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Heat wave - United States, Canada
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Severe storms, Tornadoes and torrential
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Snowstorm - United States
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Catastrophe Report 10
July 25th - November 8th 2006 |
Snowstorm - United States
| Territory: |
|
United States |
| Region: |
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Buffalo, New York State |
| Date: |
|
12 – 13 October 2006 |
| Event: |
|
Snowstorm |
| Impact: |
|
Lake-effect storm ‘Aphid’ was the
worst of its type ever recorded, and affected over one million
people. The wet snow exerted a weight of close to 50 kg per
square metre, leading to severe damage to trees and power lines.
More than 90 percent of the city’s trees were damaged
– many severely – while 400,000 people lost power,
a quarter of this total for a week. Fourteen deaths were reported
as a direct result of the storm, along with several hundred
injured. Clean up of debris is estimated to cost on the order
of US$130 million, and expected to take several months. Buffalo
Niagara International Airport was closed, and a 150 km stretch
of the New York State Thruway shut for several hours. Affected
parts of Erie, Genesee, Orleans, and Niagara Counties in Western
New York were declared major disaster areas by President George
Bush. |
| Summary: |
|
Lake-effect storm ‘Aphid’ struck
the City of Buffalo, New York State, from the night of 12 October
through the morning of October 13th, leaving behind a record
60 cm of snow in parts of the Buffalo urban region. The snowstorm,
a rare example of Thundersnow, due to the accompanying thunder
and lightning, was extremely localised, with little or no snow
15 km from the city. The event was an unseasonably early lake-effect
storm, fed by cold air picking up moisture from a warm Lake
Erie, converting it to snow and dumping it on Buffalo at the
east end of the Lake. The resulting snow was wet and heavy,
and – as a consequence – particularly damaging to
trees and power and communication lines. The snow did not linger
and all signs had disappeared within 48 – 60 hours. |
| Data sources: |
|
NOAA National Weather Service Forecast Office
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/buf/storm101206.html
BBC News online
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6049054.stm
|
| Additional sources:
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|
St. Louis Business Journal
http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/othercities/buffalo/stories/2006/10/23/daily25.html?t=printable |
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