The January 2008 North American storm complex was a powerful Pacificextratropical cyclone that affected a large portion of North America, primarily stretching from western British Columbia to near the Tijuana, Mexico area, starting on January 3, 2008. The system was responsible for flooding rains across many areas in California along with very strong winds locally exceeding hurricane force strength as well as heavy mountain snows across the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain chains as well as those in Idaho, Utah and Colorado. The storms were responsible for the death of at least 12 people across three states, and extensive damage to utility services as well, as damage to some other structures. The storm was also responsible for most of the January 2008 tornado outbreak from January 7–8.
Meteorological synopsis
The strong low-pressure system responsible for much of the extreme weather traversed much of the Pacific Ocean, before the first storm arrived late on January 3. (This storm was actually a part of a series of three storms.) On December 29, 2007, a powerful extratropical disturbance developed over eastern Siberia, which emerged into the northwest Pacific, and moved to the Aleutian Islands as a well-defined low by January 3. On January 2, another extratropical disturbance developed within a well-defined trough of low pressure, in the northeast Pacific Ocean.[8] On January 3, the 1st storm system approached the northern part of the West Coast, powered by a Pineapple Expressatmospheric river, resulting in heavy downpours of rain and strong gusts across much of the Western Seaboard.[9] Late on January 3, the 2nd storm system in the Gulf of Alaska split, with the 3rd, new storm to the south usurping the majority of the moisture of the 2nd system.[10] On January 4, as the 1st storm system weakened, and the southern part of the storm split off into another storm, which began moving eastward across the Southern United States.[11] Later on the same day, as the first storm began moving ashore in British Columbia,[12] the 3rd (and the most powerful) storm brought the largest bands of snow and rain, which impacted the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to northern Mexico, on January 4. Heavy downpours of rain, heavy snow, and fierce winds lashed the West Coast.[4] Meanwhile, the 2nd storm system slowly moved eastward along the southern coast of Alaska, before stalling in the Gulf of Alaska on January 5.[13] From January 4 to 5, general rainfall from the superstorm in the West Coast was around 2 inches (51 mm) of rain in Oregon and Utah, while nearly 4 inches (100 mm) fell over parts of Nevada and as much as 10 inches (250 mm) in parts of California. Snowfall amounts for those two days reached as much as 70 inches (1,800 mm) in Blackcap Basin, California, while many mountain regions of California, Nevada and Idaho received between 1 and 5 feet (1.5 m) of snow. By this time, the 3rd storm's explosive intensification had transformed the system into a massive superstorm, becoming the dominant system in the Western US. Widespread hurricane-force wind gusts were reported across most western states with winds reaching speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h) or more.[14] The highest reported wind gusts were 165 mph (266 km/h) in Tahoe City, California, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir- Simpson scale.[4][15] Waves were reported as high as 37.7 feet (11.5 m) offshore Washington State.[5] Early on January 5, the superstorm reached a minimum low pressure of 956 millibars (28.2 inHg) - the pressure equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane, becoming the most powerful storm on record to affect the West Coast, in terms of low pressure.[2] Later on the same day, the 3rd storm began to interact with the 1st storm, which was situated over northwestern Canada, weakening that system.[16] Also, the superstorm slowly began to weaken, and it developed a secondary low to the north of Montana, as the system gradually began to split.[17] Late on January 6, the superstorm's secondary low became the dominant low in the system, as the storm system's circulation began to break down.[18] On January 6, the superstorm's original low pressure center was absorbed into the 2nd storm, located just south of Alaska, while the main bulk of the storm system continued moving eastward, across Western Canada.[19] However, the western chunk of the storm complex's moisture continued to dump rain and snow across the Western US. On the afternoon of January 6, Kirkwood Ski Resort reported 10 feet (3.0 m) of snow in 48 hours with a storm total of 11 feet.[3]
On January 7, the storm complex weakened further, and the circulation in the western half of the storm completely collapsed, resulting in the storm's moisture spreading out throughout most of the Western United States. Soon afterwards, a few clumps of the mass of moisture organized into separate storm systems,[20] while the dominant low over Canada stalled just southwest of Hudson Bay. As the storm complex moved westward on January 7, the instability in the air triggered a rare January tornado outbreak, spawning 55 tornadoes over the course of 2 days, resulting in the deaths of 4 more people. On January 8, the western fragment of the complex in the US dissipated, while the southern and eastern chunks continued to organize.[21] On the same day, the 2nd storm system in the Gulf of Alaska was absorbed by another more powerful incoming extratropical cyclone, even as the main storm complex continued heading eastward across the United States.