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Pineapple Express is a non-technical term for a meteorological phenomenon, a specific recurring atmospheric river characterized by a strong and persistent large-scale flow of warm moist air, and the associated heavy precipitation both in the waters immediately northeast of the Hawaiian Islands and extending northeast to any location along the Pacific coast of North America. A Pineapple Express is an example of an atmospheric river, which is a more general term for such relatively narrow corridors of enhanced water vapor transport at mid-latitudes around the world.
The January 2008 North American storm complex was a powerful Pacific extratropical cyclone that affected a large portion of North America, primarily stretching from western British Columbia to near the Tijuana, Mexico area, starting on January 3, 2008. The system was responsible for flooding rains across many areas in California along with very strong winds locally exceeding hurricane force strength as well as heavy mountain snows across the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain chains as well as those in Idaho, Utah and Colorado. The storms were responsible for the death of at least 12 people across three states, and extensive damage to utility services as well, as damage to some other structures. The storm was also responsible for most of the January 2008 tornado outbreak from January 7–8.
The February 25–27, 2010 North American blizzard was a winter storm and severe weather event that occurred in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions of the United States between February 24–26, 2010. The storm dropped its heaviest snow of 12 to 24 inches across a wide area of interior New England, New York, and Pennsylvania. The storm also brought flooding rains to coastal sections of New England, with some areas experiencing as much as 4 inches (10 cm). Aside from precipitation, the Nor'easter brought hurricane-force sustained winds to coastal New England.
Global storm activity of 2008 profiles the major worldwide storms, including blizzards, ice storms, and other winter events, from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. A winter storm is an event in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are forms that only occur at cold temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are cold enough to allow ice to form. It may be marked by strong wind, thunder and lightning, heavy precipitation, such as ice, or wind transporting some substance through the atmosphere. Major dust storms, Hurricanes, cyclones, tornados, gales, flooding and rainstorms are also caused by such phenomena to a lesser or greater existent.
Global weather activity of 2007 profiles the major worldwide weather events, including blizzards, ice storms, tornadoes, tropical cyclones, and other weather events, from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2007. Winter storms are events in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are forms that only occur at cold temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are cold enough to allow ice to form. It may be marked by strong wind, thunder and lightning, heavy precipitation, such as ice, or wind transporting some substance through the atmosphere. Other major non winter events such as large dust storms, Hurricanes, cyclones, tornados, gales, flooding and rainstorms are also caused by such phenomena to a lesser or greater existent.
The January 2010 North American winter storms were a group of seven powerful winter storms that affected Canada and the Contiguous United States, particularly California. The storms developed from the combination of a strong El Niño episode, a powerful jet stream, and an atmospheric river that opened from the West Pacific Ocean into the Western Seaboard. The storms shattered multiple records across the Western United States, with the sixth storm breaking records for the lowest recorded air pressure in multiple parts of California, which was also the most powerful winter storm to strike the Southwestern United States in 140 years. The fourth, fifth, and sixth storms spawned several tornadoes across California, with at least 6 tornadoes confirmed in California ; the storms also spawned multiple waterspouts off the coast of California. The storms dumped record amounts of rain and snow in the Western United States, and also brought hurricane-force winds to the U.S. West Coast, causing flooding and wind damage, as well as triggering blackouts across California that cut the power to more than 1.3 million customers. The storms killed at least 10 people, and caused more than $66.879 million in damages.
The 2011–12 North American winter by and large saw above normal average temperatures across North America, with the Contiguous United States encountering its fourth-warmest winter on record, along with an unusually low number of significant winter precipitation events. The primary outlier was Alaska, parts of which experienced their coldest January on record.
The 2016–17 North American winter was quite warm across North America in general, due in part to a weak La Niña that was expected to influence weather conditions across the continent. Several notable events occurred during the season, including a potent winter storm that affected the East Coast of the United States in early January, the second-largest winter tornado outbreak on record later that month, and an unusually warm February. In addition, towards the end of the season, a large cyclonic storm system that caused a large tornado outbreak, flooding, and a potent blizzard occurred in the Heartland of the country. However, the most notable event of the winter was a powerful blizzard that impacted the Northeast and New England in mid-March, towards the end of the season.
The 2018–19 North American winter was unusually cold within the Northern United States, with frigid temperatures being recorded within the middle of the season. Several notable events occurred, such as a rare snow in the Southeast in December, a strong cold wave and several major winter storms in the Midwest, and upper Northeast and much of Canada in late January and early February, record snowstorms in the Southwest in late February, deadly tornado outbreaks in the Southeast and a historic mid-April blizzard in the Midwest, but the most notable event of the winter was a record-breaking bomb cyclone that affected much of the Central United States and Canada in mid-March. Unlike previous winters, a developing weak El Niño was expected to influence weather patterns across North America. Overall, however, winter of 2018–19 was mild along the mid- and lower parts of the East Coast, the West Coast, and most of the southern Plains. Overall, the meteorological winter of 2018-19 became the wettest on record for the United States.
