Please note: Material provided in this report is chosen subjectively and included at the discretion of the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The ability to report on a given event is limited by the amount of information available to NCDC at the time of publication. Inclusion of a particular event does not constitute a greater importance in comparison with an event that has not been incorporated into the discussion. Data included in this report are preliminary unless otherwise stated. Links to supporting information are valid at the time of publication, but they are not maintained or changed after publication.
Drought
& Heat | Flooding | Storms | Tropical Cyclones |
Extratropical Cyclones | Severe Winter Weather
Across the United States, moderate to severe long-term drought
persisted throughout parts of the Pacific Northwest eastward into
the northern Rockies. Meanwhile, severe to extreme drought affected
areas of the Mississippi Valley, where some of the worst conditions
were observed in northwestern Illinois.
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U.S.
Drought Monitor
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African Rainfall Anomalies
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Long-term drought continued in parts of the Greater Horn and
southern Africa, including southern Somalia southward into
Mozambique, southern Malawi and eastern Zimbabwe. Water levels on
Lake Victoria were 88 cm (~3 feet) below normal as of mid-September
(near 45-year lows), due to below normal rainfall during the past
year. For the latest African analysis and forecast, see the
Famine Early Warning System Network.
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A multi-month drought continued into September in much of
western Europe. Since the beginning of October 2004, rainfall has
been less than half of normal in areas of the United Kingdom,
France, Spain and Portugal.
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Western
Europe Drought
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Indonesia Landslides
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In West Sumatra, Indonesia, heavy rainfall produced landslides
near Padang on the 2nd. There were 16 fatalities and at least 10
injuries. Over 200 people were evacuated from their homes
(OCHA).
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Days of heavy rainfall during mid-September from a storm system
in the Bay of Bengal caused extensive flooding along the east coast
of India northeastward into Bangladesh. There were at least 66
fatalities in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (Reuters).
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Flooding In India
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In Burma, heavy monsoon-related rainfall affected the southern
coastal areas during the second week of September. Flooding and
landslides affected the Thanintaryi division during the 14th-15th,
resulting in at least 27 deaths (IFRC).
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Costa Rica Flooding
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In Costa Rica, heavy rains in the latter half of the month
produced flooding that resulted in 8 fatalities (OCHA).
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Satellite Image Of Talim
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Typhoon Talim developed in
August and
affected Taiwan before making landfall in southeast China's
Fujian province on the 1st as a tropical storm. Maximum sustained
winds at the time of landfall were near 100 km/hr (55 knots or 65
mph). The storm caused significant flooding across the provinces of
Fujian, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan and Hubei during September
1-3. There were at least 129 deaths from the storm and over 100,000
housing units destroyed. The storm and its associated flooding was
responsible for the evacuation of 1.84 million people and the loss
of over 260,000 hectares (640,000 acres) of crops (OCHA).
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Typhoon Nabi developed in the
western Pacific Ocean on August 29, reaching typhoon strength by
31st. Nabi reached Kyushu in Japan on September 6 with maximum
sustained winds near 165 km/hr (90 knots or 105 mph). The storm
weakened below tropical storm strength on the 7th, but very heavy
rain fell along its path before dissipation over the Sea of
Japan.
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Satellite Image Of Nabi
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Satellite Image Of Khanun
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Typhoon Khanun developed as
a depression in the western Pacific Ocean before reaching typhoon
intensity on the 8th as it tracked to the northwest. Khanun moved
into the East China Sea on the 10th, making landfall in China's
Zhejiang province on the 11th with maximum sustained winds near 165
km/hr (90 knots or 105 mph).
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Hurricane Ophelia initially
developed as tropical depression near Freeport, Bahamas on the 6th,
reaching tropical storm strength by the 7th. While remaining
offshore, the storm brought gusty winds and heavy rains to the
east-central coast of Florida before moving to the northeast.
Ophelia reached category-1 hurricane
status by the 8th, and skirted the North Carolina coast during
September 14-15, with hurricane-force wind gusts along the
coastline from Cape Fear to Cape Lookout. Around 100,000 people
lost power, and rainfall amounts of
250-305 mm (10-12 inches) were common along the immediate
coastal areas.
