Satellite and radar images from early on July 24, 2009

A late-July storm brings 2-4″ of rain and wind gusts over 40 mph downing trees and power lines. Sure sounds like a tropical system, but it wasn’t.

A rare mid-summer Nor’easter roared through Southern New England last night. Sure, the storm had tropically enhanced rain, but the core of the storm was charged by a disturbance (front) moving through the mid-latitudes.

In any event, this storm was more impressive than some dying tropical storms that have come through with a lot of hoopla and little left in the tank.

I hope we did a fair job in warning our viewers of the potential impacts from this storm. Even though it didn’t carry a name like a tropical storm, it did deliver a blow very similar to some past tropical systems that have impacted us.

This storm added to the now record total we’ve seen in July. The official tally isn’t in yet, but TF Green has seen at least 9.50″ of rain this month. The total smashes the old record of 8.08″ set in 1976. Third on the list is 1938 with under 7″ of rain.

1976 and 1938 are significant because in both those years Southern New England was hit by hurricanes. That is not to say that we are destined to get hit this year, but it does show that the general weather setup that brings heavy July rains can also bring hurricanes later in the year.

Given the current weather pattern, we are very susceptible to storms coming from Carolina coast to Southern New England. Even though it wasn’t tropical, last night is perfect evidence of how storms will track in this pattern.

Here are some of the rain totals reported to the National Weather Service:

...KENT COUNTY...

COVENTRY              3.34   616 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

...NEWPORT COUNTY...

MIDDLETOWN            2.48   624 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

LITTLE COMPTON        2.01   514 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

...PROVIDENCE COUNTY...

PAWTUCKET             3.14   615 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

WOONSOCKET            2.92   615 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

CRANSTON              2.19   615 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

...WASHINGTON COUNTY...

KINGSTON              4.23   615 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

NARRAGANSETT          3.79   615 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

CHARLESTOWN           3.61   606 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

WESTERLY              3.15   630 AM  7/24   AIRPORT

NORTH KINGSTOWN       2.27   615 AM  7/24   SPOTTER

In order to avoid complacency, it is important that people new to the area, and those who were not born or very young when the last storm hit, see some of the damage that these massive storms can bring to Southern New England.

Please use the form below to upload small (800 pixels wide) jpg images and send them to us. Include a description of when and where the pictures were taken. You can upload four pictures with each submission. Please be patient and only hit “Send” one time. If you have more pictures, you can either use the form again, or put them on a disc and mail them to:

ABC6 Weather Center
10 Orms St
Providence, RI 02904

If you don’t have a way to scan the pictures into the computer, you can always send us hard copies. Unfortunately, we will not be able to guarantee the return of any photos sent to ABC6.

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