The March 2019 North American blizzard was a powerful Colorado Low that produced up to two feet of snow in the plains and Midwest. Rapid snowmelt following the storm caused historic flooding, and some areas received hurricane-force wind gusts. Comparable to the 1993 Storm of the Century, the storm was labeled a bomb cyclone after barometric pressure readings dropped in excess of 24 mbar (0.71 inHg) over a 24-hour period. After the storm entered Colorado from its origination in Arizona, the pressure dropped more than 30 mbar (0.89 inHg) and rapidly intensified over the western High Plains. The severe storm set new all-time record low barometric pressure readings in Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico. The storm itself killed only one person in Colorado, but flooding caused by the storm killed at least 3, one in Iowa and at least two in Nebraska and left ~140,000 without power in Texas.
The January 2019 North American winter storm was a long-lived winter storm, forming as a large area of low pressure off the Pacific Northwest shoreline January 16, making its way to the Northeast by January 21. Its effects included heavy rain/high elevation snow and gusty winds in California, severe weather in the south, near-blizzard conditions in Upstate New York, an ice storm in New England and minor coastal flooding in the Mid-Atlantic.
The April 2019 North American blizzard was a historic blizzard that occurred in the month of April in the Great Plains and the Midwest. As strong winds and heavy snowfall were anticipated to produce widespread reductions in visibility, a blizzard warning was issued from northeastern Colorado to southwestern Minnesota, including several large cities. Denver, Cheyenne, Mitchell and Kearney were all included. Winds gusted as high as 107 mph (172 km/h) at Pueblo West and more than 30 inches of snow fell in Wallace, South Dakota.
The November 26 – December 3, 2019 North American blizzard was a major winter storm from the Rocky Mountains to the Northeast as well as a record-breaking windstorm along the West Coast. It occurred the week of American Thanksgiving, hampering travel for millions across the United States.
The 2020–2021 European windstorm season was the sixth instance of seasonal European windstorm naming in Europe. This is the second season in which the Netherlands participates, joining Ireland's and the United Kingdom's meteorological agencies. The new season's storm names were released on 1 September 2020. Storms that occur up until 31 August 2021 will be included in this season. The Portuguese, Spanish, and French meteorological agencies will again collaborate too, joined by the Belgian meteorological agency.
The January 31 – February 3, 2021 nor'easter, also known as the 2021 Groundhog Day nor'easter, was a powerful, severe, and erratic nor'easter that impacted much of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada from February 1–3 with heavy snowfall, blizzard conditions, strong gusty winds, storm surge, and coastal flooding. The storm first developed as an extratropical cyclone off the West Coast of the United States on January 25, with the storm sending a powerful atmospheric river into West Coast states such as California, where very heavy rainfall, snowfall, and strong wind gusts were recorded, causing several hundred thousand power outages and numerous mudslides. The system moved ashore several days later, moving into the Midwest and dropping several inches of snow across the region. On February 1, the system developed into a nor'easter off the coast of the Northeastern U.S., bringing prolific amounts of snowfall to the region. Large metropolitan areas such as Boston and New York City saw as much as 18–24 inches (46–61 cm) of snow accumulations from January 31 to February 2, making it the worst snowstorm to affect the megalopolis since the January 2016 blizzard. It was given the unofficial name Winter Storm Orlena by The Weather Channel.
The 2021–22 North American winter was not as significant and record-breaking as the previous winter season. Despite this, several notable and significant events still occurred, including two separate record-breaking tornado outbreaks in mid-December, a significant winter storm in the South in mid-January, a powerful blizzard that impacted the Northeast coast at the end of January and a wide-ranging, significant winter storm that affected most of the eastern half of the country in early February. Additional significant events included a late-season winter storm in March that affected the Appalachian Mountains, and a major blizzard that affected North and South Dakota in mid-April. Addiitonally, a very late out-of-season snowstorm struck the Rocky Mountains in late May. During the season, four storms have been ranked on the Regional Snowfall Index (RSI), although none attained the “Major” category. Similar to the previous winter, a developing La Niña was expected to influence weather patterns across the continent.
