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Wednesday, May 14, 2003 USA (Wild Weather) — 'NOAA officials announced yesterday the central United States experienced a record breaking week for tornadoes last week when a preliminary 384 tornadoes were spotted in nineteen states. Previously the most active week on record was May 12-18, 1995, when there were 171 tornadoes. NOAA also identified five F4 tornadoes. Forty- two deaths resulted from the severe weather.' Friday, May 09, 2003 (USA TODAY) USA — 'According to one weather expert, more than 200 tornadoes had been reported this week in 11 states. If all those are confirmed, they would be part of a record number of tornadoes for the first nine days of May, said Dan McCarthy, a specialist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla. The record for tornadoes in the first nine days of May is 159 in 1999.' Friday, May 09, 2003 (AP) USA — 'Some of the heaviest rainfall in more than a century swamped parts of the South with flooding Thursday, forcing hundreds of people to flee homes and businesses in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.' Thursday, May 08, 2003 (AP) USA — 'Central Alabama set a record for rainfall in a two-hour period Wednesday, with nearly 11 inches falling near Birmingham. Weather service officials said no higher amount is on record dating back 130 years.' Wednesday, April 30, 2003 (AP) SANTE FE, Argentina — 'Steady rains continued to fall Wednesday across northeastern Argentina, extending a week of heavy rainfall and flooding that has left four people dead and forced some 45,000 people to evacuate their homes. Officials said more than 60 percent of the city was under water, and most of the streets impassable. Highways leading both in and out of the city were also submerged. "The situation is desperate," said Santa Fe Gov. Carlos Reutemann. "Many people spent the night on the rooftops of their homes awaiting help."' Citing Earthweek, civil defence officials said the inundations were the worst to strike the region in 100 years. Lossses to agriculture and ranching were initially estimated to be more than 200 million. Monday, April 28, 2003 URUGUAY (WILD WEATHER) — 'Strong thunderstorms rumbled across southern Uruguay on Sunday dumping heavy rain. The city of Salto received nearly 4.50" of rain in less than 12 hours close to its average for the entire month of April. The rain caused localized flooding but no reports of injuries. Saturday, April 19, 2003 CHINA (Earthweek} — 'A hailstorm killed at least one person, injured 100 others and wrecked an estimated 18,000 homes. Hailstones said to be the size of eggs during the initial 10 minutes, also wrecked schools, factories and other businesses. The following day southern Guangdong province was battered by tornadoes and hailstones that left a trail of destruction across four counties.' Friday, April 18, 2003 PUERTO RICO (AP) — 'Floods sent rivers over their banks and rushing through neighborhoods in Puerto Rico, leaving at least two dead, one missing and hundreds of homes damaged, police said Friday. Heavy rains left as much as 14 inches (36 centimeters) of water over a 12-hours period, Civil Defense Director Rafael Guzman said Thursday. Downpours that began Wednesday night continued in some areas Friday.' Wednesday, April 16, 2003 USA (WILD WEATHER) — 'Powerful winds estimated in excess of 125 mph roared across southern New Mexico on Tuesday. The winds toppled power lines and forced road closures. On U.S. Route 180 a wind gust caused a 10 car pile up that left 2 people dead and 5 others' Thursday, April 10, 2003 USA (WILD WEATHER) — 'Claims for Denver, Colorado's recent blizzard have now topped $100 million with more insurance claims expected. The March blizzard dumped as much as 4ft of snow. The storm was Denver's heaviest snow in more than 90 years.' Friday, April 04, 2003 PAKISTAN (WILD WEATHER) — 'Scorching heat has returned to Pakistan. Karachi topped 105° F on Thursday afternoon, 15 degrees above normal. Temperatures are forecast to slide into the mid 90's for the weekend.' Thursday, April 03, 2003 BOLIVIA (WILD WEATHER) — 'Heavy rain caused mudslides and flooding in parts of Bolivia on Wednesday. The city of Santa Ana received an impressive 4.35" of rain in the 48 hour period ending Wednesday evening. There have been no reports of injuries.' Wednesday, March 26, 2003 THAILAND (WILD WEATHER) — 'March is usually the end to the dry season in Thailand but not in 2003. Heavy rain has been reported over the past 24 hours with Phuket receiving a remarkable 7.20" in twenty four hours. Average rain for the month of March in Phuket is close to 1".' Tuesday, March 25, 2003 DENVER, USA (AP) — 'Weather forecasters said more snow could be on the way, even as some residents struggled to recover from a blizzard last week that was the state's worst in 90 years.' Sunday, March 23, 2003 FLORIDA, USA (AP) — 'Miami heat stayed in vogue on Saturday as bright sunshine and light breezes pushed the thermometer to record levels. Daily records in southern Florida included 93°F in Fort Lauderdale and 92°F in Miami. Miami has now experienced 14 days of record high temperatures in the month of March. Another week of warm temperatures could make this month the warmest March in Miami's history.' Thursday, March 18, 2003 MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — 'The World Food Program has launched relief efforts in Mozambique where recent flooding has affected over 50,000 people, leaving thousands cut off from desperately needed food, officials said Tuesday. The U.N.'s World Food Program has distributed between 200 and 300 tons of food to some 30,000 people in central and southern Mozambique since relief efforts began after Cyclone Japhet brought heavy rains to the area. About 