Winds, Snow Squalls Lead to Massive Pile-Up on I-79

Feb 25, 2012; 3:51 PM ET

Photo courtesy of Photos.com.

Interstate 79 was closed for several miles in western Pennsylvania today due to adverse weather conditions which caused a multi-vehicle pileup.

The initial crash was reported around 11 a.m. this morning in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

The crash occurred in the southbound lanes of the interstate and those lanes were closed for nearly 5 hours between Exit 147A and Exit 130.

The northbound lanes were also closed between Exit 130 and Exit 141.

Multiple injuries were reported, but thankfully most were minor. There were no fatalities or serious injuries reported according to the Beaver County Times newspaper.

Officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation estimate that as many as 30 vehicles and multiple tractor-trailers are involved.

Officials reopened the interstate just after 4 P.M. local time. Traffic had been detoured around that section of the interstate until just recently.

AccuWeather.com Meteorologists have been tracking high winds and heavy lake-enhanced snows throughout the day.

The weather is believed to have been the cause for the accident as visibilities have been significantly reduced all afternoon due to blinding snow squalls.

Blowing snow and wind gusts to 40 mph have also been wreaking havoc on the region.

Stay tuned to AccuWeather.com for more information as it becomes available.

Winds, Snow Squalls Lead to Massive Pile-Up on I-79

Early Week Severe Storms to Take Aim on Mississippi Valley

Feb 25, 2012; 2:10 PM ET

Photo courtesy of Photos.com.

A storm system which will eject out into the Plains Monday night will spark a severe weather outbreak Tuesday across the lower Mississippi Valley.

This will be the same storm that drops heavy snows on the northern Plains Monday night and Tuesday.

On the warmer side of this storm, strong winds coming out of the Gulf of Mexico will transport deep moisture into parts of the southern Plains and lower Mississippi River Valley by Monday night.

This moisture and these strong winds aloft will interact with the approaching storm sparking showers and thunderstorms from eastern Oklahoma through southern Missouri and western Kentucky southward to the Gulf Coast beginning late Monday night.

Storms initially could develop during the overnight hours early Tuesday morning from eastern Kansas through eastern Oklahoma and northeastern Texas, including the cities of Topeka, Tulsa and Texarkana.

Nocturnal storms are the most dangerous type as they can produce damaging winds and drop tornadoes with little warning. With most people asleep during these times, it's harder to get across warning information to residents in the paths of these storms.

The severe weather threat will rapidly increase farther to the east on Tuesday as surface heating combines with the approaching storm and all the moisture available.

 Cities in line for the greatest threat of severe weather Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night include Shreveport, La., Little Rock, Ark., Memphis, Tenn., and Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Damaging wind gusts to 70 mph, a few tornadoes, and hail to the size of baseballs will all be possible with the strongest thunderstorms.

A nocturnal severe weather threat Tuesday night will likely continue into Kentucky, Tennessee and northern parts of Alabama and Mississippi with damaging winds becoming the main threats.

Keep checking back with AccuWeather.com over the next few days as we begin to detail the severe weather potential Monday night through Tuesday night.

Early Week Severe Storms to Take Aim on Mississippi Valley

High Winds to Howl in the Northeast, Disrupt Travel

Feb 25, 2012; 6:01 AM ET

High winds howling to 60 mph across the Northeast tonight into Saturday will likely result in travel delays.

A snowstorm departing into the Maritime provinces of Canada today will be followed by very high winds pushing in colder air.

Howling winds will blast the eastern Great Lakes early today, with the highest winds will blasting New England throughout the afternoon and evening hours.

The strong winds will likely cause flight delays, including for the major airports like Philadelphia, Newark, La Guardia, JFK and Boston International Airports.

Below is a list of peak wind gusts through 10 A.M. EST Saturday:

Allentown, Pa.: 41 MPH

Lancaster, Pa.: 46 MPH

New York (La Guardia), N.Y.: 45 MPH

BWI Airport: 48 MPH

Boston, Mass.: 51 MPH

Worchester, Mass.: 46 MPH

Rchester, N.Y.: 52 MPH

Altoona, Pa.: 45 MPH

Travel for high-profile vehicles, such as campers and semi-trucks, will also be dangerous in the highest crosswinds.

"

Some tree branches and a few power lines could be downed," said AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "Trash cans left out will be blown around."

Besides causing travel headaches and some localized damage, the high winds will contribute to AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures that are 10-15 degrees lower than actual temperatures. This may be shocking following a mild Friday across the southern mid-Atlantic, with highs reaching the 50s, 60s and even 70s.

Across the interior Northeast, actual highs will be in the 20s and 30s on Saturday, while highs for the I-95 corridor cities from Philadelphia to Boston and Portland will be in the 40s. The high in Washington, D.C., will be in the 50s, but it will feel much cooler.

Lake-Effect Snow for Great Lakes, Interior Northeast

The colder air rushing across the still mild and mostly unfrozen Great Lakes will trigger lake-effect snow showers for typical snowbelts downwind of the lakes.

The heaviest bands will continue to set up downwind of Lake Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York state through today. Heavy bands of snow will continued downwind of Lake Ontario across New York state as well.

SEE ALSO: Lake-Effect Snow Thump for Great Lakes, Norheast

Motorists in Erie, Pa., and Syracuse, N.Y., should be prepared for sudden bursts of snow that reduce the visibility and create slippery roads.

Quick bursts of snow will also whiten the Appalachians all the way southward into the mountains of North Carolina.

High Winds to Howl in the Northeast, Disrupt Travel

Lake-Effect Snow Thump for Great Lakes, Northeast

Feb 25, 2012; 11:20 AM ET

Image of snow at night by Adam Gryko. From Photos.com.

