was operated as a saltpeter mine during perhaps both the War of 1812 and the Civil War.
Higgenbotham Cave became a favorite spot for local adventurers during the 19th century and groups would ride out to the entrance in Haywagons and make the strenuous trip to a point in the cave now known as the Ten Acre Room. In the days of the Haywagon parties, it was called the Big Room. Here, many visitors left their names and the date candled on the ceiling.
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