Cold Deserts
From the 12th through the 16th, an upper level low with unseasonably cold air spun around the western part of the U.S. bringing the coldest temperatures in six years for some regions. At least 1 death and 147 million dollars of property damage, mainly from burst outdoor pipes, occurred during this time.
A freeze warning was issued for the Phoenix area from Friday morning the 11th through Tuesday the 15th. Isolated instances of black ice were reported across the area. It was not from precipitation; however, the black ice was responsible for a significant traffic accident in central Phoenix.
A report of a burst water pipe is believed to be the cause of the black ice. A 73,000 dollar Corvette and a 38,000 dollar Camaro were among the casualties. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries.
Flooding in Arkansas
Flash flooding and river flooding were topics for conversation among several residents. Primarily, from the 12th through the 13th, 3-6" rain drenched parts of central and north central areas of the state. Water rescues and road closures were common.
In Drew County, near Monticello, a road collapsed due to a washed out culvert. According to KATV, nobody was injured in the accident below.
Flooding Death in Indiana
A 19-year old Ball State University student died as he drove through a flooded roadway along SR 26. The vehicle slid across the opposite lane into a ditch and rolled onto its top in over 5 feet of water. Despite the valiant efforts of first responders who waded through 3 feet of water for a distance of 30-40 feet to attach tow lines to the vehicle and pull it out, the driver was unresponsive and later pronounced dead.
Wild Weather in Louisiana
On the 12th, tornadoes raked DeSoto, Red River, and Caddo Parishes in Northwest Louisiana. Actually, it was the same tornado and was consistent with EF-1 damage along its path. Two injuries were reported from a travel trailer at a natural gas site.
On the 14th, winter weather affected the same region. Nearby Winn and Ouachita Parishes received significant amounts of icing from the 14th - 15th. Downed power lines and limbs produced fires and some property damage.
Mississippi Winter Wonderland
In central Mississippi during the 14th through the 17th, a significant ice storm caused nearly 400,000 dollars worth of damage to property. There were reports that a couple periods of moderate freezing rain was accompanied by thunder.
In the eastern part of Choctaw county, it was the snow that people were talking about. A half foot of snow accumulated there.
North Carolina Flooding
Bryson City was one of the areas deeply impacted by the heavy rains during the 15th and 16th. Residents of six trailer homes had to be evacuated as a sinkhole developed under their dwellings. The sinkhole was most likely caused by the pipes that were carrying water became clogged and subsequently burst thus collapsing the surrounding grounds.
In addition, in and around Cherokee, flash flooding and landslides damaged several roads. In fact, when I visited Gatlinburg in March 2013, I was not able to access the entrance on US441 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Later, I found out that a 200-foot section of the road still had debris from a massive landslide, and it must have been this particular storm system that did it.
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My next segment will be about the 20-year anniversary of the ice/snow and bitter cold event of 1994.
Additional information compiled by WTHR; National Climatic Data Center; Smokey Mountain News.
MS
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