1.5 million people are facing possible starvation in Mozambique, part of a larger food crisis in southern Africa caused by erratic rains. Flooding in 2001 and 2000 killed more than 800 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.' Thursday, March 13, 2003 CALCUTTA, India (AP) — 'Gale-force winds and hail uprooted trees and flattened hundreds of homes, killing 14 people and injuring 200 in eastern India, police said Thursday. The storm Wednesday night also destroyed crops and killed thousands of cattle and poultry on farms in the Howrah, Bankura and Hooghly districts of West Bengal state, said Narayan Ghosh, a senior police official. Telephone and power lines also were knocked down. Meteorological officials said it was a sudden storm with high-speed winds and heavy hail."I have not seen such an intense hail storm in my life," said Santosh Dutta, an orthopedic surgeon who was driving along a highway when the storm broke.' Monday, March 3, 2003 QUEENSLAND, AUTRALIA (Wild Weather) — 'If recent heavy rain across Queensland, Australia is an indication of future weather activity the drought of 2002-2003 will soon be headed for the history books. Mackay, Queensland has received 16.57" of rain during the past week. Sunshine is forecast to return to the region on Tuesday.' Saturday, March 1, 2003 WORLD (Wild Weather) — 'A recently published report by the World Water Council suggests wild weather is on the increase as the result of rapid climate changes. As evidence the Council points to 26 "major flood disasters" worldwide in the 1990s, compared to 18 in the 1980s, eight in the 1970s, seven in the 1960s and six in the 1950s. The group claims global warming is behind the startling change in climate patterns.' Wednesday, February 19, 2003 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — 'The heaviest winter rains in three decades lashed Pakistan for a fifth consecutive day Wednesday, leaving more than 26 people dead, injuring dozens and destroying hundreds of homes, officials said. The relentless rains were welcomed by Pakistan's farming community after five years of drought, but they have caused havoc on towns.' Tuesday, February 18, 2003 USA (REUTERS) — 'ISLAMABAD - Nearly 35 people have been killed in South Asia in heavy winter rains and snow which have lashed Pakistan, India and Afghanistan this week, officials said on Tuesday. About 170 people have been injured. Twenty-seven have died in Pakistan alone, which has been hit by torrential rain in the southern part of the country. "Never before in more than 110 years was so much rain recorded in such a short time in Hyderabad," Arif Mahmood, chief meteorologist in the nearby southern port city of Karachi, told Reuters. Tuesday, February 18, 2003 USA (AP) — 'Snowplow crews struggled to clear roads and airport runways in the Northeast for millions of commuters and other travelers Tuesday after one of the worst storms in decades buried in the region in as much as 4 feet of snow. At least 35 deaths had been blamed on the storm since it charged out of the Plains during the weekend, and more than 250,000 homes and businesses were without power. Snowdrifts were piled high from the Ohio Valley to New England, mudslides and floods wreaked havoc in the southern Appalachians, and layers of ice snapped trees and power lines. For the region as a whole, it was the worst snowstorm since the blizzard of 1996, when at least 80 deaths were blamed on the weather. Boston picked up a record 27.5 inches, the largest accumulation since record-keeping started in 1892, but without the heavy drifting and coastal flooding of the devastating Blizzard of '78. Boston expected a couple of more inches Tuesday.' Thursday, February 14, 2003 USA (Wild Weather) — 'A slow moving storm system dumped more than an inch of rain Phoenix, Arizona yesterday. Widespread street flooding and power outages were reported. Arizona has been mired in a prolonged dry period. In 2002, the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix received just 2.82 inches of rain for the entire year.' Thursday, February 06, 2003 Mozambique (AP) — 'MAPUTO, Mozambique - Heavy rains in northern Mozambique caused flooding that left about 100,000 families homeless, swept away thousands of acres of crops and severely damaged roads and bridges, radio reports said Wednesday. Last month, floods in the northern Nampula province killed more than 10 people and destroyed several bridges. Flooding in 2001 and 2000 killed more than 800 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.' Saturday, February 01, 2003 India (Earthweek) — 'Officials in India declared the deadly ongoing cold snap a "national calamity". The chill which has plagued the region for a month, is reportedly the most bitter to hit the country in a centrury. The edict came as the death toll in southeast Asia rose to more than 2250 in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh.' Saturday, February 01, 2003 Peru (Earthweek) — 'Six people in southern Peru were killed in flash flooding that forced 5000 others from their homes. Officials blamed the heavy rain on the current El Nino weather pattern Prime Minsister Luis Solari said. Some 75000 acres of crops have been affectred and 7000 head of cattle have been lost due to flooding.' Saturday, January 25, 2003 Malawi, Africa(Earthweek) — 'Huge floods caused by the remmants of tropical Cyclone Delfina late last month continued to ravage parts of Malawi and Mozambique. Incessant rains have persisted weeks after Delfina tracked inland from the Mozambique Channel, inundating vast treacts of crops andd sweeping away homes. The disaster came as the region was struggling to cope with a food crisis that threatens about 14 million people with starvation.'
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