March 2014 North American winter storm

The March 2014 North American winter storm, also unofficially referred to as Winter Storm Titan,[5][6] was an extremely powerful Winter storm that affected much of the United States and portions of Canada. It was one of the most severe winter storms of the 2013–14 North American winter storm season, storm affecting most of the Western Seaboard (especially California), and various parts of the Eastern United States, bringing damaging winds, flash floods, blizzard conditions, icy conditions.[4]

March 2014 North American winter storm
Category 1 "Notable" (RSI: 1.089)
Visible satellite imagery of the winter storm offshore California early on February 28, nearing peak intensity.
TypeExtratropical cyclone
Blizzard
Winter storm
Ice storm
FormedFebruary 23, 2014
DissipatedMarch 4, 2014[1]
Lowest pressure968 millibars (28.6 inHg)
Tornadoes confirmed2 confirmed[2][3]
Max. rating1EF0 tornado
Highest gust102 mph (164 km/h)[2]
Maximum snowfall or ice accretion40 inches (100 cm) of snow near Kirkwood Ski Resort, California
14.54 inches (36.9 cm) of rain at Matilija Canyon (Ventura County), California.
DamageUnknown
CasualtiesAt least 16[4]
Areas affected

1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

Meteorological history

On February 23, 2014, an extratropical disturbance developed over the northeast Pacific. The system slowly began to intensify as it moved eastwards, before encountering an omega block that was situated over Alaska and the Northwest Pacific, on February 24, 2014. Over the next few days, the omega block broke down, and the system began to intensify more rapidly as it moved towards the southeast. On February 27, 2014, meteorologists identified the system as having of high risk of having major impacts in the United States.[2] Winter Weather Watches and Winter Storm Warnings were initiated in many different parts of the Western United States. After a previous, weaker winter storm had moved through the West Coast on February 26, the winter storm turned towards California, resulting in Flash Flood warnings and high wind advisories being issued. During the next 2 days, the storm system underwent explosive intensification and also developed an eye-like feature, reaching an intensity of 976 millibars on February 27, before deepening further to its peak intensity of 968 millibars (28.6 inHg) on February 28.[7] Around that time, the winter storm was predicted to bring ice, snow, and blizzard conditions to the Central and Eastern States of the US.[4] Afterwards, the system slowly began to weaken as it continued bearing down on the West Coast, although it continued to maintain its organization. The storm brought powerful winds and heavy torrents throughout much of the Western Seaboard, especially in California. Flash floods ensued throughout many parts of the state, resulting in some road closures. Early on March 1, the eye of the storm disappeared as the organization of the system began to deteriorate. Later on March 1, the winter storm continued to shrink in size as it weakened further, and the storm began moving ashore in Southern California. A secondary circulation developed near the southern end of the storm's circulation, which quickly dominated the system;[8] the original surface low became completely detached from the system and was absorbed into another approaching storm on March 3.[9] On March 1, the winter storm also spawned an EF0 tornado over Arizona, which was the confirmed first tornado in the Greater Phoenix since January 2005.[3] Late on March 1, 2014, the winter storm's low-level circulation center made landfall over San Diego County.[10] Several hours later, the winter storm passed through California, even as the storm weakened to 1,007 millibars (29.7 inHg) on March 2.[11] The winter storm triggered severe thunderstorms, and dropped hail while it passed through the Southwestern United States.[2] The storm began to accelerate towards the east while building up convection. During the next couple of days, the winter storm's structure began to break down; however,[12][13] the storm still brought blizzard conditions and ice to the Eastern United States.[4] Early on March 4, the winter storm weakened and exited the east coast of the Carolinas, before being absorbed into the circulation of a much larger extratropical cyclone centered over the Labrador Sea later that day.[14][1]

Impacts

On March 1, The storm caused at least 2 fatalities, at least 44 injuries, as well as several car accidents.[4] On the same day, a plane was moved 3 feet and damaged by a microburst, near the John Wayne Airport at Santa Ana, California.[2] While moving eastward across the United States, the storm caused more road accidents, and downed numerous trees and power lines. The storm also produced an EF0 tornado 9 miles south of Karnak, California, which lasted for 5 minutes.[2] Another person was killed in Kansas, along with a student in Oklahoma.[4] The winter storm later killed another 12 people and injured dozens more, before the storm weakened and left the East Coast on March 4, 2014.[2][14]

Precipitation totals

North Carolina

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 2.5 inches at Norlina and Concord.[2]

Virginia

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 9 inches at Manassas.[2]

Maryland

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 8.3 inches near Clarksburg.[2]

Delaware

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 5.3 inches at Milton.[2]

