January 2008 Western North American super storm

Infobox winter storm|name=January 2008 Western North American super storm
image location=


stormtype=Coastal storm
date formed=January 3, 2008
date dissipated=
maximum amount= 132 inches of snow at Kirkwood Ski Resort, California [http://www.accuweather.com/news-blogs.asp?blog=community&date=2008-01-06_23:12 AccuWeather.com - Weather Blogs - Weather News ] ]
10 inches of rain in Loma Prieta, California http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc1.html]
convert|37.7|ft|m|sing=on waves [http://www.accuweather.com/news-blogs.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&blog=community&date=2008-01-05_14:38&month=1 AccuWeather.com - Weather Blogs - Weather News ] ]
Maximum Wind=165mph
pressure=28.30milibars=956 hPa(mmb)
maximum waves=37.7 feet at an offshore buoy
total damages (USD)=Not yet known
total fatalities=at least 11 [http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7204646,00.html]
areas affected= Western North America and Rocky Mountains

The January 2008 Western North American super storm was a powerful Pacific Ocean coastal storm that affected a large area in Western North America stretching from western British Columbia to near the Tijuana, Mexico area starting on January 3, 2008. The system was responsible for flooding rains across many areas in California along with very strong winds locally exceeding hurricane force strength as well as heavy mountain snows across the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain chains as well as those in Idaho, Utah and Colorado. The storms were responsible for the death of at least 12 people across three states and extensive damage to utility services as well as to some structures.

Meteorological synopsis

The strong low pressure system responsible for much of the extreme weather (this was actually a series of three storms) traversed much of the Pacific Ocean before the first main wave arrived late on January 3, with the final major band of snow and rain affected much of the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to northern Mexico with precipitation continuing well into January 4 before weakening east of the Rockies. Heavy rain downpours, heavy snow and fierce winds lashed the west coast of most of California, beginning January 4, 2008. For January 4 and 5, general rainfall was around convert|2|in|mm of rain in Oregon and Utah, while nearly convert|4|in|mm fell over parts of Nevada and as much as convert|10|in|mm in parts of California. Snowfall amounts for those two days reached as much as convert|70|in|mm in Blackcap Basin in California while many mountain regions of California, Nevada and Idaho received between 1 and convert|5|ft|m of snow. On the afternoon of January 6, Kirkwood Ski Resort reported convert|10|ft|m of snow in 48 hours with a storm total of 11 feet. Widespread hurricane-force wind gusts were reported across most western states with winds reaching speeds of convert|100|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on or more. [ [http://www.accuweather.com/news-blogs.asp?blog=community&date=2008-01-05_14:38&month=1 AccuWeather.com - Weather Blogs - Weather News ] ] The highest reported wind gusts were 165 mph (260 kph) in Tahoe City, California. [ [http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-weather5jan05,1,6495017.story?track=rss Storm stalls on Central Coast - Los Angeles Times ] ] Waves were reported as high as convert|37.7|ft|m offshore from Washington State, and pressure fell to 28.30"Hg (mb) - the pressure equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane.

Effects

Flights departing from San Francisco were grounded, while over convert|100|mi|km of Interstate 80 was shut down in eastern California and western Nevada due to poor visibility and a 17-vehicle pile-up. Bay Area Rapid Transit was also disrupted with significant delays to service and was even interrupted between San Francisco and Daly City briefly due to fallen trees on the network's tracks. [ [http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local&id=5873103 abc7news.com: 1/05/08 ] ] Strong winds pulled power lines down causing power outages for 1.2 million Californians [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/us/05calif.html?hp Ferocious Storm Punishes Northern California - New York Times ] ] while several outages were reported in Washington and Oregon. [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/06/national/main3679613.shtml Three Dead From West Coast Storms, Forecasters Predict More Rain, Snow In Sierra Nevada; Death Toll Rises From Weather Conditions, Flooding - CBS News ] ] Utility officials in California mentionned that about convert|500|mi|km of power lines were damaged by the storm. [ [http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=4094194 ABC News: Cold Waters Recede in Flooded Nev. Town ] ] .

