PARTS OF USA TO HAVE 'YEAR WITHOUT SUMMER'

[briann]

http://www.accuweather.com/news-story.asp?partner=netweather&traveler=0&zipChg=1&article=9

HAVE THUNDERSTORMS BEEN MORE ELECTRIFIED THIS YEAR?

So far, 2009 has been a deadly year for lightning strikes. Two people were killed last week, and another Monday, bringing the total number of lightning-related deaths to seven, with 50 injuries reported total. A Southwest Airlines plane was struck by lightning in California earlier last week. Is this trend of lightning strikes on people and airplanes abnormal this year?

On average, 60 people are killed and over 350 people are injured by lightning each year, with June, July and August the most common months for deaths. In 2008, 27 people were killed by lightning and 303 injured.

As for aircraft, 66 have reported lightning strikes so far this year. Last year, 55 reported lightning strikes to airplanes occurred through May.

The number of deaths and the number of airplanes hit does not seem out of the ordinary this year. Actually, the number of lightning flashes is considerably less than what was reported this time last year. As of June 3, 2009, there have been 5,589,686 flashes, with 6,517,381 reported by June 3, 2008.

One of the reasons for this could be colder-than-normal weather across the northern tier of the country that has suppressed the number of thunderstorms and has significantly reduced the number of tornadoes this year. The number of reported tornadoes so far this year is 685, just over half of the average annual amount, which is 1,297.

According to Long Range Expert Joe Bastardi, areas from the northern Plains into the Northeast will have a "year without a summer." The jet stream, which is suppressed abnormally south this spring, is also suppressing the number of thunderstorms that can form. The ones that do form in areas of the Ohio Valley and West are forming in places with very cold temperatures, which can lead to more electrified thunderstorms than normal this year.

Keep track of lightning in your area by using MapSpace on AccuWeather.com. Lightning Strikes will debut next week, which is the best lightning data available for free on the Internet.

You can also have lightning alerts, including real-time lightning strikes, delivered straight to your e-mail and mobile by signing up for our LightningPlus subscription service, at LightningPlus.AccuWeather.com

Story by AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity and AccuWeather.com News Correspondent Gina Cherundolo

[Dr. Dan]

Interesting article, but not enough information of a trend...one year can be so abnormal that there are many storms and then go back to normal again...If, on the other hand, we continue to see an upward trend over the next 5-10 years, we can conclude better.

It's a finding to take note of.

[AsheDina]

http://www.accuweather.com/news-story.asp?partner=netweather&traveler=0&zipChg=1&article=9

HAVE THUNDERSTORMS BEEN MORE ELECTRIFIED THIS YEAR?

So far, 2009 has been a deadly year for lightning strikes. Two people were killed last week, and another Monday, bringing the total number of lightning-related deaths to seven, with 50 injuries reported total. A Southwest Airlines plane was struck by lightning in California earlier last week. Is this trend of lightning strikes on people and airplanes abnormal this year?

On average, 60 people are killed and over 350 people are injured by lightning each year, with June, July and August the most common months for deaths. In 2008, 27 people were killed by lightning and 303 injured.

As for aircraft, 66 have reported lightning strikes so far this year. Last year, 55 reported lightning strikes to airplanes occurred through May.

The number of deaths and the number of airplanes hit does not seem out of the ordinary this year. Actually, the number of lightning flashes is considerably less than what was reported this time last year. As of June 3, 2009, there have been 5,589,686 flashes, with 6,517,381 reported by June 3, 2008.

One of the reasons for this could be colder-than-normal weather across the northern tier of the country that has suppressed the number of thunderstorms and has significantly reduced the number of tornadoes this year. The number of reported tornadoes so far this year is 685, just over half of the average annual amount, which is 1,297.

According to Long Range Expert Joe Bastardi, areas from the northern Plains into the Northeast will have a "year without a summer." The jet stream, which is suppressed abnormally south this spring, is also suppressing the number of thunderstorms that can form. The ones that do form in areas of the Ohio Valley and West are forming in places with very cold temperatures, which can lead to more electrified thunderstorms than normal this year.

