Here is my list of the top weather stories in the United States in 2006…feel free to chime in with your contribution by posting a comment…
10. Early Season Snows in Southeast…. On November 21st…the earliest snow ever reported in Florida occurred across Volusia, Orange and Seminole Counties.
9. Buffalo Lake Effect Snow: 22.6 inches of lake effect snow fell October 12-13 in Buffalo, New York, their biggest October snowfall ever.
8. May and June Flooding: Thousands of people were forced from their homes in New England and the Mid-Atlantic by two massive rain events.
7. The deadly Esperanza Wildfire in California killed four firefighters on October 26th.
6. An early morning tornado killed eight people at Riegelwood, North Carolina on November 16th.
5. The retirement of Max Mayfield. The final toll of the terrible 2004 and 2005 North Atlantic hurricane seasons was the Director of the National Hurricane Center who retired after 34 years.
4. Record wildfire season. A total of 9.5 million acres have burned this year thanks to persistent drought conditions and warmer than normal temperatures over the West.
3. Deadly heat. A heat wave affected a large portion of the nation during July 16-25. California was particularly affected, with 140 deaths attributed to high temperatures soaring well over 100F.
2. Deadly Tennessee Tornadoes. Twisters killed 19 people across the Volunteer State on April 2nd. Just five days later, Tennessee bore the brunt again, as an outbreak of tornadoes across the Deep South killed twelve people across the state.
1. Downward Trend in Violent Tornadoes. Only 23 strong tornadoes during prime tornado season across the U.S. this year. Average is 37. Only one F4 this year, and 22 F3 tornadoes. No F5s. The last F5 was May 3, 1999 at Oklahoma City. It is far and away the longest F5 drought in U.S recorded weather history.