New Jersey

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 8.3 inches at Bargaintown.[2]

Pennsylvania

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 6 inches near Mount Pleasant.[2]

West Virginia

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 10 inches at both Bruceton Mills and Burceton Mills.[2]

Tennessee

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 5.5 inches at Halls.
  • 6 inches of sleet was also reported at Clarksville, Huntington, and Big Rock.[2]

Kentucky

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 7.6 inches near Prestonburg.[2]

Ohio

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 5.2 inches in Shawnee Park.[2]

Indiana

  • Highest snowfall total reported was around 9.8 inches at Portage.[2]

Illinois

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 5.5 inches near Hillsdale.[2]

Missouri

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 7 inches of snow at Hunter.
  • 5 inches of sleet was also reported in Dudley and Pemiscot County.[2]

Arkansas

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 5 inches near Bella Vista and Pea Ridge.
  • 4.5 inches of sleet was also reported at Biggers.[2]

Texas

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 2 inches at Canadian and Lipscomb.
  • 2 feet of sleet was also reported at Quitman and Van.[2]

Oklahoma

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 5.5 inches near Miami.[2]

New Mexico

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 20 inches in Taos.[2]

Arizona

  • Maximum wind gust measured was 64 miles per hour, at Grand Canyon Airport.[2]
  • Pea-sized hail was reported in Peoria.
  • On March 1, an EF0 tornado touched down in a park and moved over an apartment complex, damaging roof tiles, blowing in a car's windshield and two apartment windows, and lifting a hot tub up into the clouds. Several trees and a power pole were downed as well. This was the first confirmed tornado in the Greater Phoenix area since January 2005.[3][15][16]

Nevada

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 3 inches at Incline Village and near Gardnerville.
  • Highest rainfall total reported was 0.95 inches at Gardnerville.
  • Maximum wind gust measured was 77 miles per hour near Mt. Charleston, at an elevation of 8,818 feet.[2]

California

  • Highest snowfall total reported was 40 inches near the Kirkwood Ski Area.[2]
  • Highest rainfall total reported was 14.54 inches at Matilija Canyon (Ventura County).
  • Maximum wind gust measured was 102 miles per hour, near Big Bear Resort (near Los Angeles) on Friday, February 28.
  • 1-inch sized hail from a severe thunderstorm was reported at Walnut, early on the morning of Saturday, March 1.
  • At 6:34 P.M., PST, on Friday, February 28, an EF0 tornado was reported 9 miles south of Karnak, moving north at 25 miles per hour. The tornado lasted for 5 minutes before dissipating.[2]

Tornadoes
EFU EF0 EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5
0 2 0 0 0 0 0

A total of two tornadoes were reported from this storm system; one in California on February 28, and one in Arizona on March 1.[2][3]

See also

References
  1. "WPC surface analysis valid for 03/04/2014 at 09 UTC". NOAA's National Weather Service. March 4, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  2. "Winter Storm Titan Snow, Ice, and Rain Reports - weather.com Winter Returns to Parts of the South". Weather.com. March 4, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  3. "Storm Survey For Mesa Tornado". National Weather Service Office in Phoenix, Arizona. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. March 3, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  4. "Winter Storm Titan State-By-State Impacts: At Least 12 Dead". Weather.com. March 4, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  5. Scott Neuman (March 2, 2014). "Get Ready For Yet Another Winter Storm". Npr. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  6. Greg Robb (March 2, 2014). "Winter storm 'Titan' hits Midwest with ice and snow". MarketWatch. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  7. "WPC surface analysis valid for 02/28/2014 at 12 UTC". NOAA's National Weather Service. February 28, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  8. "WPC surface analysis valid for 03/01/2014 at 18 UTC". NOAA's National Weather Service. March 1, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  9. "WPC surface analysis valid for 03/01/2014 at 15 UTC". NOAA's National Weather Service. March 1, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  10. "WPC surface analysis valid for 03/01/2014 at 21 UTC". NOAA's National Weather Service. March 1, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  11. "WPC surface analysis valid for 03/02/2014 at 03 UTC". NOAA's National Weather Service. March 2, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  12. "WPC surface analysis valid for 03/03/2014 at 06 UTC". NOAA's National Weather Service. March 3, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  13. "WPC surface analysis valid for 03/03/2014 at 18 UTC". NOAA's National Weather Service. March 3, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  14. "WPC surface analysis valid for 03/04/2014 at 03 UTC". NOAA's National Weather Service. March 4, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  15. National Weather Service Office in Phoenix, Arizona (2014). "Arizona Event Report: EF0 Tornado". National Climatic Data Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  16. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=494705
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