Some heavy lake-effect snow bands will continue to stream downwind of the Great Lakes today as cold winds whip through the area.

The colder air is rushing into the region following the snowstorm that targeted northern New England on Friday. The storm was also responsible for the recent outbreak of severe weather across the South.

The Great Lakes are still relatively mild and mostly unfrozen, which is rare for this late in the season, so the cold air is having no trouble igniting lake-effect bands of snow.

RELATED:

High Winds Howl in the Northeast, Disrupt Travel

Warm Temperatures Keep Lake Erie from Freezing

The snow will wind down across the western Great Lakes by this afternoon, but will continue to threaten travel downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario through the evening.

 

It is not just places in close proximity to the lakes that should be prepared for sudden bursts of snow that rapidly reduce visibility and create hazardous road conditions.

One intense band of snow has reached eastern Pennsylvania, impacting the communities north of Philadelphia. This band has a history of creating white-out conditions, including at AccuWeather.com's Headquarters in State College, Pa.

The snow showers will come to an end throughout the Northeast this evening as high pressure begins to build overhead.

That high will lead to a calmer Sunday across the eastern Great Lakes and mid-Atlantic. New England will still have to endure brisk winds to close out the weekend.

Lake-Effect Snow Thump for Great Lakes, Northeast

Europe Warm and Dry at Start of Cycling Classics Season

Feb 25, 2012; 11:15 AM ET

Sebastian Langeveld wins last years edition of Omloop Het Niewsblad over Juan Antonio Flecha. The conditions last year were more typical of the spring classics. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

This weekend is an important one to cycling fans in Europe, as the weekend features the first two races of the spring classics, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kurrne.

The races in Belgium are famous for their use of cobblestones as well as the usually dreadful weather. Rain turns the old fashioned roads into a muddy skating rink, and creates a unique challenge.

This year however, after what was a rather cold and snowy winter for much of Europe, the races will feature rather dry and warm conditions.

Temperatures during todays Omloop Het Niewsblad race approached 50F (10C). Tomorrow's Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne looks to be partly sunny with highs breaching the 50-degree mark.

High pressure provided plenty of protection for the region from any unpleasant weather this weekend.

Looking ahead, the pattern for Europe looks rather warm and dry until sometime in early March; however, the major classics do not begin until the end of March and early April.

Europe Warm and Dry at Start of Cycling Classics Season

Double Whammy: Two Northern Plains Snows on the Way

Feb 25, 2012; 11:09 AM ET

Two snowstorms will pound the northern Plains over the next five days, bringing heavy snows and gusty winds to many areas.

The first snowstorm will streak out from the northern Rockies tonight into Sunday. As Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski pointed out, "The northern Plains of the U.S. and the southern Prairies of Canada have not seen a great number of storms overall this winter, with many taking the trip toward Denver."

This storm system will bring some snow to the northern Rockies into tonight, producing up to a foot of new snow over the Bitterroots of Montana and the higher elevations of northern Idaho. Even cities such as Butte, Mont., and Yellowstone National Park, Wyo., could see a few inches of the white stuff.

Farther to the east, snow will begin to streak eastward tonight from southern Saskatchewan and eastern Montana into North Dakota, Minnesota, southern Manitoba and northern South Dakota.

The snow will fall steadily through much of the night, accumulating a general 1-3 inches across this region. There will be more of a bull's-eye in turns of snowfall, however. That lies farther north and west from northwestern North Dakota through southern Saskatchewan.

Cities such as Regina, Saskatchewan, and Williston, N.D., will be in a zone of 3-6 inch accumulations.

Farther to the east, snow will break out very late tonight across northern and central Minnesota before spreading into northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during the day on Sunday.

A stripe of 1- to 3-inch accumulations will extend through cities like Bemidji and Duluth, Minn., along with Rhinelander, Wis., and Marquette, Mich. International Falls, Minn., and Thunder Bay, Ontario, could pick up nearly a half of a foot of snow by the time all is said and done.

Travel will become tricky tonight and Sunday across interstates 29, 94, 35 and 75. Watch for detours or delays around potential car accidents.

Not only will the snow make for hazardous travel, but significant wind gusts will create areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Visibility can be reduced to below a quarter of a mile at times in the heaviest snow as winds gust to between 30 and 40 mph during the heart of the storm.

Next Storm Monday Night into Tuesday

As mentioned above, this won't be the only snowstorm to affect the northern Plains over the next few days.

Another low pressure system will across the Four Corners region on Monday before ejecting into the Plains Monday night. This low pressure center will end up farther south than the one tonight into Sunday, therefore sparing communities and cities near the Canadian border and southern Canada from additional heavy snows.

This storm will produce heavy snows across the Wasatch Range in Utah and the Colorado Rockies Monday night with local amounts of a foot or more possible.

Steady snow will then develop on the northern side of this storm from Wyoming through South Dakota and Minnesota late Monday night into Tuesday.

A zone of heavy, wind-driven snow will affect cities from Duluth and Brainerd, Minn., through Pierre and Rapid City, S.D.

Snowfall totals in excess of 6 inches appear likely at this time across the region mentioned above, along with near-blizzard conditions.

Stay tuned to AccuWeather.com over the next few days as we detail both bouts of snow coming for the northern Plains.

Double Whammy: Two Northern Plains Snows on the Way

Dry Winds Enhancing Southeast Fire Risk

Feb 25, 2012; 11:00 AM ET

A dry air mass settling across the Southeast in combination with gusty winds will set the stage for an enhanced fire risk today.

The conditions present could turn any small fire into a quickly spreading inferno. As such, no outdoor burning is recommended to start the weekend.

The bone dry conditions will provide the fuel for potential fires, with relative humidities as low as 20 percent expanding from the Mississippi Valley into the South today from Mississippi, Alabama and Florida to the Carolinas.