[22] Later on January 8, the eastern chunk of the storm complex merged into the southern chunk, while the low near Hudson Bay began to deteriorate.[23] On January 9, the low pressure center over the Great Lakes region became the dominant low of the storm complex.[24] On the same day, the 1st storm over northern Canada was absorbed by a cold front, even as the storm complex continued to organize over the Eastern United States, triggering more tornadoes across the region.[25] By January 9, the storm complex had organized into a 973 mbar (28.7 inHg) storm to the northeast of the Great Lakes, and it began to strip away moisture from the low near Hudson Bay.[26] The storm complex slowly moved northeastward, and the storm's outer rainband eventually exited the East Coast. On January 10, the low west of Hudson Bay dissipated, while the main storm complex began to exit Atlantic Canada.[27] On January 11, the storm entered Labrador Sea,[28] and stalled for several hours, before continuing to move northeastward. At the same time, the system gradually weakened. On January 12, the system reorganized to the southeast of Greenland, and was assigned the name Ilse by the Free University of Berlin.[29] On January 14, Windstorm Ilse intensified to 980 millibars (29 inHg) and impacted the United Kingdom and parts of Western Europe, before entering the Norwegian Sea on January 15.[30] During the next couple of days, Ilse accelerated northeastward,[31] before turning to the east on January 17.[32] On January 22, Ilse was absorbed by another extratropical cyclone to the south, over the Barents Sea.[1]
Impacts
Satellite image of the system as it approached the West Coast (Courtesy of NWS Hanford, California)
Flights departing from San Francisco were grounded, while over 100 miles (160 km) of Interstate 80 was shut down in eastern California and western Nevada due to poor visibility and a 17-vehicle pile-up. Bay Area Rapid Transit was also disrupted with significant delays to service and was even interrupted between San Francisco and Daly City briefly due to fallen trees on the network's tracks.[33]
Strong winds knocked power lines down causing power outages for 1.2 million Californians,[7] while several outages were reported in Washington and Oregon.[34] About 500 miles (800 km) of California power lines were damaged by the storm.[35]
The storm closed ski resorts, toppled trees, and created mudslides. Highways from Sacramento to San Francisco were closed by debris. Meteorologists predicted about 10 feet (3.0 m) of snow by the end of the storms giving hope to Californians for more water for the year of 2008 following a drier than average 2007 water season and leading to an expected water shortage in 2008. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in Orange County in Southern California.[36] On January 5, a canal levee ruptured near Reno, Nevada and flooded some 800 residences.[37] At least 3000 people were rescued by helicopter from rooftops of flooded homes while cold temperatures hindered rescue efforts.[38]
Nevada GovernorJim Gibbons declared a state of emergency for Lyon County. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was called in for emergency assistance and distribution of food and water. Bank firm Wells Fargo opened an account to collect donations for the residents of Fernley. Residents began returning home on January 7.[39][40]California GovernorArnold Schwarzenegger also declared a state of emergency for three counties while Oregon GovernorTed Kulongoski declared a state of emergency for Umatilla County due to wind damage. At least 12 people were killed including two in California, eight in Utah and two in Oregon due to falling branches or trees, traffic accidents, and flooding.[41][42][43][44] Eight of the fatalities were caused by the rollover of a charter bus in southeastern Utah.[45]
7 people in one California home were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning from a lantern.[46] Several other people, including snowmobilers and skiers, were missing in the mountain regions of Colorado. Six snowmobilers were later found alive after calling for emergency services from a train station. A hiker went missing in the San Bernardino Mountains.[47][48][49] According to an analysis conducted by meteorologists, a storm of this intensity had not struck California since the 1997–1998 North American winter storm season (as of December 2009).[citation needed]
Intermittent tornado passed between Purdy and Monett. Houses and farm buildings were damaged along the path, and eight mobile homes were destroyed at a mobile home park.[53]
Tornado impacted the northern part of Republic, where many homes were damaged, 15 of which sustained major damage or were destroyed. An Elementary School sustained major roof damage towards the end of the path before the tornado dissipated.[55]
3 deaths – Tornado began west of Strafford and passed north of town, destroying several frame homes and outbuildings. Additional frame homes were destroyed near Marshfield, along with barns and mobile homes. A semi-truck was flipped as the tornado crossed Interstate 44, and severe damage occurred in the nearby ghost town of Sampson. Numerous additional homes and outbuildings were destroyed, and multiple injuries occurred near Lebanon before the tornado dissipated. Two of the fatalities occurred in frame homes, and the other occurred in a mobile home. Over 50 homes, mobile homes, and outbuildings were destroyed along the path, numerous power poles and large trees were snapped, and 18 people were injured.[56]