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Radar Animation Of Ophelia
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Radar Animation Of Hurricane Rita
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Hurricane Rita developed as a
depression just east of the Turks and Caicos islands on the 18th,
reaching tropical storm strength later the same day. Hurricane
intensity was achieved on the 20th as Rita tracked through the
Florida Straits and just south of the Florida Keys. Winds were
sustained at tropical storm force at Key West, where peak winds
gusted to 122 km/hr (66 knots or 76 mph).
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Rita emerged into the Gulf of Mexico on the 21st, undergoing a
period of rapid intensification. By 0300 UTC on the 22nd (11PM EDT
on the 21st), the pressure dropped to 897 millibars (26.49 inches
of mercury), or the third-lowest pressure on record in the
Atlantic. The two lowest pressures were recorded in the eye of
Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 (888 millibars) and in the Labor Day
Hurricane of 1935 (892 millibars). This marked the first time in
the historical record that two hurricanes have reached category-5
intensity in the Gulf of Mexico in a single season (Katrina
and Rita).
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Hurricane Rita
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Rita continued to the northwest and weakened, but reached the
Texas/Louisiana border area near Sabine Pass early on the 24th as a
category-3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 195 km/hr
(105 knots or 120 mph). A storm surge of at least 4.6 meters (15
feet) flooded parts of Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Terrebonne and
Vermilion parishes, where sugar cane crop losses were estimated
near $300 million (Reuters). A 2.4 meter (8-foot) storm surge in
New Orleans overtopped the provisionally-repaired levees (from
Hurricane Katrina damage) and caused additional flooding. A total
of 10 fatalities were reported, and preliminary damage estimates
ranged between $4-5 billion (AFP).
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Hurricane
Rita Near LA/TX Border
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Typhoon Damrey
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Typhoon Damrey developed
east of the northern Philippines in the Philippine Sea on the 20th,
skirting the northern part of that country on the 21st. Typhoon
status was achieved by the 24th as Damrey moved across the South
China Sea. The typhoon passed over Hainan island on the 25th,
reaching the coast with maximum sustained winds near 160 km/hr (85
knots or 100 mph). Chinese officials described Damrey as the worst
typhoon to strike Hainan in decades (BBC News). Damrey continued
westward, making a second and final landfall as a tropical storm in
northern Vietnam on the 27th near Thanh Hoa with maximum sustained
winds near 100 km/hr (55 knots or 65 mph). Flooding was responsible
for the majority of the loss of life, with a total of 145 deaths
from the storm (59 in Vietnam, 16 in the Philippines, 16 in
southern China, 3 in Thailand and 51 in Nepal) (OCHA/AFP).
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Typhoon Saola developed in
the western Pacific Ocean on the 20th, reaching typhoon strength
the next day. Saola passed about 160 km (100 miles) northeast of
the island of Iwo Jima on the 22nd with maximum sustained winds
near 140 km/hr (75 knots or 85 mph). Saola curved just east of
Japan during the 25th-26th.
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Typhoon Saola
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Hurricane Otis brushed
portions of the Mexican coastline with heavy rains and gusty winds,
although the storm never made landfall. For more information on
Otis and eastern Pacific tropical storms and hurricanes, see the
Eastern
Pacific Hurricane page.
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Storm System Affects Brazil
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A strong mid-latitude storm system affected southern Brazil and
adjacent areas of Uruguay during early September. In the Brazilian
state of Rio Grande do Sul, strong winds on the 2nd produced
thousands of power outages in the city of Porto Alegre. Coastal
areas observed the strongest winds, with peak gusts of 111 km/hr
(69 mph) observed at Rio Grande.
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In southern Brazil on September 12-13, snow and freezing rain
fell in the city of Sao Joaquim in Santa Catarina state. The last
occurrence of freezing rain in Sao Joaquim was in 1984. Farther
north in Rio Grande do Sul state, a trace of snow was recorded in
Barra do Quarai. This was the first recorded snowfall in the
southwestern portion of Rio Grande do Sul state during the month of
September.
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Freezing Rain In Southern Brazil
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