SUPER TYPHOON BAVI RAVAGES MARIANA ISLANDS!

Written by Team Morecast

Bavi passed directly over the island of Rota, a U.S. possession about 40 miles (65 km) northeast of Guam, on Monday morning local time. At the time Bavi boasted sustained winds of 180 mph (290 kph), putting it well into “Super Typhoon” status. It’s only the sixth time in US history that a storm of that category or equivalent has made a direct landfall on U.S. territory. Residents of all the Northern Marianas from Guam up to Saipan and Tinian were urged to take extreme life-saving precautions. In addition to the destructive winds, a deadly storm surge and waves of more than 20 feet (6 m) were forecasted. Officials on Guam reported that emergency evacuation centers were already straining capacity on Sunday afternoon. Typhoon Sinlaku, of similar track and magnitude in April, caused over $1.5 billion worth of damage in these islands along with a death toll of 17. Some residents are still without power more than two months later.

Officials announced that they will begin damage assessments in earnest this (Tuesday) morning as Bavi continues to pull steadily away to the west. But the mayor of Rota has already reported major damage, including the almost total destruction of his own office (see video above). Officials in Guam report that almost a third of the island’s water wells are offline. Wind gusts at the airport in Saipan exceeded 100 mph (160 kph) during the height of the storm with numerous power outages reported. Bavi is expected to gradually weaken but threaten Taiwan and Japan’s Ryukyu islands late this week.

Blizzard Drops Record Snowfall Through the U.S. Urban Corridor

Written by Team Morecast

 

A bomb cyclone dropped 2-3 feet of snow from New York City into southern New England from Sunday into Monday. Widespread high winds gusting 60-75 mph (100-120 kph) contributed to hours of whiteout conditions as well as large drifts. The result has been one of the worst blizzards in decades. Outright travel bans were in effect for five states and almost 500,000 households were without power as of Monday afternoon.

 

 

 

A powerful upper low moved through the Midwest and into the Mid-Atlantic on Sunday. This energy helped a surface low explode off the East Coast (see satellite loop above) which in turn pulled rich Atlantic moisture into a cold air mass over the Northeast. The result was widespread, very heavy snow bands dropping rates up to 2-3″ per hour. Philadelphia measured over 14 inches (36 cm), the highest amount since 2016. New York City saw 20-27 inches (50-69 cm), also the most since the big 2016 storm. Amounts up to 31 inches (79 cm) piled up further out on Long Island. The heaviest snows fell in Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts with amounts of 27-36 inches (69-91 cm). Providence, RI shattered the previous all-time record with 33 inches (84 cm).

 

 

Travel has been rendered virtually impossible in this region. The heavy, wet snow combined with high winds have felled trees and power lines, leading to hundreds of thousands of outages. Emergency crews aiming to restore power face tremendous obstacles, meaning restoration will take several days, especially in rural areas. More than 10,000 flights have also been cancelled due to the crippling snowstorm. Lead photo courtesy Rhode Island resident Mary Montminy-Danna.

Wildfires and Deadly Dust Storm Roll Across the American High Plains

Written by Team Morecast

 

A massive, powerful storm system moved out of the Western U.S. on Tuesday, bringing high winds to the Plains states. Widespread gusts of 55-70 mph (80-110 kph) knocked over trees and powerlines as well as high-profile vehicles (see video below). Higher gusts of 70-100 mph (110-160 kph) were reported at wind prone spots from Montana all the way down to New Mexico (see table below). The high winds picked up dust and created dangerous “brownout” conditions, especially in eastern Colorado and western Kansas. The near-zero visibilities led to a 30-car pileup on Interstate 25 near Pueblo, CO, which killed four and sent 29 more to local hospitals with a variety of injuries.

 

 

 

 

The high winds and dry conditions also pushed wildfires out of control from Texas through Oklahoma and southern Kansas. The largest fire burned 145,000 acres in Beaver County, Oklahoma (see video below). Numerous voluntary evacuations were undertaken. Many homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed, and four firefighters were injured.

 

Historic Snow Storm Buries Much of North Carolina

Written by Team Morecast

 

A traffic-snarling snow storm has raked the southeastern USA with near-blizzard conditions along with plummeting temperatures and wind chills below zero. More than a foot of snow has accumulated in some areas, leading to widespread road closures. It’s a crippling event for a region unaccustomed to extreme snows and temperatures.

 

 

 

By far the heaviest snows have fallen across eastern Tennessee and North Carolina. Areas near the Blue Ridge Mountains saw accumulations of 6-12 inches (15-30 cm). Another heavy band dropped accumulations of 10-16 inches (25-40 cm) from the Charlotte metro area up to Greensboro, NC. The near-whiteout conditions led to 100-vehicle pile-up just north of Charlotte (see video above). After several hours the stranded motorists required rescue by the National Guard. A semi-truck became stuck in the snow at a railroad crossing and was slammed by a freight train, though fortunately there were no resulting injuries.

 

 

 

The heaviest snows fell over southeastern North Carolina as the storm exploded just offshore. Totals of 12-19 inches (30-48 cm) were common in this region, the first time the region has seen over a foot of accumulation since 1989. Northerly winds gusting over 50 mph (80 kph) created dangerous blizzard conditions with drifting snow shutting down many roadways. Several communities reported power outages due to the snow and wind, a life-threatening situation given the historic cold temperatures. Hurricane-like storm surge and waves destroyed some beachfront homes on the Outer Banks (see video above). Lead photo courtesy Gail Crouch.