Steve Quayle News Alerts

Dec. 15, 2003

ATLANTA, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- As 2003 comes to a close, The Weather Channel, the nation's leading provider of weather information, announces the record-breaking and most noteworthy weather events from the past year.

Nearly every part of the country was touched by severe weather this past year, as were other nations; however five significant events kept people talking long after the dust settled:

1. Presidents' Day Snowstorm (February 15 - 18) - This monster storm pummeled the Northeastern Seaboard and dumped up to 44 inches of snow in some places. The third largest snowstorm to hit the Northeast in the last century, the Presidents' Day snowstorm wrought havoc on roads and brought the Northeast to a standstill over the holiday weekend.

2. May Tornado Outbreak (May 3 - 11) - The Midwest saw several Tornado outbreaks during the month of May; however, this string of storms set a record for the most tornadoes in one week in recorded history. It contributed to the highest number of tornadoes ever in the month of May, including the only time on record that the Oklahoma City metro area was hit by back-to-back tornadoes of at least F-3 intensity on consecutive days.

3. Europe Heat Wave (Early August) - An estimated 20,000 people died as a result of this stifling heat wave that plagued Europe during the summer. Temperatures soared to near-record highs across the continent, with the temperature in Great Britain rising to over 100 degrees for the first time in recorded history. Although the sustained heat can't necessarily be directly attributed to global warming, it was consistent with the predictions of what could happen in the future.

4. Hurricane Isabel (September 18) - The Atlantic Basin saw the formation of its first Category 5 hurricane in the past five years. Although Hurricane Isabel had lessened in intensity to a Category 2 as she roared ashore on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it still caused significant damage along the East coast, knocking out power lines and causing major loss of property. Its effects were felt along the entire coastline, as residents were faced with drenching rains until Isabel moved out to sea.

5. California Fires (Late October) - Dry conditions, Santa Ana winds and available fuel set the stage for intense wildfires that plagued Southern California in October. San Bernardino County and the San Diego area were particularly affected, with the damage caused by the flames setting the record for the most acres burned and buildings destroyed in the state ever.

* Experts at The Weather Channel also gave a notable-mention nod to other hurricanes, tornado outbreaks, an especially long hurricane season and winter storms such as the recent early December nor'easter.

Special on-air programming to premiere during the network's popular primetime show "Evening Edition" (9-11 p.m. ET) will spotlight a number of these memorable storms. On December 22, The Weather Channel will first present "Winter Outlook 2004," delivering expert insight into whether or not snow, sleet and ice will be plentiful in various sections of the country this winter season. On December 24, The Weather Channel takes a look back at Christmas 2002, which proved to be one of the snowiest Christmas days ever for parts of the Northeast. [One town in New York reported 36 inches of snow.] Then December 29-January 2, special "Evening Edition" segments featuring the Presidents' Day snowstorm, the May tornado outbreak, Europe heat wave, Hurricane Isabel and the California fires will take a close look at each of these powerful weather-related events.

Regardless of the event, more people than ever are watching The Weather Channel and logging on to http://www.weather.com for up-to-the-minute weather information. This was particularly evident during Hurricane Isabel, as The Weather Channel achieved a 1.4 rating, representing almost 1.6 million households during the height of the storm. On the day of Isabel's landfall, approximately 6 million people turned to weather.com to track her progress, proving once again that The Weather Channel is the nation's most trusted source for weather information.

"The Eastern Seaboard took the brunt of the severe weather events this year, getting hit head-on by the Presidents' Day Blizzard as well as Hurricane Isabel," said Patrick Scott, president of The Weather Channel Networks. "Americans overwhelmingly turned to The Weather Channel and weather.com for the most comprehensive coverage during each of these severe weather events. Rain, hail, snow or blow, we will continue to be in the eye of the storm, letting our viewers and site visitors know how the weather is going to affect their lives throughout 2004."

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