Which JUNE weather story makes the biggest news for it's location
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Note that unlike the interior of the country, and like New England, most tornadoes were summer or early September, when thunderstorm activity is highest here and the most humid air available. (The early September peak corresponds to max sea temperatures).
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdriannaSmiling
Could a tornado theoretically strike downtown San Francisco?
Quote:
Originally Posted by nei
Maybe, it sounds close to impossible. Some photos of tornado damage in New York City:
Wow, only 13 tornadoes (including the two in 2012) in NYC since 1950? That means 54% of NYC's tornadoes since 1950 have occurred within the past 5 years.
And San Francisco is one of the last major cities in the country that I would expect to experience a tornado, the climate just seems so stable.
Wow, only 13 tornadoes (including the two in 2012) in NYC since 1950? That means 54% of NYC's tornadoes since 1950 have occurred within the past 5 years.
And San Francisco is one of the last major cities in the country that I would expect to experience a tornado, the climate just seems so stable.
That proves a point- When people say stuff like, "That weather event is impossible for the location," it's not necessarily true- it just means it's extremely rare or unlikely but NOT impossible.
If an F2 tornado can hit the SF Bay Area in May (one of our duller months in our already stable climate- our most "eventful" weather happens in January or February), a heat wave seems entirely feasible, even though unlikely, in extreme maritime climates such as the Faroe Islands, Aleutian islands of Alaska, extreme southern Chile.
Rare and unlikely does NOT mean impossible. Where do you draw the line between rare, extremely rare, a one time outlier event, unlikely, highly unlikely, and actually impossible?
F0 tornadoes may touch down in rural parts of Northern California but the F2 touching down in the heart of heavily populated Sunnyvale was clearly an outlier event as so could a freak heat wave in the Faroe Islands potentially happen as another "outlier event." Is that a fair comparison or not?
Last edited by AdriannaSmiling; 05-18-2013 at 02:11 PM..
But there is absolutely nothing that would cause temperatures in the mid-90s to occur in the Faroe Islands, such heat is almost always restricted to large landmasses. Even getting such high temperatures is very challenging for many tropical climates that experience more-or-less constant temperatures annually.
But there is absolutely nothing that would cause temperatures in the mid-90s to occur in the Faroe Islands, such heat is almost always restricted to large landmasses. Even getting such high temperatures is very challenging for many tropical climates that experience more-or-less constant temperatures annually.
San Francisco has average summer highs in the 60s F and is often foggy and windy with temperatures in the mid 50s on July evenings while it is sunny and 85 F only 40 miles inland. Yet, even San Francisco has a freak heat wave every few years-their all time record high is 103 F. So why can't something like that happen in Torshavn? Even Anchorage, Alaska has an all time record high of 92 F.
San Francisco has average summer highs in the 60s F and is often foggy and windy with temperatures in the mid 50s on July evenings while it is sunny and 85 F only 40 miles inland. Yet, even San Francisco has a freak heat wave every few years-their all time record high is 103 F. So why can't something like that happen in Torshavn? Even Anchorage, Alaska has an all time record high of 92 F.
Right along the coast the record is 99°F. And interestingly, both June and July have never recorded above 90°F, perhaps the months when the onshore influence is strongest.
Right along the coast the record is 99°F. And interestingly, both June and July have never recorded above 90°F, perhaps the months when the onshore influence is strongest.
Only thirty years of data, but never recorded more than 90°F.
Thanks for the link- interesting tables- Even I didn't realize how much cooler the immediate coast is than downtown SF and I go up there a few times each summer. I find that site very interesting for looking at historical data, getting averages, and looking for outlier events.
Tornadoes in NYC aren't exactly unprecedented, the city has had 7 of them since 2007.
EF1 (Staten Island) - August 8th, 2007
EF2 (Brooklyn) - August 8th, 2007
EF1 (Bronx) - July 25th, 2010
EF0 (Brooklyn) - September 16th, 2010
EF1 (Queens) - September 16th, 2010
EF0 (Queens) - September 8th, 2012
EF1 (Brooklyn) - September 8th, 2012
Even still, a tornado striking Times Square would definitely make the most news, since it's Times Square. Although, to me, June snow in Minneapolis would be the most impressive from a meteorological standpoint.
I forgot one, an EF0 touched down in Queens on August 28th, 2011....during Hurricane Irene.
So NYC has seen 8 tornadoes in the past 5 years, which is an impressive figure for any municipality, let alone a major city that's outside of tornado/dixie alley.
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