1954 was 70 years ago. It was also an early year in the Modern Era of Meteorology. As a Meteorologist I decided to take a look back at some notable weather events that occurred 70 years ago. Some of these events I even studied in classes from my days as a college student.
1954 was influenced by a La Nina event. In my other posts I have explained what La Nina is. La Nina is a naturally occurring event that occurs in the ENSO region in the Equatorial Waters in the Pacific Ocean. La Nina is the opposite of El Nino. For a La Nina to be present water temperatures in the ENSO region must colder than -0.5°C from average for a minimum of 5 months. The 1954 La Nina developed in early Spring of 1954 it would last 3 years before dissipating in early 1957.
Notable Weather Events.
January 10th-12th a severe snowstorm triggers deadly avalanches in the country of Austria killing 200 people.
April 5th-7th 1954 Tornado Outbreak- A total of 24 tornadoes touched down in Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska.
Early May 1954 Tornado Outbreak Sequence. A sequence of severe weather outbreaks struck the same area for an entire week. Tornadoes touched down in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Over 100 tornadoes would be confirmed. What made this outbreak so bad was 50 (half of the outbreak's tornadoes) were rated EF2 or higher type tornadoes.
May 30th-June 2nd Tornado Outbreak Sequence. Another destructive tornado outbreak sequence occurred in the Midwest part of the United States. Multiple days of severe weather produced several tornadoes in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. Overall 9 people died and 39 tornadoes were confirmed.
June 26th- Hurricane Alice rapidly develops in the Gulf of Mexico and makes landfall in Mexico as a high end category 2 hurricane. The hurricane brings flooding rains and high winds to the Rio Grande Region in Mexico. In Mexico 150 people perish.
Late August 1954- Hurricane Carol makes landfall in the New England Region of the United States as a category 3 hurricane. Carol claimed over 70 lives and caused $465 million in damages.
Early September 1954- A few weeks after Carol Hurricane Edna makes landfall in the New England State of Massachusetts as a high end category 2 hurricane. Edna causes over $45 million in damages and over 28 deaths due to storm surge.
Middle October- Hurricane Hazel makes landfall in Haiti/Dominican Republic as a category 3 hurricane. Eventually Hazel would make landfall in South Carolina as a category 4 hurricane. The remnants of Hazel cause severe flooding. Overall 1,200 people perish and over $460 million is done in damages from Hazel.
October 25th- A powerful storm system brings historic rainfall to Italy Salerno Italy is the hardest hit as mudslides kill over 300 people.
December 5th- A late season tornado outbreak strikes the states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. A total of 14 tornadoes are confirmed.
December 30th 1954-Hurricane Alice later known as Alice of December forms and last until January 6th 1955. Alice would make landfall in the Antilles. This made the 1954 year have a total of 16 named storms, 7 hurricanes and 3 becoming major hurricanes.
1954 despite data still being limited was an active year weather wise. The most notable events were tornado outbreaks and an active hurricane season. Looking back on this year La Nina was the driving force for the extreme weather.
1954 was 70 years ago. It was also an early year in the Modern Era of Meteorology. As a Meteorologist I decided to take a look back at some notable weather events that occurred 70 years ago. Some of these events I even studied in classes from my days as a college student.
1954 was influenced by a La Nina event. In my other posts I have explained what La Nina is. La Nina is a naturally occurring event that occurs in the ENSO region in the Equatorial Waters in the Pacific Ocean. La Nina is the opposite of El Nino. For a La Nina to be present water temperatures in the ENSO region must colder than -0.5°C from average for a minimum of 5 months. The 1954 La Nina developed in early Spring of 1954 it would last 3 years before dissipating in early 1957.
Notable Weather Events.
January 10th-12th a severe snowstorm triggers deadly avalanches in the country of Austria killing 200 people.
April 5th-7th 1954 Tornado Outbreak- A total of 24 tornadoes touched down in Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska.
Early May 1954 Tornado Outbreak Sequence. A sequence of severe weather outbreaks struck the same area for an entire week. Tornadoes touched down in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Over 100 tornadoes would be confirmed. What made this outbreak so bad was 50 (half of the outbreak's tornadoes) were rated EF2 or higher type tornadoes.
May 30th-June 2nd Tornado Outbreak Sequence. Another destructive tornado outbreak sequence occurred in the Midwest part of the United States. Multiple days of severe weather produced several tornadoes in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. Overall 9 people died and 39 tornadoes were confirmed.
June 26th- Hurricane Alice rapidly develops in the Gulf of Mexico and makes landfall in Mexico as a high end category 2 hurricane. The hurricane brings flooding rains and high winds to the Rio Grande Region in Mexico. In Mexico 150 people perish.
Late August 1954- Hurricane Carol makes landfall in the New England Region of the United States as a category 3 hurricane. Carol claimed over 70 lives and caused $465 million in damages.
Early September 1954- A few weeks after Carol Hurricane Edna makes landfall in the New England State of Massachusetts as a high end category 2 hurricane. Edna causes over $45 million in damages and over 28 deaths due to storm surge.
Middle October- Hurricane Hazel makes landfall in Haiti/Dominican Republic as a category 3 hurricane. Eventually Hazel would make landfall in South Carolina as a category 4 hurricane. The remnants of Hazel cause severe flooding. Overall 1,200 people perish and over $460 million is done in damages from Hazel.
October 25th- A powerful storm system brings historic rainfall to Italy Salerno Italy is the hardest hit as mudslides kill over 300 people.
December 5th- A late season tornado outbreak strikes the states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. A total of 14 tornadoes are confirmed.
December 30th 1954-Hurricane Alice later known as Alice of December forms and last until January 6th 1955. Alice would make landfall in the Antilles. This made the 1954 year have a total of 16 named storms, 7 hurricanes and 3 becoming major hurricanes.
1954 despite data still being limited was an active year weather wise. The most notable events were tornado outbreaks and an active hurricane season. Looking back on this year La Nina was the driving force for the extreme weather.
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