Though recent rainfall has moistened soil in some areas, the low humidity levels combined with sunshine will quickly dry the ground, providing a tinder fuel for fires.

Wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph, highest from Florida to the Carolinas, would fan any flames quickly.

While outdoor burning is strongly discouraged, many wildfires are started in other ways.

Motorists carelessly tossing cigarette butts out the windows of their cars are often responsible devastating wildfires. While this type of activity is always discouraged, it should be especially so on days like this.

If you suspect a wildfire, do not take any chances and be sure to call 911 at the first sign. Though firefighting conditions may prove difficult today, early response to any fire gives firefighters the best chance for early containment.

As high pressure builds over the region on Sunday, then begins to push off the Carolina coast, lighter winds and a moister air mass will build over the region, helping to quell the fire threat.

Dry Winds Enhancing Southeast Fire Risk

Snow May Reach Seattle Hills This Weekend

Feb 25, 2012; 10:54 AM ET

Snow could brush some of the hilltops around Seattle and will clog the Cascade passes this weekend.

Another storm will continue to push ashore from the Pacific Ocean this weekend.

Invading chilly air at the surface, combined with just enough dip in the jet stream, will substantially drag down snow levels this weekend in the Northwest.

While some snowflakes can mix in down to the Seattle Metro area, the setup is less than ideal for an accumulation, except for perhaps the hills from later Saturday night into Sunday morning.

The storm will track too far to the north, producing less favorable winds at sea level for snow.

However, another dose of drenching rain is in store for much of the I-5 corridor.

Snow levels will dip to around 500 feet around Seattle and around 1,000 feet around Portland Saturday night.

Substantial snow is in store for the Cascades, especially for the passes, where a couple of feet are possible. Folks heading over the passes should expect some delays at the least.

A few inches of snow are possible in the Blue Mountains. Heavy snow will again fall on the northern Rockies.

Snow May Reach Seattle Hills This Weekend

Snowstorm for Northern Plains, Southern Canada Prairies

Feb 25, 2012; 6:06 AM ET

A storm with wind and snow will streak eastward across the Plains and Prairies of the United States/Canada border this weekend.

This particular storm will avoid a southern track.

The northern Plains of the U.S. and the southern Prairies of Canada have not seen a great number of storms overall this winter, with many taking the trip toward Denver.

While far from a blockbuster snowstorm and immobilizing blizzard, this storm will bring multiple hours of wind-driven snow, which is no stranger during a typical winter.

The storm will affect Calgary and Alberta Saturday, Regina, Saskatchewan, later Saturday then much of North Dakota Saturday night. A few inches of snow are forecast for Fargo late Saturday night into Sunday morning. The bulk of the snow may stay north of Minneapolis during Sunday.

Only if the storm slices a bit farther north than now expected would substantial snow reach Winnipeg, Manitoba.

While the storm will bring challenging travel conditions for a time, it will bring needed moisture for agricultural purposes.

The storm hit the coastal Northwest Friday with low-elevation rain and mountain snow.

Up to a couple of feet (60 cm) of snow will fall over the Cascades, Coast Ranges and interior Rockies in the region into Saturday.

Snowstorm for Northern Plains, Southern Canada Prairies

Real-time imagery from GOES-East and GOES-West Satellites in full color

http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/goes_images.html

AccuWeather.com - Joe Lundberg | Winter May Be Making Its Strongest Remaining Push

Feb 24, 2012; 11:00 AM ET

Friday, 11:25 a.m.

You've watched those games, where one is up 17 over another with 5 minutes left to play in the fourth quarter, and the team with the lead has just pinned the other inside their ten. And the announcer says something to the effect that there's not much time left, and so-and-so needs to pick up the tempo and play with a sense of urgency. We all know that barring a miracle, the outcome is really not in doubt, but the announcers can't say that, as they have to keep interest in the game as long as possible.

I feel that way about this winter. Yes, it has snowed in Chicago overnight and this morning, with more than 6 inches in some of the north and northwest suburbs. There was some warm advection snow across the norther tier of Pennsylvania up into the southern tier of New York, and this same storm will dump some snow on the Adirondacks on into northern New England this afternoon and tonight. And yes, there will also be snow showers behind this storm over the next 24 to 36 hours around the Great Lakes into the Appalachians.

Aside from all that, let's face it. This has been a lopsided game right out of the gate, with the forces of cold getting dump trucked pretty much all winter long. Now we're seeing a growing cold air mass across Canada, and at least an opportunity for the cold to come south this weekend and next week. However, in the end, how and where will the cold intrusion be strongest? How much will get to the South and East? How long will it last? In the end, it's going to look a lot like the first three and-a-half quarters of the game. Most of the cold goes into the West, very little gets into the South and East and what does go to these latter areas just doesn't last long.

Take a look at a series of model snapshots for next week. I'll use the GFS here, but you can pretty much take your pick of any of the other medium range models, as it appears they're all reading from basically the same script. Here's the Monday morning forecast:

 

That little feature going by the Great Lakes will have far more of an impact on bringing warm air right back into the Midwest Sunday and across the Ohio Valley into the East Monday.

Now look at it for Wednesday:

 

That's a much more potent storm, not unlike the one we're seeing today crossing the eastern Great Lakes, only the model trend this week has been farther north. This means any snow associated with it is likely to remain across the northern Rockies and northern Plains into the Upper Midwest and maybe northern Great Lakes. To the south, another surge of warmth, rain and a high probability of severe weather.

Now look at Saturday morning, this from the view of the Canadian Model:

The European, to be honest, is farther south. Then again, it had the midweek storm much farther south a couple of days ago as well, and look where it is taking that storm now. The models' consensus, for now at least, is another cutting storm for the Great Lakes, more snow to the north and more rain and potential severe weather to the south.

