Search for other works by this author on: Glaze: Its meteorology and climatology, geographical distribution and economic effects. Various results from the ZR databases were used to define ZR regions based on ice storm characteristics, and the resulting 10 regions appear on Fig. Quartermaster Research & Engineering Center Tech. 2002). In converse, the most common U.S. storm-producing weather type (arctic front with a deep layer of overlying moist air) accounts for most ice storms in the South region, and, further, this type of event is the longest-lasting storm type (Rauber et al. The most common was an ice area restricted to the Northeast, and second was a larger storm event stretching from the Midwest into the Northeast.

For example, a storm-related loss in Pennsylvania during 1953 was adjusted upward by a factor of 31.3, whereas a 1953 catastrophe loss in Oregon, where coverage differed from Pennsylvania, was adjusted by 37.8.

Snow storms can also be accompanied by freezing rain and ice.

All railroads participated, and their station agents, located 15–30 km apart across the eastern two-thirds of the nation (less dense spacing in the West because of fewer railroads), reported by date all freezing rain and ice accumulated on the local telegraph wires and noted when damages occurred. Storm areas oriented south-southwest–east-northeast were prevalent in the Southeast region, and west–east orientations were most common in the South. A lesser high-loss-frequency area exists in the lower Midwest.

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3), but they also have a greater intensity there.

Proc. The regions listed are based on the nine climatic regions in the contiguous United States (described later in Fig.

Even still, for a few people it is a mad rush to the grocery store for milk, eggs, bread, and whatever else they feel they need to stock up on. 5) and information on the seven regionally different synoptic weather conditions that cause freezing rain (Rauber et al.

The warm side of the storm will produce rain showers and sometimes even thunderstorms. An ice area astride two or more of these regions was assigned to the region where the largest portion of the area existed. Furthermore, blizzards cause billions of dollars in damages each year. The average loss for the 87 catastrophes, expressed in 2000 dollars, was $187 million, and the median value was $79 million. Thus, very few of the numerous ZR days in that region result in major damaging ice storms. For spatial comparisons, ice thickness must be systematically measured on a uniform surface, such as on wires of the same diameter and height above the surface. Most ice-storm areas were elongated, with length–width ratios ranging from 2:1 to 15:1.

This outcome matched the peaks of catastrophe incidences (Fig. This is what can cause dangerous road conditions and bring daily life to a halt. In 1983, the basis for identifying an event as a catastrophe was shifted from $1 million to $5 million. In all other climate regions, oblate-shaped areas were 5% or less of the regional total.

Not saying it will help people drive better during winter storms for those still insistent on getting out in them, but it will help people make better decision to safeguard themselves from the affects of winter storms. 3 are the number of catastrophes with losses confined within each climate region. (1997) showed that topography also plays a major role in ice-storm development around the Columbia basin in the Northwest. This sizable updating effort required assessing each past event and its location, and three adjustments were made to the original loss value for each catastrophe.

The type of accumulation snow storm generate can be deadly.
2001). Such storms resulted from several synoptic weather types. Analysis of losses and frequency of catastrophes was done using the 87 freezing rain–caused events during 1949–2000. Most ice storm areas were oriented southwest–northeast, although west–east was most common in the South and south–southwest–east-northeast was the prevailing storm orientation in the southern Appalachians.

All railroads cooperated in this massive data collection effort, and their station agents located in every U.S. community served as observers of freezing-rain occurrences. Most catastrophes (91%) occurred in the Northeast, Central, Southeast, and South climate regions. The underestimation factor is small, as revealed in prior assessments of various severe weather–caused property losses, which found that the catastrophe losses over time represent 90% of the total weather losses (Changnon and Hewings 2001). For example, during the 1932–37 period, the Weather Bureau reported damaging glaze events on 113 dates, whereas the railroad sample had damaging glaze events recorded on 143 dates. Storm-area sizes ranged from 205 to 796 000 km2, with 50% being less than 21 840 km2. Ice-storm loss areas were frequent in the three climate regions (South, Central, and Northeast) where catastrophe losses peaked (Fig.

Rep. EP-105, 234 pp. 2001).


(2001). 2001). Strong snow storms can cause havoc on daily life that brings traffic to a halt and shut down businesses. It can be beautiful at first, but quickly it can turn into disaster. Analysis of ice thickness on telegraph wires further revealed that the upper Midwest experienced, on average, thinner ice on wires than occurred in the South and Northeast regions (see Table 4). Five catastrophes of this type occurred and created losses, on average, in 14 states, and their losses amounted to $3.5 billion, 21% of the 52-yr total.

