Thunderstorms rumble on the horizon
It’s a case of two different coasts, in terms of the weather. Since the beginning of 2016, the East Coast has been battered by strong storms. The Northeast has seen flooding rains and snow with severe conditions, including tornado outbreaks, southward down to the Gulf of Mexico. The long-range computer models continue to show this pattern with more storms expected to slam many residents in the eastern time zone.
Out West, conditions have been much calmer, which is not good news for drought-stricken California. As I mentioned last week, many stations in the central and southern portions of the state that have been under “exceptional” drought conditions, the worst, have seen very little if any moisture since the beginning of this year.
In this part of the country, we’re already starting to see spring-like weather across the Inland Northwest with sunshine and temperatures in the mild 50s last Thursday and Friday. The big high pressure ridge is showing signs of locking in over our region for the spring and summer season. However, even with a strong high pressure system, there will be storms that manage to get through over the next three months.
With spring arriving in about three weeks, thunderstorm season in the Coeur d’Alene and surrounding regions is right around the corner. Although we do get our share of thunder, lightning, hail and even a rare tornado, the severity of these storms does not compare to the ones seen east of the Rockies, especially in the Great Plains and Midwest’s “Tornado Alley.”
According to the National Weather Service, there are approximately 100,000 thunderstorms in the U.S. each year. About 10 percent of these storms are considered to be “severe” with very heavy rainfall, large hail and occasional tornadoes.
Across the globe, there are an amazing 40,000 thunderstorms forming every day. That’s nearly 1,700 per hour. For an entire year, our planet receives approximately 14.6 million thunderstorms.
Here in North Idaho, the average number of days with thunderstorms, which include thunder, lightning and rain, across the lower elevations is 14 (one in April, two in May, five in June, two in July, two in August, one in September and October). When you include days with thunder and little or no rain, the average number of days is 25. The normal number of extreme severe weather days in the Inland Northwest for an entire year is slightly less than one.
The Cascade Mountains to the west and the Rockies to the east often protect our region from the elements needed to produce the extreme weather conditions of thunderstorm and tornado activity. The warmer and more humid waters from the Gulf of Mexico and the cooler air from Canada are necessary ingredients to help produce the severe weather conditions across much of the central U.S., the Southeast, the Mid-Atlantic States and occasionally the Northeast. We’re already seeing this pattern with the severe conditions plaguing folks along the East Coast.
On July 4 and 5 of 2006, Mother Nature did put on a fireworks show of her own as hail of over 1 inch in diameter caused millions of dollars of agricultural damage. In parts of eastern Washington and northern Idaho, radar estimated rainfall totals of 2-3 inches in approximately 2 hours. Last year, thunderstorm activity was less than normal with nine days, and Cliff and I believe that the total number of days with thunderstorm activity is expected to be 15.
If you own expensive electronic equipment, such as a plasma television or a computer, it’s a good idea to get a good power surge protector. I have learned the hard way to protect valuable equipment as thunderstorms have ruined my weather station and other valuable electronic devices. My father’s computer monitor actually exploded during a thunderstorm. Get a good surge protector, one the company guarantees if your equipment is damaged or destroyed.
We’ve already seen some nice weather across the region as spring seems to be arriving early. But, the calendar still says winter and we could still see a few snowflakes, even around the full moon cycle at the end of March. Cliff and I strongly believe that the big snows are done for this season and our final snowfall total will end up below the normal of 69.8 inches.
We still think that precipitation totals will be a little below normal in the early spring season, but becoming more normal in mid- to late May and June.
Contact Randy Mann at randy@longrangeweather.com