An extremely powerful extratropical bomb cyclone began in late October 2021 in the Northeast Pacific and struck the Western United States and Western Canada. The storm was the third and the most powerful cyclone in a series of powerful storms that struck the region within a week. The cyclone tapped into a large atmospheric river and underwent explosive intensification, becoming a bomb cyclone on October 24. The bomb cyclone had a minimum central pressure of 942 millibars (27.8 inHg) at its peak, making it the most powerful cyclone recorded in the Northeast Pacific. The system had severe impacts across Western North America, before dissipating on October 26. The storm shattered multiple pressure records across parts of the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, the bomb cyclone was the most powerful storm on record to strike the region, in terms of minimum central pressure. The bomb cyclone brought powerful gale-force winds and flooding to portions of Western North America. At its height, the storm cut the power to over 370,500 customers across the Western U.S. and British Columbia. The storm killed at least two people; damage from the storm was estimated at several hundred million dollars. The bomb cyclone was compared to the Columbus Day Storm of 1962, in terms of ferocity.
Hurricane Kay was a strong Category 2 hurricane that made landfall along the coast of the Baja California peninsula. The twelfth named storm and eighth hurricane of the 2022 Pacific hurricane season, Kay originated from an area of disturbed weather that formed near Guatemala. Overall, damage from Kay totaled $10.62 million and four fatalities. Kay's rain was able to help fire fighters who had been struggling to put out the Fairview Fire.
References
- ↑ Belles, Johnathan (5 January 2018). "Evacuations Ordered for Southern California Burn Scar Areas Ahead of Expected Rainfall". weather.com. The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
The steadiest rain will fall Monday in northern and central California, with lighter rain in southern California. A band of heavier rain will move into central California tonight, then slide into parts of southern California overnight. Thunderstorms embedded in that heavier rainband may produce rain rates up to 1 inch per hour. Snow will pick up in the Sierra, generally above 7,000 feet, and in the mountains of southern California above 8,000 feet. High wind warnings are posted in parts of central California and the mountains of southern California, where gusts at least to 60 mph with the cold front through tonight and Tuesday.
- ↑ "The Economic Impacts of the Montecito Mudslides: A Preliminary Assessment" (PDF). Robert D. Niehaus, Inc. March 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ↑ Giana Magnoli (27 February 2018). "County Estimates $46 Million Cost for Thomas Fire, Montecito Debris Flow Response, Repairs". Noozhawk. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- 1 2 "Floodwaters Surge Through Vegas Parking Garage". weather.com. The Weather Channel. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- ↑ Duff, Renee (9 January 2018). "Storm to heighten flooding, mudslide risk in fire-scarred Southern California". accuweather.com. AccuWeather. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
Sporadic power outages are possible. Gusts between 50 and 75 mph have occurred over the Coast Ranges.
Into Tuesday night, soaking rain, along with gusty winds, will spread into the Desert Southwest, including in Las Vegas and Phoenix. Localized flash flooding is possible in the arid landscape.
"While there will be plenty of negatives with this storm, it will also prove to be beneficial as it will provide some much-needed rain," Root said.
All of Southern California is abnormally dry or experiencing a moderate drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor. Conditions have been even drier across the Four Corners region, where severe drought is occurring.
The rainfall will put a dent in precipitation deficits, as well as put an end to the wildfire season.
- ↑ "AccuWeather: Mountain snow through Wednesday" (Image). accuweather.com. AccuWeather. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- ↑ Duff, Renee (9 January 2018). "Storm to heighten flooding, mudslide risk in fire-scarred Southern California". accuweather.com. AccuWeather. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
This past week, measurements by California's Department of Water Resources revealed that the Sierra Nevada snowpack is around 3 percent of normal for this point in the winter season, according to the Associated Press.
As the storm pushes inland, locally heavy snow will spread across the various ranges of the Intermountain West into Wednesday.
- ↑ "Storm Dumps 18 Inches of Snow, Heavy Rain in Sierra Nevada". usnews.com. U.S.News. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
The National Weather Service in Reno reported Tuesday that 18 inches (46 centimeters) of snow fell on the top of Mammoth Mountain south of Yosemite National Park.
- ↑ "Storm Dumps 18 Inches of Snow, Heavy Rain in Sierra Nevada". usnews.com. U.S.News. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- ↑ News 3 Staff. "#WeatherAuthority: Heavy rain, flood waters sweep the Las Vegas valley". news3lv.com. 3 NEWS Las Vegas.
Winter storm warnings have also been issued for the Sheep and Spring Mountains with an expected 6-12 inches of snow above 7,000 feet.
- ↑ "Heavy Rain Snarls Traffic, Floods Streets in Portland" (Video). nbcnews.com. NBC News. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- ↑ "Portland metro Thursday weather: Brisk winds and heavy rain; avalanche danger on Mount Hood". oregonlive.com. The Oregonian. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
The Oregon coast will be windy today with gust up to 60 mph and heavy rains totaling up to 2 inches in some areas. Winds in the valleys will gust up to 40 mph according to the National Weather Service. Screen Shot 2018-01-11 at 5.32.59 AM.png NOAA The Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory beginning 4 p.m. Thursday for dropping snow levels and snow amounts on the Cascade passes from 4-8 inches.