Tornado tracked just south of the previous Strafford area EF3, paralleling Interstate 44 and crossing it several times. Homes and outbuildings were heavily damaged along the path.[58]
Near the beginning of the path, a few homes and several outbuildings were destroyed in rural areas. The tornado clipped the north side of Jerome before dissipating, where one home and multiple additional outbuildings were destroyed.[60]
35 to 45 structures were damaged, with one home partially moved off its foundation and portions of the roof thrown up to a quarter of a mile away. Wind gusts of up to 84 knots were recorded by the Vichy Automated Weather Station, and a few airplanes were damaged nearby at the airport. A mobile home was destroyed as well and one person was injured.[67]
Tornado initially caused minor damage to trees and a shed before striking an apple orchard at EF2 strength, where large trees were snapped and uprooted, a large barn was destroyed, and other buildings were severely damaged. EF3 damage occurred at a nearby farmstead as a poorly-anchored farmhouse was swept away with only the basement remaining, and large trees on the property were denuded (though overall context was not consistent with a violent tornado). Hay bales were rolled through fields as well. The tornado weakened further along the path, causing minor EF0 and EF1 damage to farmhouses, trees, power lines, barns, and sheds. The tornado strengthened again, reaching EF2 strength as it struck the small town of Lawrence, where extensive tree damage occurred, a house had more than half its roof torn off and its detached garage destroyed, other homes sustained shingle damage, and a train carrying hazardous materials was derailed, resulting in an evacuation of the town. Past Lawrence, the tornado overturned a semi-truck and caused EF1 damage to barns and trees before dissipating. It was the first tornado in northeastern Illinois in the month of January since 1950. Five people were injured.[71][72]
Tornado destroyed a pole barn and damaged a house, along with a few outbuildings. In addition, a chain link fence and a few tree limbs were blown down.[73]
This was the northernmost January tornado in the US since 1967. Near Walworth, the tornado uprooted trees and caused minor EF1 damage to homes and outbuildings. The tornado rapidly intensified to high-end EF3 strength, tearing through multiple subdivisions as it struck Wheatland, where 25 homes were destroyed, 27 sustained major damage, 25 sustained minor damage, and 7 were affected in some way. Further along the path, the tornado impacted the small town of Brighton, where 4 homes were destroyed, 3 sustained major damage, 3 sustained minor damage, and 10 were affected in some way. A large barn was destroyed before the tornado dissipated near Paddock Lake. Numerous large trees were snapped and denuded along the path, and 15 people were injured. Some of the homes destroyed were leveled, though they were poorly anchored and context did not support a rating higher than EF3.[75][76]
Rope tornado tracked through the northern part of Kenosha. 5 homes were left uninhabitable, 6 sustained major damage, and 21 others sustained minor damage. Power lines were toppled and numerous trees were snapped or uprooted as well.[77]
Tornado moved through the northern part of downtown Springfield, causing a warehouse to collapse. Several homes sustained minor damage, and a Krispy Kreme sign was destroyed.[86]
Tornado damaged a few outbuildings south of Alton. A motorcycle shop sustained the most damage as a barn that sheltered several new motorcycles was destroyed.[97]
One house was heavily damaged, with part of the roof torn off and debris scattered 100 to 200 yards. Three outbuildings and an equipment shed were destroyed, and a trailer was thrown about 75 yards. Approximately ten power poles were snapped in half, vehicle windows were blown out, and a few large trees were snapped. A pump house was blown into a propane tank, causing a propane leak as well.[98]
1 death – Major damage occurred near Appleton, with 42 homes damaged in that area. Of these, seven were destroyed, six had minor damage, and the rest had moderate to heavy damage. In addition, six chicken houses, two barns, and a number of outbuildings were destroyed, a travel trailer and motor home were overturned, and hundreds of trees were blown down. A man was killed when his mobile home was destroyed in this area. Near Jerusalem, 3 homes were destroyed, and 12 others suffered damage ranging from light to heavy. Ten other structures, such as chicken houses and barns were destroyed, with 13 such structures damaged. A church was destroyed and an adjacent cemetery was damaged in this area as well. Three natural gas well sites were also damaged but there was no release of gas. The tornado moved into the Ozark National Forest, where hundreds of trees were blown down before it dissipated. Two other people were injured.[99]
Numerous home sustained roof damage and many trees were downed. A metal farm equipment building was shifted from its foundation, and a vehicle was destroyed as well.[102]
Multiple homes were damaged, including two that had their roofs blown off, one of which was shifted off of its foundation. Outbuildings, fences, garages, and machine sheds were destroyed as well. A mobile home was also destroyed, and many trees and power lines were downed.[103]
A house had a large section of its roof torn off, and nearby outbuilding was blown away and destroyed. Another home and several outbuildings sustained lesser damage. Extensive tree damage occurred along the path.[105]