Now look at the GFS ensemble seven-day means for next week:

After that, the models appear to want to move the polar vortex back to the north and west again, much as they did a month ago when the last cold push was at its high water mark. The latest European weeklies, for what it's worth, look like Valentine's Day all over again, with red splashed all across the maps for week two, ending March 11, week three, ending March 18, and week four, ending March 25. They could be wrong, and I don't trust them out that far, but there hasn't been much cold up to now, and there hasn't been any blocking. So it's hard for me to envision much cold going deep into March.

I see a coffin nearby, with a lid loosely fitted over the top of it, a bag of nails and a hammer. Hmmmm... Should I?

AccuWeather.com - Joe Lundberg | Winter May Be Making Its Strongest Remaining Push

AccuWeather.com - Meteo Madness | Severe Storms Today. Snow this Weekend.

Feb 24, 2012; 9:14 AM ET

Disco

1. The snow in Michigan should pile up anywhere from 1 to 6 inches depending on location. The snow should end this evening, and that will be it for this storm.

2. Severe storms will be the big story today. Yesterday, I thought we would get some storms in the Ohio Valley, but all we had were just a few hail storms. Today should be different considering that all the parameters are coming together for a line of storms developing from Virginia down to Georgia with eastern Virginia into eastern North Carolina the hit zone for tornadoes and damaging winds. The SPC folks have a moderate risk out for that area which is very rare to see in February so even they are impressed for some nasty storms.

3. Lake-effect snow should hit the Great Lakes tonight through Saturday. The normal lake-effect zones downwind of the lakes will get the heavy snow. I know my map shows 3-6 inches, but it's hard for me to draw every little area of snow. So just understand, the range of snow can go from 1 inch to 2 feet.

4. The next storm will cut across the northern Plains, so the area of snow you see on the map is for that storm this weekend. Winds will blow the snow around, so it may look like a blizzard in open areas of northern North Dakota and northern Minnesota.

5. The longer range looks like typical March weather with wild swings in the temps. While the cold air might not be all that impressive, I think anytime the warm air comes shooting north, it will be impressive just how high temps can go in the pattern. The deviation from normal on the higher side of the temps could be like 10 degrees in the warm air while in the cold air the deviations may only be -3 degrees.

AccuWeather.com - Meteo Madness | Severe Storms Today. Snow this Weekend.

High Winds to Howl in the Northeast, Disrupt Travel

Feb 24, 2012; 9:36 PM ET

High winds howling to 60 mph across the Northeast tonight into Saturday will likely result in travel delays.

A snowstorm pushing along the U.S.-Canada border tonight and departing into the Maritime provinces of Canada on Saturday will be followed by very high winds pushing in colder air.

Howling winds will first blast the eastern Great Lakes and the mid-Atlantic overnight, especially during the latter part of the night. The highest winds will blast New England on Saturday.

The strong winds will likely cause flight delays, including for the major airports like Philadelphia, Newark, La Guardia, JFK and Boston International Airports.

Travel for high-profile vehicles, such as campers and semi-trucks, will also be dangerous in the highest crosswinds.

 

"Some tree branches and a few power lines could be downed," said AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "Trash cans left out will be blown around."

Besides causing travel headaches and some localized damage, the high winds will contribute to AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures that are 10-15 degrees lower than actual temperatures. This may be shocking following a mild Friday across the southern mid-Atlantic, with highs reaching the 50s, 60s and even 70s.

Across the interior Northeast, actual highs will be in the 20s and 30s on Saturday, while highs for the I-95 corridor cities from Philadelphia to Boston and Portland will be in the 40s. The high in Washington, D.C., will be in the 50s, but it will feel much cooler.

Lake-Effect Snow for Great Lakes, Interior Northeast

The colder air rushing across the still mild and mostly unfrozen Great Lakes will trigger lake-effect snow showers for typical snowbelts downwind of the lakes.

The heaviest bands are expected to set up downwind of Lake Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York state tonight. Heavy bands of snow will develop downwind of Lake Ontario across New York state late tonight into Saturday.

SEE ALSO: Lake-Effect Snow Thump for Great Lakes, Norheast

Motorists in Erie, Pa., and Syracuse, N.Y., should be prepared for sudden bursts of snow that reduce the visibility and create slippery roads.

Quick bursts of snow will also whiten the Appalachians Friday night into Saturday all the way southward into the mountains of North Carolina.

High Winds to Howl in the Northeast, Disrupt Travel

Lake-Effect Snow Thump for Great Lakes, Northeast

Feb 24, 2012; 9:34 PM ET

Image of snow at night by Adam Gryko. From Photos.com.

Some heavy lake-effect snow bands will develop downwind of the Great Lakes tonight into Saturday as cold winds whip through the area.

The colder air will rush into the region following a snowstorm which will push into the Canadian Maritime provinces on Saturday. Up to a foot of snow has fallen across Michigan with the storm.

The Great Lakes are still relatively mild and mostly unfrozen, which is rare for this late in the season, so the cold air will allow snow showers to develop across Michigan, Wisconsin, northern Indiana, Ohio, western Pennsylvania and western New York.

Quick bursts of snow will also whiten the Appalachians tonight into Saturday all the way southward into the mountains of North Carolina.

RELATED:

High Winds Howl in the Northeast, Disrupt Travel

Warm Temperatures Keep Lake Erie from Freezing

The heaviest bands are expected to set up downwind of Lake Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York state tonight

.

Heavy bands of snow will develop downwind of Lake Ontario across New York state late tonight into Saturday.

Motorists in Erie, Pa., and Syracuse, N.Y., should be prepared for sudden bursts of snow that could suddenly reduce the visibility and create hazardous road conditions.

