Using normalized climatological anomalies to rank extreme synoptic-scale events objectively.

Top-10 events by variable

Robert Hart and Richard Grumm

Updated 5 January 2004 to include events from 1948 through 2003.

Top-10 Normalized Departures from Climatology by Height Anomaly since 1948

Rank Date M_HEIGHT Description References

1 12Z17MAR1983 6.847 Low-latitude intense cyclone Dickinson et al 1997
2 00Z09JAN1956 6.120 "The Great Atlantic Low" Ludlum 1956
3 12Z19JAN1977 5.697 Historic Florida Freeze Schwartz 1977
4 12Z11DEC1967 5.419 Deep Gulf of Mexico Storm
5 00Z28MAY1973 5.403
6 00Z21NOV1952 5.357
7 12Z23JUN1972 5.286 Extratropical Agnes DiMego & Bosart 1982a,b;Bosart & Dean 1991
8 00Z03FEB1998 5.252
9 12Z13MAR1993 5.195 Superstorm of 1993 Kocin et al 1995; Dickinson et al 1997
10 12Z08JAN1958 5.193

Top-10 Normalized Departures from Climatology by Temperature Anomaly since 1948

Rank	Date	M_TEMP	Description	References
1	00Z20OCT1989	5.354	SE U.S. Record Cold & Snow
2	12Z19JAN1977	5.019	Historic Florida Freeze	Schwartz 1977
3	12Z26NOV1953	4.959
4	12Z07MAY1992	4.879
5	12Z02NOV1966	4.834	Heavy C. Appal. Snowstorm
6	00Z02DEC1999	4.829
7	00Z10SEP1998	4.816
8	12Z18SEP1981	4.715
9	12Z04AUG1956	4.683
10	12Z28APR1992	4.619

Top-10 Normalized Departures from Climatology by Wind Anomaly since 1948

Rank	Date	M_WIND	Description	References
1	12Z28APR1997	5.515	Strong late-season Gulf storm
2	00Z14MAR1993	5.073	Superstorm of 1993	Kocin et al 1995; Dickinson et al 1997
3	12Z17NOV2002	5.013	Historic S/Central New England Ice storm
4	00Z26NOV1950	5.012	Historic E US storm	Bristor 1951
5	12Z09JAN1956	4.882	"The Great Atlantic Low"	Ludlum 1956
6	00Z14OCT2001	4.824	Gulf Coast Severe Outbreak
7	00Z27JUN1974	4.758	Transitioned subtrop. storm
8	12Z28DEC1980	4.741	Deep Carolina Coastal Low
9	12Z16JUN1989	4.714	Widespread SE/Mid Atl Sev Outbrk
10	00Z12MAR1996	4.675

Top-10 Normalized Departures from Climatology by Moisture Anomaly since 1948

Rank	Date	M_MOIST	Description	References
1	12Z15JAN1995	7.733	Deep Gulf of Mexico Storm
2	12Z22JAN1959	7.359	Severe E. U.S. Snow/Ice Storm	Treidl 1959
3	12Z08JAN1998	7.104	NE US/SE Canada Ice Storm	Gyakum and Sisson 1999; DeGaetano 2000
4	00Z20JAN1996	6.947	NE US Flooding/Snowmelt	Leathers et al 1998
5	12Z11JAN1975	6.767	Severe Minnesota Blizzard
6	12Z04JAN1950	6.654
7	00Z10JAN1978	6.536	Deep NE U.S. Storm
8	12Z26JAN1950	6.461
9	00Z24JAN1999	6.453
10	00Z05JAN1997	6.284

Last updated: 5 January 2004

Robert Hart, PSU (hart@ems.psu.edu)
Richard Grumm, SOO, NWS CTP (rgrumm@supercel.met.psu.edu)

Rank	Date	M_HEIGHT	Description	References
1	12Z17MAR1983	6.847	Low-latitude intense cyclone	Dickinson et al 1997
2	00Z09JAN1956	6.120	"The Great Atlantic Low"	Ludlum 1956
3	12Z19JAN1977	5.697	Historic Florida Freeze	Schwartz 1977
4	12Z11DEC1967	5.419	Deep Gulf of Mexico Storm
5	00Z28MAY1973	5.403
6	00Z21NOV1952	5.357
7	12Z23JUN1972	5.286	Extratropical Agnes	DiMego & Bosart 1982a,b;Bosart & Dean 1991
8	00Z03FEB1998	5.252
9	12Z13MAR1993	5.195	Superstorm of 1993	Kocin et al 1995; Dickinson et al 1997
10	12Z08JAN1958	5.193