The Weather Century- 1993 Superstorm
The strongest storm to hit the east in the century. Superstorm 1993 began as a low pressure system that moved out of the Rockies to the Gulf where it exploded rapidly. This storm is remembered for being predictable almost a week before it happened. A huge trough developed down well into the south bringing unseasonably cold air. On the 12th of March, the low moved across the Gulf coast and caused destruction even down into Cuba where 3 were killed and the city of Havanna was without power. A tornado in Reynosa, Mexico left 5,000 people homeless. While back in the States, at least 15 tornados hit Florida killing 44. The low tracked through the northern part of the state kicking up waves and causing a 12 foot storm surge in Taylor County killing 7. Meanwhile on the west side of the storm, heavy snowfall was occuring over Alabama. Birmingham set a 24 hour snow fall record picking up 13 inches of snow. 20 inches fell in a 24 hour period in Chattanooga. On the 13th, the storm deepened rapidly and began moving up the East Coast. Places as far south as Northern Florida, Southern Alabama, and Southern Georgia receieved measurable snowfall. Rain changed to snow early on the 13th in Atlanta as the city officially recorded 4 inches but up to 10 inches of snow fell in the suburbs as winds over 50 mph occured giving the city its first Blizzard Warning ever. Bitter cold was funneling south with the very strong winds. On this day, the snow began piling up in the Appalachians. Asheville recorded a 24 hour snow record with 16.5 inches. Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the east, recorded 50 inches of snow but not out done was Mount Le Conte, TN with 56 inches! Areas in the Southern Appalachians were cut off for many days as people were stranded. Further east, the storm was causing low pressure records. Pressures similar to a catagory 3 hurricane were reported from Augusta, GA to White Plains, NY where they recorded a 28.38 inch baraometric pressure reading! On the 13th, blizzard like conditions shut down every major airport from Atlanta to Boston something that has never happened! A domino effect occured across the nation due to this. Some people waited up to 3 days for a flight out in an airport. Highways and interstates were closed even in New England due to the heavy snow. Passenger trains stopped running from D.C. to Florida and from D.C. to Chicago. The inland track of the storm kept most of the big cities out of the heavy snowfall with Washington getting just over a foot, New York getting 10 inches, Boston and Philadelphia with 12 inches. Not the case for inalnd locations. Pittsburgh had 25 inches, Syracuse had 43 inches and Snowshoe, WV came in with 44 inches. All in all, 270 people were killed in this storm and 48 were missing at sea. Truly it lived up to its name, "The Storm Of The Century." For MRS Weather, I'm Marcus Smith.
National Weather Report
The Weather Century