Erie, Pa., will will get 3-6 inches of snow with some areas to the east receiving 6-9 inches, according to AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Brian Wimer.

This is potentially the heaviest snowfall of the season for the Syracuse, N.Y., area, which may get more than half a foot of snow through Saturday.

Buffalo, N.Y., will get 1-3 inches of snow, while a few spots south of the city in ski country could pick up 6-9 inches of snow.

Lake-Effect Snow Thump for Great Lakes, Northeast

Snowstorm for Northern Plains, Southern Canada Prairies

Feb 24, 2012; 8:29 PM ET

A storm with wind and snow will streak eastward across the Plains and Prairies of the United States/Canada border this weekend.

This particular storm will avoid a southern track.

The northern Plains of the U.S. and the southern Prairies of Canada have not seen a great number of storms overall this winter, with many taking the trip toward Denver.

While far from a blockbuster snowstorm and immobilizing blizzard, this storm will bring multiple hours of wind-driven snow, which is no stranger during a typical winter.

The storm will affect Calgary, Alberta, tonight into early Saturday, Regina, Saskatchewan, during the day Saturday then much of North Dakota Saturday night. A few inches of snow are forecast for Fargo late Saturday night into Sunday morning. The bulk of the snow may stay north of Minneapolis during Sunday.

Only if the storm slices a bit farther north than now expected would substantial snow reach Winnipeg, Manitoba.

While the storm will bring challenging travel conditions for a time, it will bring needed moisture for agricultural purposes.

The storm was hitting the coastal Northwest Friday with low-elevation rain and mountain snow.

http://vortex.accuweather.com/adc2004/pub/includes/columns/topheadline/2012/640x426_02242041_signfri.jpg

Up to a couple of feet (60 cm) of snow will fall over the Cascades, Coast Ranges and interior Rockies in the region into Saturday.

Snowstorm for Northern Plains, Southern Canada Prairies

A Fatal Mistake: The 1977 Crash of Southern Airways 242

Feb 24, 2012; 8:19 PM ET

A thunderhead (cumulonimbus cloud) like the one that flight 242 flew through.
Photos.com

As part of AccuWeather.com's severe weather week, we take a look at three noteworthy airplane accidents where weather played a significant role in the disaster.

While not an exhaustive look at the impacts of weather on aviation, these three plane crashes arguably had some of the biggest impacts on aviation safety in adverse weather conditions.

The first installment in this three-part series is below.

The data for the following story was gathered from the official accident report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Southern Airways Flight 242

The air was muggy and the temperature nearing the 80-degree mark on the afternoon of April 4, 1977, as Captain Bill McKenzie and First Officer Lyman Keele piloted Southern Airways Flight 242 into the sky over Huntsville, Ala., headed east toward Atlanta, Ga.

Over the next hour, weather conditions would rapidly deteriorate and put the lives of 81 passengers and four crew members in danger as the pilots struggled to keep their plane in the air.

A Muggy Spring Day

That early spring day dawned fairly mild across the southeastern United States. A morning temperature of near 60 degrees in Atlanta, Ga., made for a pleasant early morning. The mercury climbed into the 70s by midday; however, the ideal outdoor activity weather would have dire consequences in the afternoon.

A cold front slicing through the Southeast began to trigger thunderstorms across Tennessee and Alabama by early afternoon. Rapid upward motion and cold air aloft combined with ample surface warmth and moisture created an environment ripe for severe thunderstorms.

Before leaving Huntsville, McKenzie and Keele had been informed of tornado watches issued for northern Alabama and northern Georgia that afternoon. There was no other specific information passed along to the pilots regarding bad weather between Huntsville and Atlanta.

What they did not know was that a line of severe thunderstorms, with a history of producing hail and tornadoes, was directly in their flight path.

Minutes after takeoff, Flight 242 entered a heavy thunderstorm. Both pilots attempted to use their in-flight weather radar to find a region of clear air.

Despite seeing an area on their radar that looked calmer, it was actually the strongest area of the storm. The pilots didn't realize that the heavy rain caused the radar to inaccurately portray an area of hail as an area of light precipitation. This can be a common problem but flight crews are not necessarily properly trained to recognize it.

By inadvertently entering the most intense part of the thunderstorm, the pilots had sealed their fate.

 

A plane similar to the aircraft piloted by McKenzie and Keele.
Photo by Flickr user Dean Morley

 A Fatal Mistake

Immediately, large hail began to pummel the DC-9 aircraft. Large amounts of rain and ice ingested into the engines caused them to surge. Soon after, they both quit working due to extreme damage.

As the plane descended, it broke out of the storm but now had no engine power. This type of emergency (permanent loss of thrust to both engines) had never occurred in the history of commercial, turbo-jet aircraft. The pilots were faced with an nearly impossible situation.

Despite a valiant effort by the crew to land the plane on a portion of road near New Hope, Ga., the plane's wing clipped a gas station during landing, bursting into flames. Of the 85 people onboard, 63 perished in addition to 9 on the ground; 23 survived.

Immediately, the investigation's focus turned toward the weather. Why had the pilots flown into a severe thunderstorm? Could the accident have been prevented? Did the flight crew have the information they needed to make proper decisions?

 

See more Severe Weather Week stories.

A Lack of Communication

In the end, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that important weather information had never been disseminated to the pilots of flight 242. They never knew that the storm in their flight path was severe due to no ground-to-air communication. Instead, they trusted their in-flight radar and made a grave mistake.

The NTSB recommended several improvements to the integration of weather information in the aviation industry. The development of weather systems that allowed real-time display of important meteorological information was expedited. In 1977, Doppler radar was still relatively unreliable and untimely.

