GLOBAL WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

OCTOBER 2004

EUROPE
western

A strong storm system battered Ireland with wind and rain during late
October. A powerful storm system affected portions of western Europe during
October 8-9, 2004. In Portugal, power was disrupted for many residents in
central and northern parts of the country as winds gusted over 60 mph. The
winds damaged at least 40 percent of the 740 acres of greenhouses that exist in
central Portugal. There was one reported fatality that was attributed to the
strong winds.

Another strong storm system affected the United Kingdom around Ocober 27 with
strong winds and heavy rainfall. Across Ireland, winds gusted over 70 mph and
heavy rainfall produced flooding. The River Lee reached the highest level since
1962, producing significant flooding in the southwestern city of Cork.

UNITED STATES
West

Severe to exceptional drought continued throughout much of the Intermountain
West, with the worst areas in parts of eastern Idaho, northeastern Wyoming and
adjacent areas of Montana. In Nebraska, the Platte River near Columbus was dry
at the beginning of the month.

California

In the United States, the first significant storm system of the season for
California brought heavy rainfall, mudslides, and heavy snowfall to the higher
elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the 19th. Rainfall amounts in the
1 to 4 inch range were common, with some record daily amounts reported.

East

Severe thunderstorms erupted in the U.S. Tennessee Valley region on the 18th,
producing 28 reports of tornadoes in Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Alabama.
There were three fatalities in southeastern Missouri near the town of Cooter,
while at least 118 buildings were damaged and 15 people injured in Arkansas
from the storms.

Southern Plains

Tropical Storm Matthew developed in the western Gulf of Mexico on the 8th and
crossed the coast near Houma, Louisiana on the 10th with maximum sustained
winds near 40 mph. The primary impact from Matthew was the heavy rainfall that
accompanied the storm.

CANADA

Snow fell across much of the Canadian grain-belt during mid-October,
effectively ending the growing season in many parts of the prairie provinces.
As much as 7 inches of snow covered fields in northern Alberta, with 6 inches
as Saskatoon, Saskatchewan during the 17th-18th.

AFRICA
eastern

Significant rains fell in early October in the Sool Plateau of northern
Somalia. However, four years of drought continued to have devastating effects.
In southeastern Kenya, 2 year rainfall has been near half of normal.

ASIA
south

Heavy rains during October 8-10 brought major flooding to India's northeastern
state of Assam, neighboring areas of Bangladesh and Nepal. Flash flooding and
mudslides claimed 133 lives in Assam and West Bengal states in India, 39 in
Bangladesh and 5 in Nepal. Thousands of livestock were also lost to the
flooding.

Typhoon Ma-on developed in the western Pacific Ocean on the 4th, reaching
typhoon intensity by the 6th. Ma-on made landfall along the east coast of Japan
on the 9th, with maximum sustained winds near 105 mph. This was the strongest
typhoon to strike this part of Japan and the greater Tokyo area in 10 years,
and the ninth typhoon to affect Japan this season. There were six fatalities.

Typhoon developed in the western Pacific Ocean on the 12th, passing through the
Northern Mariana Islands and reaching typhoon strength by the 13th. Tokage
reached Okinawa on the 19th with maximum sustained winds near 90 mph, and
crossed directly over Japan during the 19th-21st. The typhoon's large diameter
over 300 miles brought strong winds and heavy rainfall to nearly all of the
Japanese islands, producing significant flooding and wind damage. Tokage also
produced a record eight-story high wave of 80 feet off the port of Muroto on
the southern island of Shikoku on the 20th. This was the highest wave recorded
in the country since the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport started
monitoring wave heights in 1970. There were 79 fatalities from Tokage, making
it the deadliest typhoon for Japan since October 1979 when 115 people were
killed or presumed dead. Tokage is the tenth typhoon this year to hit Japan,
which is a new record for the most typhoons in a single season. The old record
is 6 set in 1990. Records begin in 1951.

Typhoon Nock-ten developed in the western Pacific Ocean on the 16th, reaching
typhoon intensity by the 18th. Nock-ten skirted the northeast coast of Taiwan
on the 25th with maximum sustained winds near 125 mph. There were four deaths
attributed to flooding, with at least 100 injuries, mostly caused by flying
debris. The typhoon weakened and dissipated as it moved over the East China
Sea.