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Few Tornadoes, Record Low Number of Deaths Over Past Year

May 102013
 

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NORMAN, Okla.) — Just two years after the worst 12 month period for EF1 or stronger tornados in U.S. history, the country got a big break, as new research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that last year saw a record low number of severe twisters.

From May 2010 to April 2011, the United States was hit by over 1,000 big tornados, causing more than 535 deaths. The most recent period, from May of last year until this past April, saw only seven tornado fatalities, and less than 200 tornadoes recorded.

According to Harold Brooks, a scientist with the National Severe Storm Lab in Norman, Oklah., it’s “the fewest number of tornado fatalities in a 12 month period since the 19th century.”

Scientists have data about tornados and tornado-related deaths going back to 1954.

Why has the nation been so lucky on this front compared to two years ago? Experts say that a hot summer and a cold winter are factors.

“In the summer-time, when it’s very hot, what we tend to have is the jet-stream is located far north into Canada, and it tends to be very dry at the surface, that’s why we have droughts,” explained Brooks. “When the jet-stream is that far north, the change in the winds with height is weak over the middle part of the country and so none of the ingredients come together to produce the kinds of environments we want to have for tornadoes.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Weather May Aid Crews Fighting California Wildfires

May 042013
 

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Wildfires raging through Southern California have tripled in size to 28,000 acres as firefighters work to bring the blazes threatening nearly 4,000 homes under control.

More than 2,000 firefighters and structure protection crews from across the region worked tirelessly to protect buildings, including a naval training facility, from the raging fires in Camarillo, Calif.

Even residents have joined in to quell the early season flames. Eighteen year-old Brittany Smolarski used a bottle of water and her riding boots to stomp out a sudden spot fire while helping to evacuate horses.

“I’ve never been that close to a fire,” Smolarski told Good Morning America. “That smoke is pretty deadly. I’m trying to protect everything that I can. I don’t want my barn to burn up.”

With red-flag warnings lifted on Friday, weather conditions may be turning in favor of the firefighters, reports the Los Angeles Times. The weekend’s weather is expected to be cooler and more humid. Inland areas could temperature drops of 15 to 20 degrees along with potential rain showers that would aid efforts to control the flames.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Nor’easter Begins Wreaking Havoc on Northeast

Mar 072013
 

Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — The winter snowstorm that tormented the Midwest has become a major, slow-moving nor’easter that has already brought snow, coastal flooding and whipping winds to the Northeast.

Parts of the New Jersey coastline were already underwater Wednesday night, which prompted voluntary evacuations in Toms River and Brick while the Shrewsbury River flooded local streets in Sea Bright, according to ABC News affiliate WABC-TV.

Overnight, the highest wind gust recorded off New Jersey was 71 mph, and 30 to 50 mph winds are expected to last until Friday morning, which could bring 13-foot waves just offshore.

The high winds are expected to bring down power lines as more than 2,000 people are without power in New Jersey as of 4 a.m., WABC reported.

Overnight, snow started to fall in parts of Long Island.  New York City is expecting a snowy, rainy mix with a chilly wind on Thursday, with another round of snow in the forecast Thursday night.

New York City is expected to get up to 3 inches of snow by the time the storm system moves out Friday morning, with some higher storm total amounts possible on eastern Long Island.  Boston may see 2 to 4 inches, with higher totals inland where a winter storm warning has been issued from Worcester to just north of Providence.

Winter warnings are posted in seven Northeast states.  The biggest snowfall totals will come Friday, and parts of New England could see more than 6 inches of snow.

More than 440 flights have been canceled for Thursday, according to FlightAware.com.  New York’s LaGuardia Airport has the most cancellations, followed by Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Federal Offices in DC Close as Major Snowstorm Heads East

Mar 062013
 

Man clears snow from the Millennium Park skating rink in Chicago. (Brian Kersey/Getty Images)(WASHINGTON) — Federal offices in Washington, D.C. will be closed on Wednesday as the nation’s capital prepares to be hit by what could be the biggest snowstorm there in three years.

In a statement Wednesday, the Office of Personnel and Management said “non-emergency employees will be granted excused absence for the number of hours they were scheduled to work.”

The storm is expected to bring 6 to 10 inches of snow inside the Beltway, up to 14 inches in the western suburbs, 10 to 18 inches in western Virginia, and up to 6 inches in the eastern suburbs.  The heaviest snowfall will be on Wednesday and it is forecast to end by night time.

Elsewhere, 3 to 6 inches of the white stuff is expected in Philadelphia, with rain mixing in from time to time.  New York City is forecast to get the same amount of snow, with more than 6 inches possible for eastern Long Island and just north of the city.  Snowfall in both cities will end on Thursday, as the storm moves on to Boston and New England.

Already, the system has wrecked havoc on the Midwest, dropping 8 to 12 inches of snow from Minneapolis to Chicago, crippling transportation.  

As of Wednesday morning, over 1,600 flights have been canceled, according to FlightAware.com.  The Washington, D.C., area has the most cancellations, followed by Baltimore, Chicago and Atlanta.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

New Winter Storm Picks Up Speed

Mar 042013
 

Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The Midwest is bracing for yet more winter weather.  Parts of the region surpassed their annual snowfall records just last month, and now those areas could get another foot of snow.
 
Monday night into early Tuesday, Minneapolis is expected to get somewhere between six and 10 inches.

Just south and east of the Wisconsin area, northeast Iowa and western and northern Illinois are expecting somewhere closer to a foot. Areas near Chicago could see snow hitting the six to 10-inch mark when it’s all said and done.

See the ABC News report from World News with Diane Sawyer:

 

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

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