In addition, the NTSB suggested that significant meteorological events be transmitted more frequently so that pilots were more aware about the hazards of severe weather. Proper dissemination of thunderstorms watches and warnings was also analyzed and improved.

While many of these changes may seem trivial today, they were ground-breaking over 30 years ago. The knowledge of weather and its impact on aviation has drastically improved since flight 242 crashed in 1977. However, less than 10 years later, a sultry summer day in Dallas, Texas, would turn deadly and an invisible killer would be revealed.

Stay tuned for the second installment of this three-part series focusing on Delta Airlines Flight 191, to be published on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

A Fatal Mistake: The 1977 Crash of Southern Airways 242

Eastern Canada Snowstorm

Feb 24, 2012; 8:10 PM ET

Up to 30 cm, or 12 inches, of fresh snow, whipped in many areas by strong winds, will blanket a swath of eastern Canada by Sunday.

Seeing snowfall of 15 cm or more, residents of Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City will experience travel delays by road and by air as the storm unfolds.

The storm will target the St. Lawrence Valley, together with the northern Atlantic lands, as it makes its way from southern Ontario Friday to Newfoundland 

Saturday night. 

In eastern Ontario to southwestern Quebec, the bulk of the snow will fall Friday afternoon into Friday night, but strong winds and drifting will last through Saturday.

Farther east, the worst of the snow will strike Friday night into Saturday in Quebec City, eastern Quebec and much of New Brunswick. However, strong winds of 50 to 80 km/h, causing much blowing and drifting, will make for difficult travel Saturday and Saturday night, as the heaviest snow shifts to northern Newfoundland and southeastern Labrador.

South of the heaviest snow, the storm will unleash a mixed bag of snow, sleet and rain in southern New Brunswick, northern Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and southern and eastern Newfoundland. Up to 15 cm of heavy, wet snow may accumulate.

Rain will dominate across southern Nova Scotia.

Farther west, a rare snowstorm for this winter will affect southern Alberta and Saskatchewan this weekend.

Eastern Canada Snowstorm

Australia Floods Isolate Outback Residents

NASA satellite imagery from Feb. 18 shows flooding on flood plains in eastern Australia. The flow of rivers is mostly from east to west (right to left), with streams converging east of Bourke, on the Darling River. The New South Wales-Queenland border cuts across the image. (NASA/Earth Observatory)

A slow-moving tide weeks in the making is still isolating people and forcing evacuations in the interior east of Australia.

Thursday, evacuation warnings were given to people living in Bourke and Brewarrina, New South Wales, the Australian ABC news website said on Friday. Brewarrina was likely to become isolated, ABC added.

Upstream, the formerly isolated towns of Walgett and Collarenebri become accessible as flood waters began to recede. Partial assess was restored at Lightning Ridge.

The flood crest is not forecast to reach Bourke until late next week, when major flooding is expected on the Darling River.

Authorities have closed the swollen Darling River to motorized boating, be it recreational or commercial, ABC said.

Not all flooding impact has been negative, however. Some graziers, quoted on ABC's website, have said that the flooding, by restoring ground water on the flood plains, will boost their production going forward.

Flooding of the Darling River and its major tributaries was sparked by abnormally heavy rain that fell between mid-January and early February. At the time, flash flooding and flooding of smaller rivers caused substantial loss of property for homes and farms in northwest New South Wales and southern Queensland.

Flooding of the Darling is not going to end any time, so, rather, it will keep rolling slowly, inexorably downstream. Take Menindee, where a major flood crest is forecast for mid-April, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) website said.

At Burtundy, above where the Darling meets the Murray River, flooding is not expected to peak until early to mid-May, according to the BoM.

Australia Floods Isolate Outback Residents

Wrap-up of Friday's Severe Storms

Feb 24, 2012; 8:00 PM ET

Devastating storms tore their way north along the Atlantic seaboard on Friday, from Florida to Delmarva, leaving destruction in their path.

"The danger for tornadoes has mainly passed," AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Michael Pigott said. "The watches are done, and most of the storms aren't a threat anymore."

Multiple tornadoes touched down throughout the afternoon and evening. An EF-2 tornado touched down near the Lexington county line in South Carolina. Winds were estimated to reach up to 130 mph. The Sumter Emergency manager and the local sheriff's department spotted a tornado with intermittent touchdowns 6 miles west/southwest of Pinewood, S.C.

Damaging wind gusts pulled down trees in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Power lines were also torn down in several states.

A tractor trailer was blown over near Cambridge, Md.

Four miles southwest of Pink Hill, N.C., a mobile home suffered major damage. One vehicle was totaled and one person was injured, as well. A chicken coop and a goat house were both destroyed in Comfort, N.C.

High winds damaged the roof of a school in Jackson, Ala., at midday, while several trees were snapped and a utility building was overturned in Lanett, Ala.

Wind gusts of up to 60 mph toppled a canopy over gas pumps at a Sheetz convenience store in Ford City, Pa.

Islandton, S.C., suffered massive damage from a possible tornado. Multiple homes were damaged and one was completely destroyed. A roof was torn off of another home and a shed was destroyed.

A funnel cloud was spotted 6 miles north/northeast of Brunswick, Ga.

Wrap-up of Friday's Severe Storms

Violent Storm, Tornado Risk Outer Banks to Florida

Feb 24, 2012; 5:23 PM ET

An intense thunderstorm but brilliant lightning show. Photo courtesy of Photos.com

A strong cold front slicing through the eastern third of the nation will trigger gusty thunderstorms from the Delmarva to northern Florida into the early evening.

As of 7:00 p.m. EST, broken lines of severe thunderstorms and some discrete storms stretched from northern Florida to Delmarva.

The main threats will be damaging wind gusts in excess of 50 mph. However, there is the potential for the strongest storms to produce a tornado.