The storm has resulted in the closing of ski resorts, toppling of trees and mudslides. Highways from Sacramento to San Francisco were closed until debris blocking the way was cleared and the storm weakened. Meteorologists predicted about convert|10|ft|m of snow by the end of the storms giving hope to Californians for more water for the year of 2008 following a dryer than average 2007 and expected water shortage in 2008. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in Orange County in Southern California. [http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_7884040] . On January 5 a canal levee ruptured near Reno, Nevada, and flooded some 800 residences. [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN0535037520080105 UPDATE 1-California braces for second round of storms | Markets | Bonds News | Reuters ] ] At least 3000 people had to be rescued via helicopters from rooftops of flooded homes while cold temperatures hindered the rescue efforts. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/01/06/west-snow.html New storms threaten West Coast ] ]

Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons had declared a state of emergency for Lyon County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency was called in for emergency assistance and distribution of food and water. Bank firm Wells Fargo also opened a bank account to collect funds for the residents of Fernley. Residences were gradually returning home on January 7. [ [http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7583409&nav=menu113_1_3 Channel 4 KRNV.com: Local News and Weather for Reno-Tahoe Region: Wells Fargo creates bank account to help Fernley recover ] ] [ [http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7583736&nav=menu113_1_3 Channel 4 KRNV.com: Local News and Weather for Reno-Tahoe Region: Gibbons declares state of emergency in Fernley flood ] ] California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also declared a state of emergency for three counties while Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski declared a state of emergency for Umatilla County due to wind damage. At least 12 people were killed including two in California, eight in Utah and two in Oregon due to falling branches or trees, traffic accidents and flooding. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7173995.stm BBC NEWS | Americas | Storms kill three in western US ] ] [ [http://www.katu.com/news/13486032.html Man killed, seven injured on icy mountain highway | KATU.com - Portland, Oregon | News ] ] [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/01/06/california.storm.ap/index.html Homes remain flooded after levee break - CNN.com ] ] [ [http://news.aol.com/story/_a/winter-storm-pummels-western-states/20080104115509990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001 Residents of Flooded Nevada Town Return - AOL News ] ] Eight of the fatalities were caused by the rollover of a charter bus in southeastern Utah. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22539077/ 6 missing snowmobilers rescued - Life - MSNBC.com ] ] 7 people in a same home in California were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning from a lantern that was used to warm up the home that was without power. [ [http://www.kcra.com/news/14988762/detail.html 7 Suffer Carbon Monoxide Poisoning After Storm - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento ] ] Several other people, including snowmobilers and skiers, were missing in the mountain regions of Colorado. The six snowmobilers were later found alive after calling for emergency services from a train station. Another hiker went also missing in the San Bernardino Mountains. [ [http://www.koat.com/news/14988698/detail.html Missing Snowmobilers Rescued In Colorado - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque ] ] [ [http://www.foxreno.com/news/14969389/detail.html Storm Bearing Down On Bay To Pack Weaker Punch - News Story - KRXI Reno ] ] [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/01/07/winter.weather.ap/index.html Six missing snowmobilers safe after weekend lost in snow - CNN.com ] ]

ee also

* Winter storms of 2007-08

References

External links

* [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc1.html The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center Storm Summary]
* [http://www.accuweather.com/news-blogs.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&blog=community&date=2008-01-07_13:28&month=1 Photos of Nevada Levee Break (AccuWeather)]
* [http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/592 Satellite Photos of the Storm (CIMSS)]
* [http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/hnx/jan042008winterstorm.php Storm Summary] (NWS Hanford, CA)
* [http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/jan4_storm.php Storm Summary] (NWS San Francisco)
* [http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pdt/reference/20080104/index.php?wfo=pdt Storm Summary] (NWS Pendleton, WA)