Guidelines for Extreme Weather Event Paper
You may write the paper on any extreme weather event of your choosing. There is
also a great deal of latitude in regard to what about the event you choose to feature, from
the physical processes (weather) involved, human impact, ecological impact, etc. I would
like to see at least a brief discussion of the meteorological factors involved.
I am available to help with any aspect of the paper. In particular, I can provide
references (usually internet) for where to find the weather maps and features, as well as to
explain any aspects of this that you have difficulty understanding. My office hours are M
and W from 11 – 1 or by appointment.
The paper is due Wednesday, May 1 and should be about 3 – 5 double spaced
pages although it is fine if you would like to make it a few pages longer. Also, feel free
to include as many pictures, photos and figures as you like. Any questions, don’t hesitate
to ask. Below are some topic suggestions. A good place to start is to just “google” the
event. Many of these extreme events will have a Wikipedia page with additional
references. Remember, you do not have to choose a topic from the below list. Choose any
extreme weather event you like. For example, if you have had a personal experience with
an event, that might be a good topic for you to write about.
BLIZZARDS
March 11 – 14, 1888... “The Great Blizzard” (40 – 50”/45mph wind MA, CT, NY, NJ)
December 25 – 28, 1969......Northeast (2 – 3 feet of snow in Berkshire County)
Jan. 28 – Feb. 1, 1977.........Lake Effect Blizzard (>100” of snow in Western NY)
February 5 – 7, 1978.....Eastern New England (huge impact, talked about in class)
October 4, 1987........Not a real “blizzard” but 18” snow in Berkshire with huge impacts
January 6 – 8, 1996.......Middle Atlantic/Southern New England
January 21 – 24, 2005.........New York and New England
ICE STORMS
December 16 – 17, 1973.......Connecticut (the movie “Ice Storm” based on this event)
January 13 – 14, 1978.........Long Island
January 29 – 31, 2002..........Great Plains
December 11 – 12, 2008........Northeastern U.S. (large impact in Berkshire hill towns)
January 29 – 30, 2009.........Southeastern U.S. (particularly Arkansas and Kentucky)
TORNADOES
May 7, 1840......Great Natchez (MS) Tornado (2nd deadliest tornado in U.S. history)
March 18, 1925.......Tri-state (MO, IL, IN) Tornado outbreak (deadliest in history)
June 9, 1953..........Worcester (MA) F5 tornado
April 11, 1965........Palm Sunday tornado outbreak (IL, IN, MI, OH)
April 3, 1974........Super Outbreak (148 tornadoes/13 states)
April 26, 1991.........Andover, KS (F5, video in class)
May 27, 1997.........Jarrell, TX (F5)
May 3, 1999.........Moore, OK (F5)
April 25-28, 2011 tornado outbreak.........322 fatalities in southeast U.S.
May 22, 2011..........Joplin, MO (F5); 160 deaths
TROPICAL CYCLONES
Hurricanes (Atlantic)
September 8, 1900......“Galveston” (TX) (12,000 fatalities, book “Isaac’s Storm”)
Aug. 29 – Sept. 10, 1935...“Labor Day Hurricane” (FL, landfalling Cat. 5)
Sept. 10 – 22, 1938......“New England Hurricane” (Long Island and Southern N.E.)
Aug. 14 – 22, 1969.......Hurricane Camille (Gulf Coast landfalling Cat. 5)
Aug. 16 – 28, 1992......Hurricane Andrew (FL, last of only 3 landfalling Cat. 5’s)
Oct. 22 – Nov. 5, 1998......Hurricane Mitch (18,000 Central American fatlities)
Sept. 7 – 19, 1999........Hurricane Floyd (extensive rainfall flooding in Mid-Atlantic)
Sept. 17 – 25, 2005....Hurricane Rita (reaked Havoc in TX only 2 weeks after Katrina)
Typhoons (Western Pacific)
Oct. 4 – 19, 1979......Typhoon Tip (largest, most intense tropical cyclone on record)
Aug. 26 – Sept. 6, 1984....Typhoon Ike (1492 fatalities in Phillipines)
Aug. 4 – 11, 2006.....Super Typhoon Saomai (strongest landfalling typhoon in China)
Cyclones (Indian Ocean)
Nov. 7 – 13, 1970....Bhola Cycone (Bangladesh, ½ million deaths, deadliest storm ever)
Apr. 22 – 30, 1991....Bangladesh Cyclone (138K deaths, 10 million left homeless)
Apr. 27 – May 3, 2008....Cyclone Nargis (Burma, 200K deaths, political issues)
FLOODS (NON-TROPICAL CYCLONE)
July – November, 1931....China monsoon floods (2 – 4 million deaths)
July 31, 1976.....Big Thompson Canyon flash flood (CO, 143 fatalities)
April – October, 1993....Great Mississippi River Flood
April, 1997....Red River Flood (ND, MN)
July – August, 1998.....Yangtze River flood (China, 14 million homeless)
DROUGHT
1930’s.....Great Plains (U.S.) Drought (“The Dust Bowl”)
Late 20th century/early 21st century.....Western U.S. Drought
2001 – 2007.......China/Australia Drought
2005.......Brazil (Amazon) Drought
Late 20th century/early 21st century......Sahel (Sub-Saharan Africa) Drought ....
discussed in class but HUGE subject so feel free to write about some aspect of
the drought not discussed in class