An EF-2 tornado touched down near the Lexington county line in South Carolina. Winds were estimated to reach up to 130 mph.

Emergency manager and the local sheriff's department spotted a tornado with intermittent touchdowns 6 miles west/southwest of Pinewood, S.C.

This afternoon in Duplin County, North Carolina, Emergency Management said there was major damage to a mobile home. Four miles southwest of Pink Hill, N.C, a vehicle was totaled and at least one person was injured.

A waterspout was spotted on Lake Pontchartrain, 10 miles north-northeast Metairie, La., before midday.

High winds damaged the roof of a school in Jackson, Ala., at midday, while several trees were snapped and a utility building was overturned in Lanett, Ala.

Dozens of incidents involving downed trees and power lines have been prompted by this storm.Various houses and vehicles have been damaged.

The greatest risk for a few tornadoes stretches from southeastern Virginia to central and eastern Georgia.

People should remain alert for rapidly changing weather conditions and seek shelter indoors away from windows as the storms approach. The thunderstorms will contain frequent lightning strikes.

 

Several trees have been blown down already from this storm system. Up to golf ball-sized hail will continue to fall from a few of the strongest storms.

New Augusta, Miss., and an area 6 miles southeast of Lagrange, Miss., got hit by golf ball-sized hail.

The unusual warmth (temperatures over 20 degrees above average) in place across the Southeast and mid-Atlantic will create an environment conducive for gusty thunderstorms.

Cities in the line of fire into the first part of this evening include Richmond and Norfolk in Virginia, Raleigh, and Wilmington in North Carolina, Charleston and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina and Jacksonville in Florida.

As with most thunderstorms, heavy rain will also be a threat. Downpours could cause local flash flooding, especially in urban areas. The downpours will result in sudden low visibility on the roadways.

The threat of violent storms will end from west to east across the area early this evening as a cold front sweeps through. However, gusty winds in the wake of the front can still cause problems in terms of downed tree branches and perhaps minor power outages.

In the wake of the front, temperatures will fall sharply overnight.

Looking ahead to the weekend, high pressure is expected to dominate the weather across much of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic.

Residents of the immediate Gulf Coast to the Florida Panhandle could see some showers this weekend which could dampen the Daytona 500.

There was a lack of severe thunderstorm activity Thursday evening with marginally favorable atmospheric conditions. The overall atmosphere along part of the Atlantic Seaboard is much more unstable today, relatively speaking.

Violent Storm, Tornado Risk Outer Banks to Florida

Storm Chasing around the World

Feb 24, 2012; 5:00 PM ET

A June 5, 2009 tornado in Goshen County, Wyoming. Image courtesy of Meteorologist Shawn Smith.

We all know about Tornado Alley, but storm chasers are chasing everywhere, even in locations you may not think of in association with twisters.

Florida is known for its hurricanes and tropical storms, but chasers often flock to the Sunshine State for a severe weather outbreak as well.

What Makes Florida Different?

In terms of severe weather, Florida is known for its amazing lightning storms happening between late May and late August.

"Beautiful lightning storms come out of Florida," said Florida Storm Chaser and Videographer Jeff Gammons. "The photography from these storms is amazing."

To check out more Severe Weather Week stories, click here.

The chasing differences between Tornado Alley, which is located throughout the Central states, and Florida begins with geography.

"Tornado Alley consists of vast open land tracts, and visibility is in the hundreds of miles," said Gammons.

Lightning over Sarasota Bay, Fla. Image courtesy of AccuWeather.com Fan beitzdk.

The topography of Florida is also very flat, but some instances of rolling hills and major vegetation can make visibility very tricky for chasers.

Hundreds of the most violent tornadoes touch down in Tornado Alley each year, but Florida, the U.S. state with the highest number of tornadoes per unit area, is hit with tornadoes of the weaker sort.

"Storms in Tornado Alley are long-lived and include massive thunderstorms resulting from low pressure systems," said Gammons. "Some of them can last for miles and miles. They are much more potent."

Florida tornadoes, while also accompanied by thunderstorms, are short-lived.

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Why Meteorologists Chase Storms

"Florida storms are pulsating and not sustained," Gammons said.

However, while Gammons gets a thrill over the occasional Florida tornado, his real passion is hurricanes.

Some of the most intense storms he's come across include Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Charlie.

"The Category 4 winds of Charlie were phenomenal," said Gammons. "White-out conditions and the sound of debris was sobering."

Image courtesy of NOAA.

Other East Coast Chasing

AccuWeather.com Community Director and Meteorologist Jesse Ferrell chases storms in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, and although he's never seen a tornado, he said there is still plenty of weather to chase.

"I will jump in the car to 'chase' anything locally--even rainbows, sunsets, or snow squalls," said Ferrell.

Northeast tornadoes have a different meteorological makeup and tend to be less intense than Tornado Alley twisters.

"East Coast storms don't have the clear structure and identifying features of the super storms out West," Ferrell explained. "The terrain can cause storms to quickly flare up or completely disappear."

Ferrell also said the lack of arrangement in the roadway system in the Northeast can make tracking storms and retreating from bad situations more difficult. The mountainous terrain filled with vegetation can also make it challenging to see storms.

Ferrell said research shows that strong storms in Tornado Alley have fewer cloud-to-ground lightning strikes at the location when they unleash the most severe weather, whereas East Coast storms have deadly strikes throughout the storm.

Across the Canadian Border

As many as 80 to 100 tornadoes occur each year across the Canadian border, and like Florida, these twisters are usually much weaker than those occurring in Tornado Alley.

Storms killing dozens have occurred in Canada, with one of the deadliest happening in Edmonton in 1987. Twenty-seven people were killed along the path of the twister.

