April will certainly be remembered for all the violent weather, flooding and tornadoes that gripped much of the nation, including the Southeast and Ohio Valley.
The tri-state was ripped by a line of severe thunderstorms that originated in Eastern Ohio, tracked across Pennsylvania, a slice of West Virginia and then into Garrett County and eventually ripping the Queen City before attacking the very northern part of Maryland then dissipating into the night.
Many counties felt the impact of these severe thunderstorms, which included straight line winds that damaged roofs, bent flag poles and downed trees and utility lines, leaving thousands of people without power, some for days. When you look back and find that only .09 inches of rain fell on the city, you realize exactly how fast the storms were moving — at 70 mph from west to east. It was actually raining sideways.
Two local media outlets reported that no warnings were issued prior to the storm. Wrong answer! The National Weather Service in both Pittsburgh and Sterling, Virginia, were all over these storms with multiple warnings crossing over weather radio and warnings also on Facebook. Weather radar painted a very good picture of what was on the way.
I can’t speak for all the other agencies who failed to pass the warnings along but I do hope they do a better job in the future. If you’re not computer savvy and don’t get alerts on your cellphone you should invest in a NOAA Weather Radio. They are relatively inexpensive and the alerts will come over loud and clear 24 hours a day.
We’re still a month away from the start of hurricane season, but here is the list of names to be used this year. Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Ferdinand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy.
The first quarter of 2025 is flying by, and as we enter May, statistics point to a continued flip-flop in temperatures and below average precipitation during April. Precipitation totaled 2.55 inches compared to an average of 3.41 inches, so we were .86 inches below average.
Total precipitation for the four-month period averages 12 inches and we have received 7.98 inches, so we are currently below average 4.02 inches. The maximum temperature was 89 degrees while the minimum temperature slipped to a cold 22 degrees.
The average maximum temperature was 67.9 degrees while the average minimum came in at 42.9 degrees. Temperatures climbed into the 80s seven days, nine days were in the 70s, four days remained in the 60s, five days stayed in the 50s, and five days failed to climb out of the 40s. Thunder, fog and damaging winds were all noted during the month.
If you looked really hard we observed snow flurries on April 8. In the higher elevations, snow covered the landscape and the roads. Hopefully this is the end of any snowfall activity.
The Climate Prediction Center released its forecast for May and the temperatures are expected to be above average while precipitation could be average, above or below normal. The 90-day outlook for May, June and July calls for above normal temperatures and precipitation could be slightly above average.
When the Easter eve storm was long gone, and the weather service sent its team to investigate, they found damage from the storm was caused by straight line winds. Parts of the county looked like a war zone as residents viewed the destruction on Easter morning.
Here’s how warnings are issued. The Storm Prediction Center issues tornado and severe thunderstorm watches. Local weather forecast offices issue tornado or severe thunderstorm warnings. Severe weather watches are issued when conditions are favorable in a region for severe thunderstorms or tornadoes to develop or to move into an area. Watches are generally issued for a four- to eight-hour period.
Be ready for storms in the near future and take action to protect property before the storms arrive in your area. Severe weather warnings are issued when there is an imminent threat or an actual occurrence of large hail, damaging winds or a tornado. When a warning is issued, respond immediately to protect life and property. Warnings are generally issued for 30 to 60 minutes. Be sure to know the difference between a watch and a warning!
Summer is only a few weeks away and I can’t wait. The beach is calling and I’m ready to enjoy my favorite time of the year. It’s been a difficult year, so relax and enjoy. See you in June!