November 24-30, 2004
Midwest Weekly Highlights - November 24-30, 2004
The First Widespread Snows of the 2004-2005 Winter Hit the Midwest
During the week of November 24-30, three separate weather systems brought snow and rain to
Midwest. The snow amounts varied from a few inches to a foot of snow in places. The primary
snow band was concentrated along a storm track extending from western Missouri to eastern
Michigan, with a secondary snow band across the northern tier of the Midwest (Figure 1). To the
south and east of the snow band, substantial amounts of rain contributed to ample precipitation
totals for the last week of November (Figure 2). Some locations in southern Missouri received
over 3 inches of rain, and a large swath of the Midwest from southwest to northeast received
more than 200% of normal precipitation for the week (Figure 3). Despite the snow, most of the
Midwest was near normal or only slightly below normal in temperature for the week (Figure 4),
as warm and cold air masses moved through in quick succession. Only the northwestern Midwest
was considerably warmer than normal this week (+3 to +5°F). All remaining drought areas in the
Midwest were improved to the status of abnormally dry conditions, and these areas were reduced
in size over the previous week (Figure 5, National Drought Mitigation Center).
Thanksgiving Eve Snowstorm Challenges Holiday Travelers
The first snowstorm of the year for the central Midwest entered the region late on the 23rd. A strong low pressure center moved northeastward from Missouri through the Ohio Valley on the 24th (Figure 6, College of DuPage - COD). As temperatures fell below freezing behind the low, moist air lifted up and over the system, forming bands of snow to the northwest that dropped especially heavy snow in central Illinois (Figure 7, NWS) and southwestern Michigan. The snowfall totals approached eight inches in places, although most of it fell in only a few hours (Figure 8). Complicating travel conditions were near-gale force gusts of wind in the snow band region (Figure 9, COD). At its maximum extent, snow was falling all the way from Missouri to eastern Michigan (Figure 10, COD). The following day, the band of snow on the ground was quite distinct in satellite photos, with rivers branching on a white background where the snow was not overrun by clouds (Figure 11, NASA).
The snowstorm and accompanying winds caused more than 140,000 customer of Commonwealth Edison to loose power in the Chicago area, and thousands more to loose power in downstate Illinois. Besides disrupting holiday food preparation and causing tremendous traffic tie-ups, many flights at O'Hare Airport were cancelled, and those that were not cancelled faced 3-6 hour delays on one of the busiest air traffic days of the year for the nation. About 22 flights also were cancelled at the Detroit airport, and a Northwest Airlines jet with 87 passengers and 4 crew slipped off a snow covered runway at Lansing, MI. Fortunately, no one was injured in the aircraft mishap. About 150 car accidents occurred in the Detroit metro area during the storm. Further west, in the St. Louis area, a duck hunter was killed when high winds capsized his johnboat on the Mississippi River, and he could not be rescued in time. About 18,000 lost power in the St. Louis area, mostly due to wind effects. Finally, in Kansas City, MO, a heavy half foot of snow combined with winds and trees that still had some leaves led to a great deal of tree damage, and power outages to 34,000 customers.
In the midst of the heaviest part of the snow band, in Peoria, IL, the 8 inches of snow arrived during the several hours before rush hour. More than 400 non-emergency and 369 emergency calls came in to their assistance system, with about 100 cars in ditches and more involved in accidents ranging from minor fender benders to major collisions. There were numerous reports of minor injuries, and two people died in separate accidents caused by slick roads in the central Illinois area.. Over 26,000 central Illinois residents lost power. In Springfield, IL, the heavy wet snow caused a net over an open-air courtyard in the State Capitol office complex to collapse, pulling down brickwork where it was anchored and punching holes six storied below through the courtyard and into offices below it. Four state workers were injured by the debris falling through the ceilings of their offices.
An upper level trough that steered the storm over the Midwest also brought strong upper level
winds to the central Midwest (Figure 12, COD). While many severe weather events were
reported in the warm sector of the storm system in the Southeast U.S. (Figure 13, Storm
Prediction Center), the strong jet allowed some severe storms to form in the elevated warm sector
ahead of the low center in Indiana. Damage from two weak D0 tornadoes was detected in eastern
Indiana (Figure 14, NWS - Indianapolis). The Decatur County tornado was on the ground for
one-half mile, taking the roof off a barn. The Rush and Franklin County storm was on the
ground for about 2.5 miles, and caused extensive power pole and tree losses as well as destroying
a garage and moving a mobile home off its foundation. Fortunately, no injuries were noted. On
the positive side, authorities in Kentucky stated that the precipitation there aided greatly in the
containment of a number of wild fires in the eastern part of the state. However, this was quite an
eventful start to the winter storm season.
More Snow and Rain During the Rest of the Week
Minnesota missed the first snow storm, but had some freezing rain and light snow in the Minneapolis area on the 26th and 27th. The band of snow was heavier to the north of Minneapolis, and extended through Minnesota into most of northern Wisconsin (Figure 15). A total of six traffic fatalities were blamed on weather-related accidents in Minnesota alone.
The streak of storms was completed by another southern Plains low that passed south of the region on the 30th (Figure 16, COD). The precipitation mechanisms were very similar to the storm at the beginning of the week, leaving a radar signature that was quite similar (Figure 17, COD). Most of the precipitation seen on the radar is rain. Unfortunately, the rain in western Kentucky led to the death of a baby lost when it was swept away from a parent evacuating a car that had been stalled trying to cross a flooded road. A significant trailing snow band developed behind the storm, reaching a maximum snowfall of about 6 inches in the Rockford, IL, area. As December began, the band of snow cover that had largely disappeared since the 25th was once again visible, this time including a large snow blanket over Nebraska (Figure 18, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research). Also "disappeared" were 105 cars towed at the start of the enforcement of winter parking bans on snow routes in Chicago. Winter had begun in earnest in the Midwest.