NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY

OCTOBER 2006

1st-7th...Showers and thunderstorms moved through the Southwest and
Great Basin on Friday, prompting flood warnings and severe thunderstorm
watches in Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. Some rivers
experienced flash flooding, while others were expected to rise into the
evening. Meanwhile, light to heavy rain fell in the Mid-Atlantic and
southern New England throughout the day, sparking flash flood watches
in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey.
Heavy Rain Forces Evacuations in Va.
A storm that dropped as much as 9 inches of rain forced the evacuation
Saturday of about 100 people in a six-block section of the capital,
caused scattered flooding in the southeastern part of the state and
likely contributed to the death of two fishermen. Ferry service across
the James River was temporarily suspended because of high waters; one
ferry returned to service Saturday afternoon. In southeast Virginia's
Isle of Wight, officials evacuated about three dozen people and
reported widespread flooding after at least 8 inches of rain since
Friday. The National Weather Service said rainfall since Friday ranged
from 4 to 9 inches as a storm stalled over the state and a band of rain
drenched central Virginia to Hampton Roads. Rain was forecast to taper
off later Saturday. The latest evacuation involved approximately 100
residents, said Britt Drewes, a spokeswoman for the Department of
Public Works. An emergency shelter was opened.

8th-14th...The nation's first major arctic outbreak of the season
continued Wednesday as cold air sank into part of the nation's
midsection. Strong winds produced high waves on Lake Superior and
prompted flood statements in northern Wisconsin and Michigan. Rain and
thunderstorms moved through the Upper Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley
and western New England, and there were even some severe thunderstorms
in the Tennessee Valley.
A rare early October snowstorm left parts of the Great Lakes and
Midwest blanketed with 2 feet of snow Friday morning, prompting
widespread blackouts, closing schools and stranding travelers. The wet,
heavy snow downed tree limbs and toppled power lines, leaving 350,000
homes and businesses without electricity in western New York, officials
said. Workers on snowmobiles delivered food and water to motorists
stuck along the New York Thruway, which was shut down for more than 100
miles by the storm. Buffalo's normally busy downtown streets were
deserted. ''All the trees are down. No power,'' said resident Ron
Pellnat, surveying the damage. ''It's Friday the 13th, how about
that?'' The city's main airport was closed Friday morning as runways
were cleared after at least 14 inches of snow fell, said Tom Paone, a
meteorologist with the National Weather Service. On Thursday, 8.3
inches of heavy snow set the record for the ''snowiest'' October day in
Buffalo in the weather service's 137-year history, said meteorologist
Tom Niziol. The previous record of 6 inches was set Oct. 31, 1917.
''This is an extremely rare event for this early in the season,''
Niziol said. Detroit and Chicago also set records, for the earliest
measured snow. On Thursday, Detroit broke the mark set on Oct. 13,
1909. Chicago beat a mark twice set on Oct. 18, in 1972 and 1989.
Detroit's weather, among other factors, prompted Major League Baseball
to move up the start time of Game 3 of the AL championship from 8:19
p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday. The New York State Thruway was closed for 105
miles from Rochester to Dunkirk, southwest of Buffalo because of the
storm. Highway spokeswoman Sarah Kampf said she did not know when the
road would be cleared or how many motorists were stranded there.

15th-21st...Torrential rains and a tornado swept through Southeast
Texas, killing three people trapped in the rising floodwater,
destroying homes and shutting
down numerous schools Monday. Two women were found dead in a sport
utility vehicle in floodwaters at least 8 feet deep in Houston. Another
body was discovered in submerged vehicle in Fort Bend County, on the
southwest side of Houston. As much as 10 inches of rain fell in the
Houston-Galveston area overnight. More rain was expected across Texas
on Monday, although floodwaters were receding in parts of the Houston
area by late morning. Parts of Interstates 10 and 45 were shut down
around Houston, and the University of Houston and several other schools
were closed. Twenty bayous overflowed their banks, but county officials
said no evacuations were ordered. Some delays were reported at both of
Houston's major airports. A tornado struck east of Houston near the
Jefferson County town of China, not far from the Louisiana line, said
emergency management spokeswoman Darlene Koch. The National Weather
Service confirmed the tornado, and Koch said five mobile homes and two
houses were destroyed. No injuries were reported. In the Texas Coastal
Bend, as many as 20 homes were damaged as a suspected tornado roared
through the small Lavaca Bay community of Magnolia Beach before
daybreak Monday, Calhoun County Sheriff B.B. Browning said. The only
injury reported in the small community 75 miles northeast of Corpus
Christi was a cut thumb a man suffered from flying glass, he said.
Parts of North and West Texas rece4ived as much as 4 inches of rain
overnight, prompting flash flood warnings. National Weather Service
meteorologist Stacie
Hanes said the rain in North Texas was expected to dissipate by
evening.
In Louisiana, three people were hurt early Monday when strong winds
blew through
the fishing community of Leeville, 90 miles south of New Orleans,
authorities
said.
Moderate to heavy rain fell through much of the Northeast on Friday,
prompting flood watches and warnings in many areas of northern New
England. Strong winds combined with saturated soil created situations
where trees could fall over easily. Snow showers were noted in parts of
western New England.
Colorado Hit With Heavy Snow

22nd-28th...The biggest October snowstorm to hit Colorado in several
years dumped up to 20 inches Thursday, grounding flights, closing
highways, knocking out
electricity and jump-starting the ski season. At one point, snow was
falling at a rate of about 3 inches an hour in Denver. A 125-mile
corridor from Colorado Springs to the New Mexico line was under a
blizzard warning. The storm began late Wednesday and turned highways
wet and slushy in cities from Pueblo to Colorado Springs and Denver to
Fort Collins. Idaho Springs, about 25 miles west of Denver, reported
nearly 20 1/2 inches. Some Denver suburbs received up to 10 inches.
Denver International Airport, which got 5 inches, canceled more than
100 flights. About 25,000 Denver-area customers lost electricity after
trees and branches snapped under the weight of the wet snow and brought
power lines down.
Large October snowstorms are common in Colorado, but this was the
strongest in several years, National Weather Service spokesman Carl
Burroughs said. On Colorado's wide-open Eastern Plains, residents and
emergency managers braced
for blowing snow and wind up to 45 mph. Red Cross officials sent
supplies to
Byers, about 30 miles east of Denver, in case the weather stranded
travelers
along I-70.

*Souce: Washington Post, AP, New York Times