Welcome To October-rrrrrrr, More On Hawaii

Well good morning from windy and chilly Denver, Colorado! We have dropped into the upper 30s after mid 70s to lower 80s yesterday. It's a great welcome to the 10th month of the year.

Our first freeze of the season is due tonight, about 6 days ahead of schedule. Normal first freeze in Denver is around October 7.

Some fall severe weather is possible today from northeast Texas, across Arkansas and into southern Missouri.

The map below outlines the area where wind and hail is likely with storms that develop. There is only a 2% chance for an isolated tornado across the area.



There is a campaign currently in progress by NOAA to raise the awareness over tsunamis. As you have been following in the world headlines a series of tsunamis hit the Somoan Islands this week.

Click here to learn more about identifying the signs of an impending tsunami and what to do if you are in one.

The USA has two tsunami warning centers, one located in Alaska and the other in Hawaii.

Speaking of Hawaii, here is today's installment by Ben Black.

Is it going to rain today?

Singer and songwriter Stan Rogers said of the farmer on the Canadian prairie that on his tractor, he could watch the rain coming for miles. In large areas of the western and central United States, you look to the west or south to see what change in the weather may be headed your way.

In Hawai`i, we generally look eastward to see what showers are coming across the miles of ocean on trade winds. Because the trade wind flow dominates our weather so much of the year, we readily refer the windward (or rainy side) and leeward (or dry side) of each island.

After crossing thousands of miles of open water, many clouds can’t wait to precipitate, and are shedding rain well before making landfall at Hawai`i.

The windward sides of the mountains tease and squeeze showers out of the approaching clouds. The showers bless the windward sides with rainfall to produce luxuriant vegetation over the dramatically eroded mountainsides that appear as glorious green folds on postcards and travel brochures.

So, is it going to rain today in Hawai`i? Yes -- somewhere.

Weather History

And on this date in weather history in 1752, a hurricane hit the Carolinas for the second time in 2 weeks. It caused major damage to Onslow County Courthouse and Beacon Island disappeared.

In 1893, a hurricane hit the Mississippi Delta region drowning more than 1,000 people.

In 1987, winter struck northern Minnesota with snow in Duluth, while it was topping out in the upper 80s and lower 90s from Seattle to Portland during a heat wave.

In 1988, severe storms developed and brought large hail to Troy, Park Springs and Nocona, Texas.

And in 1989, a severe weather outbreak produced nearly a dozen tornadoes in the southeast, with Georgia and Florida hardest hit. Two people were killed near Moultrie, Georgia.