Keep track of lightning in your area by using MapSpace on AccuWeather.com. Lightning Strikes will debut next week, which is the best lightning data available for free on the Internet.

You can also have lightning alerts, including real-time lightning strikes, delivered straight to your e-mail and mobile by signing up for our LightningPlus subscription service, at LightningPlus.AccuWeather.com

Story by AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity and AccuWeather.com News Correspondent Gina Cherundolo

I can believe this, last night it was LOUD, this am too

[briann]

Interesting article, but not enough information of a trend...one year can be so abnormal that there are many storms and then go back to normal again...If, on the other hand, we continue to see an upward trend over the next 5-10 years, we can conclude better.

It's a finding to take note of.

Yes, but EVERY year since 2001... it has gone down... and every year... they give a different reason.  Yes... it could be a coincidence.... but my skepticism is growing.

[Dr. Dan]

Interesting article, but not enough information of a trend...one year can be so abnormal that there are many storms and then go back to normal again...If, on the other hand, we continue to see an upward trend over the next 5-10 years, we can conclude better.

It's a finding to take note of.

Yes, but EVERY year since 2001... it has gone down... and every year... they give a different reason.  Yes... it could be a coincidence.... but my skepticism is growing.

IT's not enough years...it's like saying, "5 years without much snow in NY/NJ and now 5 feet in one day...oh I'm skeptical..somethings up."

You can't judge it like that...you have to see what the next 5 yrs will bring and maybe you can suggest a possibility something is up...but even that isn't enough

[syyuge]

Local cooling within a global warming may give rise to tangential thermal tornado's spiraling down to the colder spots as a mode of heat transfer.
 

[briann]

Interesting article, but not enough information of a trend...one year can be so abnormal that there are many storms and then go back to normal again...If, on the other hand, we continue to see an upward trend over the next 5-10 years, we can conclude better.

It's a finding to take note of.

Yes, but EVERY year since 2001... it has gone down... and every year... they give a different reason.  Yes... it could be a coincidence.... but my skepticism is growing.

IT's not enough years...it's like saying, "5 years without much snow in NY/NJ and now 5 feet in one day...oh I'm skeptical..somethings up."

You can't judge it like that...you have to see what the next 5 yrs will bring and maybe you can suggest a possibility something is up...but even that isn't enough

But your missing the big point..... that the 'experts' give a different reason for each of the past five years.  This REALLY makes you wonder.

[Dr. Dan]

Interesting article, but not enough information of a trend...one year can be so abnormal that there are many storms and then go back to normal again...If, on the other hand, we continue to see an upward trend over the next 5-10 years, we can conclude better.

It's a finding to take note of.

Yes, but EVERY year since 2001... it has gone down... and every year... they give a different reason.  Yes... it could be a coincidence.... but my skepticism is growing.

IT's not enough years...it's like saying, "5 years without much snow in NY/NJ and now 5 feet in one day...oh I'm skeptical..somethings up."

You can't judge it like that...you have to see what the next 5 yrs will bring and maybe you can suggest a possibility something is up...but even that isn't enough

But your missing the big point..... that the 'experts' give a different reason for each of the past five years.  This REALLY makes you wonder.

The last two summer have had had pretty cool temperatures..this year is a particularly cooler spring..

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

California has been pretty mild this spring too. We had one heat wave (albeit not a horrible one) in early May, and that's about it. It's about as dreary and bleak right now as the middle of February.

Last year by this time we had already had two bad heat waves, one in April and one in May.

[briann]

California has been pretty mild this spring too. We had one heat wave (albeit not a horrible one) in early May, and that's about it. It's about as dreary and bleak right now as the middle of February.

Last year by this time we had already had two bad heat waves, one in April and one in May.

Yes... this is certainly strange weather we are having here.  Right now... my family whole family has a nasty cold.