The differences between chasing in Canada and chasing in the United States are more equipment- and travel-oriented.

"You have to deal with Canadian customs when traveling over the border from the U.S.," said Doug Kiesling, storm chaser and freelance videographer for WeatherPaparazzi.com. "Fuel costs and travel costs in general are higher outside the U.S."

Kiesling also said that relying on the Canadian radar and vast network of roads can be a problem.

A late-evening storm passing by Kenosee Lake in Moose Mountain Park, Saskatchewan on Aug. 5, 2008. Image courtesy of AccuWeather.com Fan subcman.

"It's sparse in comparison to the U.S. radar," Kiesling explained. "Cellular communication is also an issue when chasing in Canada."

Kiesling has been in the line of tornado fire, even finding himself within 50 yards of a twister in the High Plains of the United States.

"Debris like shingles hit me, and debris hurts," said Kiesling. "It came spinning at me like a drill bit."

Storm Chasing Outside North America

While Tornado Alley is the prime tornado hot spot, many tornadoes occur outside the United States.

Although they are known for being much less severe than Tornado Alley storms, the occasional strong tornado has been known to touch down overseas. Five people were killed and over 200 were injured in the Castelo Branco, Portugal tornado of 1954.

A major challenge of chasing in other countries is that weather information isn't as accessible as it is in the United States.

"While there are storm chasers in Brazil, chasing is difficult due to all weather data not being made public," said Alexandre Aguiar of MetSul.com in Brazil. "Weather radar coverage is poor."

Australia is also a popular chasing spot, with the Northern Territory and southeast regions filled with chasers between the dry and monsoon seasons, November and December.

Storm clouds approaching Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia, on April 4, 2006. Image courtesy of AccuWeather.com Fan r.culshaw.

The Australian Severe Weather Association has more than 200 members organizing tornado and thunderstorm chases year-round.

Nearly every country has an online blogosphere of chasers and chasing organizations posting images, videos, and hunting storms.

It appears that the fascination people have with severe weather transcends borders, languages and cultural barriers.

Storm Chasing around the World

Snow for New York State, Northern New England

Feb 24, 2012; 4:48 PM ET

A weather snapshot of the Northeast shows a storm Friday.

The second snowstorm in two days is impacting part of upstate New York, northern New England and neighboring Canada this evening.

Several inches of snow will fall from Ottawa, Ontario, to Montreal, Quebec, Burlington, Vt. and Houlton, Maine.

According to Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews," Neighboring Canada will pick up as much as 30 centimeters of snow from part of southern Ontario to the St. Lawrence Valley and into New Brunswick."

This new snow, combined with recent snowfall, will make for a long-awaited weekend boon for northern skiers and snowmobilers, as just enough cold air will come in and stay in to allow the snow to stick around for a couple of days.

 

This map does not include lake-effect snow falling Friday night and Saturday. For a larger version of this map, visit the Winter Weather Center.

Road conditions will vary during the storm from wet to slushy to snow-covered. The conditions will depend largely on the intensity of the snow.

Generally, it has to snow very hard to stick to roads during the middle of the day with near or slightly above-freezing temperatures forecast for most areas. In the mountains, where it is typically a bit colder, more of the snow will stick to the roads.

Just south of the band of heavy snow, a zone of wintry mix or a quick change to rain is in store with little or no accumulation.

Farther south in the mid-Atlantic, a cold front swinging through today will mark the end of the recent warmth. Many areas will have several hours of gusty winds and a couple of showers. A few locations can be hit with a thunderstorm and brief powerful wind gusts.

The same storm is poised to bring severe weather to the Southeast and mid-Atlantic.

In the wake of the storm into this weekend, the air will be cold enough to produce lake-effect snow in downwind areas.

According to Meteorologist Meghan Evans, "Strong winds will blast much of the Northeast during Saturday."

 

The lack of ice on the lakes may add to the intensity of the bands of snow from what would normally take place in late February of a typical winter.

The cold will ease again early next week.

Snow for New York State, Northern New England

Winter Returns to the East to Close Week

Feb 24, 2012; 3:47 PM ET

In a winter season that has been dominated by mild temperatures and lack of snow, the Great Lakes and the Northeast are in for a reminder that winter is not yet over.

A potent storm system that pushed through the Ohio Valley Thursday night will slide into the interior Northeast on today, bringing a blast of arctic air, howling winds and some snow.

While the mild temperatures the region has seen recently has residents looking ahead to spring, many in the Great Lakes and Northeast have a rude awakening from Old Man Winter in store.

Places from Chicago, Ill., to Detroit, Mich., to Ottawa, Ontario, to Montreal, Quebec, will have some flakes flying today and tonight.

RELATED: Warmth Will Hold For Some in the Northeast

Residents who plan on traveling today should be prepared for slower travel and should exercise caution as roads could become slick in spots.

As the storm passes by this afternoon, much colder air will wrap in and change precipitation to snow in places like Erie, Pa., Buffalo, N.Y., and Toronto, Ontario. Moreover, any remaining slush or wet spots will freeze, further causing dangerous travel conditions.

 

Photo by Manan Ahmed

The cold air will gradually filter throughout the Northeast through Saturday. Afternoon high temperatures for the start of the weekend will be 10-20 degrees colder than they were on Friday in some places.

In the wake of the storm, gusty northwesterly winds will howl through the Northeast, with gusts past 50 mph possible.

Strong, gusty winds have the potential to knock down trees and power lines, which can lead to power outages. The winds can also make travel dangerous. High profile vehicles have an especially difficult time since strong winds can easily tip them over.

Looking ahead, strong high pressure will return to the East for the latter half of the weekend, and temperatures will then rebound once again for the start of next week.

Winter Returns to the East to Close Week