On the boundary between the warm air and cold air of a winter storm typically produces sleet and freezing rain.

Climatology of Severe Winter Storms in Illinois.

This difference is likely a sampling vagary resulting from the 9-yr sample of ice-storm areas.

This mapping analysis led to identification of 368 separate areas labeled as ice-storm areas. 2001), to affect two or more regions. A climatology of synoptic winter-type weather events in the contiguous United States, 1982–94. The radial thickness of damaging ice on telegraph wires was sampled at 1689 sites, and the greatest average (>1.3 cm) and maximum (>5 cm) sizes occurred in the deep South and southern plains where storms have long durations and ample moisture aloft. 1. Concerns of the utility industry about ice on wires and transmission towers led to recent studies of damaging ice storms, and these studies largely relied on Storm Data (information currently available from NCDC, Federal Building, 151 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28801-5001) for information on estimated damages and icing thickness (Shan and Marr 1996; Jones et al. Freezing-rain events that caused damage were reported on 227 days during the 9-yr period.

This situation results from major regional differences in the primary storm-producing conditions. Thus, adjustments made in 2000 for all past catastrophes dating back to 1949 allow for a comparative temporal assessment of their losses. Given the data available, this approach was the only equitable way to adjust losses for multiregional catastrophes.

Orientation of the long axis of elongated storm areas in the primary climate regions, expressed as a percent of the regional totals. Astrophysical Observatory. These data embrace all occurrences during the 1948–2000 period at 988 stations (first-order and cooperative substations). The 52-yr national total of losses from all freezing-rain events is estimated to be $18 billion [based on the catastrophe total plus 10% estimated to be caused by noncatastrophic events; Changnon and Hewings (2001)]. As long a there is moisture and the right conditions, it can snow regardless of how cold it is. Ice-thickness values were least in the upper Midwest and Pacific Northwest. The type of accumulation snow storm generate can be deadly. Winter storms, which include snow and ice storms, averaged $375 million per year during 1988–95 (Kocin 1997). Catastrophes and their losses were greatest in the northeast, southeast, and central United States, and only 3% occurred in the western United States. However, winter storms typically have a variety of weather conditions. The regional average losses per catastrophe, a measure of storm intensity (Fig. Other regions with large frequencies included the Central, Southeast, and South. Catastrophe is a term used to label events in which losses equal or exceed $1 million, although this base value has been shifted upward over time to compensate for inflation. If an isofrequency line based on five or more catastrophes were drawn on Fig. Analysis of the sizes of the 368 ice-storm areas revealed a wide range. The sixth storm type was often small and confined to the northern or southern plains, a result of the presence of a cyclone and anticyclone (Rauber et al. Values of radial ice thickness measured on telegraph wires averaged between 0.6 (Northwest and upper Midwest) and 1.6 cm (South). The relationship of ZR days with catastrophe frequencies reveals that the catastrophe loss per ZR day systematically decreases from south to north across the eastern two-thirds of the United States, and the differences relate primarily to regional differences in the primary storm-producing weather conditions, as defined by Rauber et al. The number of ice-storm catastrophes in each climate region during 1949–2000. The fifth-most common storm pattern was large, with loss areas extending from the South region into the Central region, often associated with arctic fronts (Rauber et al.

Freezing rainstorms in the United States during 1949–2000 resulted in 87 catastrophic events, storms causing property losses of more than $1 million, with resulting losses totaling $16.3 billion. 1997). One dataset based on property insurance records revealed that the United States experienced 87 catastrophes caused by ice storms during the 1949–2000 period and that the losses totaled $16.7 billion. Snow storms can also be accompanied by freezing rain and ice.

Frequency of ice-storm areas during 1928–37 in selected regions. In general, the lower Midwest ranks second highest, and the South and Southeast rank third. The number of times each state experienced losses from ice-storm catastrophes during 1949–2000.

In 1997 a shift was made from $5 million to $25 million, as a further adjustment for the effects of ever-growing inflation on the selection of catastrophes. So what exactly is the difference between snow storm and blizzards? In contrast, freezing-rain catastrophes are not only most frequent in the Northeast (see Fig.