Hazards/Climate Extremes

Severe thunderstorms produced widespread power outages across St. Louis during late July 2006, while deadly heat gripped areas of the nation. Additional information can be found below.

Across the United States, significant drought extended from Arizona and New Mexico eastward to parts of the central Gulf Coast. The most severely affected areas included southern Arizona, southern Texas and central South Dakota.

For comprehensive drought analysis, see the U.S. drought report.

A heat wave affected a large portion of the nation during July 16-25. California was particularly affected, with 140 deaths attributed to high temperatures soaring past 40°C (104°F)(New York Times/Associated Press).

Long-term drought continued to affect much of Somalia, far eastern Ethiopia and central areas of Kenya. Across the remainder of Ethiopia, multi-month rainfall has been above average, boosting water supplies and favoring agricultural production. For the latest African analysis and forecast, see the Famine Early Warning System Network.

Hot weather enveloped much of Europe during mid-to-late July, with temperatures surpassing 32°C (90°F). In Britain on the afternoon of the 19th, temperatures reached 36.5°C (97.7°F) at Wisley, or the hottest July temperature ever recorded in Britain. By late month across Europe, at least 50 deaths were blamed on the heat in Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands (Associated Press/AFP).

In Afghanistan, a lack of rainfall beginning in April 2006 has resulted in significant drought across the country. An estimated 2.5 million people were affected by the drought (Government of Afghanistan).

Heavy monsoon-related rainfall caused a mudslide in northern Pakistan's Kalam Valley in the village of Ghaeel on July 3. The mudslide buried three houses, killing 22 people (OCHA). Later in the month, flooding prompted by torrential rainfall affected the northwestern village of Gorvek along the Afghanistan border. There were 13 deaths and 300 injuries (Associated Press).

Heavy monsoon rainfall in India was blamed for 41 deaths across the country during the 4th-5th. Flooding crippled Mumbai as road and rail transportation was impacted by floodwaters (Reuters). Heavy rain affected Kolkata (Calcutta) in West Bengal state on the 19th producing widespread flooding in the city. About 180 mm (7 inches) of rain was recorded (AFP). Elsewhere in India by late-month, 110,000 people were evacuated from flooded areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat states. By the end of July, the death toll from monsoon-related flooding was near 500 since the end of May 2006 (DPA).

In Turkey, flooding from heavy rains killed at least 8 people during July 1-2. The most significant damage was in the northeastern part of the country near the Black Sea from the cities of Samsun to Giresun (AFP).

In Romania, thunderstorms produced flooding during the July 1-2 in the northern part of the country, resulting in the deaths of 11 people (AFP).

Rainfall generated flooding and produced landslides in central Chile during July 10-12. There were 19 reported fatalities, seven of which occurred in a landslide in Chiguayante (OCHA/Associated Press).

Across the Korean Peninsula, heavy rainfall that initiated with the arrival of Ewiniar during the 10th-14th continued in the wake of the tropical weather system as the Northeast Monsoon promoted more excessive rainfall. Flooding was blamed for hundreds of deaths in North Korea and at least 25 deaths in South Korea (Associated Press). Excessive rainfall in neighboring Japan produced flooding and mudslides that claimed at least 22 lives (OCHA/AFP).

In the United States, two episodes of severe thunderstorms caused massive power outages in the greater St. Louis, Missouri area. The culprit severe weather episodes occurred on the 19th and again on the 21st, causing the largest power outage in the city's history. At the height of the power failure, 570,000 customers lost power in St. Louis (Associated Press). Exacerbating the power disruptions was a heat wave which affected much of the region. For a complete report on the storms, please see the National Weather Service report.

Typhoon Ewiniar developed as a depression in the western Pacific Ocean on June 29, reached tropical storm strength the next day and typhoon status by July 3. Ewiniar weakened to a tropical storm before making landfall in southwestern South Korea on the 10th with maximum sustained winds near 75 km/hr (40 knots or 50 mph). The primary impact of the storm was heavy rainfall along the Korean Peninsula.

Tropical Storm Bilis developed as a depression in the western Pacific Ocean on the 8th and reached tropical storm strength the next day. As the storm passed to the north of the Philippines, heavy rainfall was blamed for dozens of deaths in the northern part of that country. Bilis tracked across the northern tip of Taiwan by the 13th before making landfall in southeastern China's Fujian province with maximum sustained winds near 100 km/hr (55 knots or 65 mph). There were at least 575 deaths attributed to Bilis in Fujian, Guangdong and Hunan provinces. Bilis prompted the evacuation of 2.5 million people, and resulted in direct economic losses near $3.3 billion (USD) (OCHA/Reuters).

Tropical Storm Beryl developed off the southeast coast of the United States on the 18th and brushed southern New England, passing over Nantucket Island during the early morning of the 21st with maximum sustained winds near 85 km/hr (45 knots or 50 mph). Winds on Nantucket gusted to 71 km/hr (44 mph).

Typhoon Kaemi developed as a depression in the western Pacific Ocean on the 18th, reaching typhoon strength by the 20th. Kaemi crossed Taiwan on the 24th with maximum sustained winds near 130 km/hr (70 knots or 80 mph), then made landfall in southeastern China's Fujian province near Gulangyu the next day. Rainfall produced widespread flooding that was blamed for at least 34 deaths and 75 missing persons in China, along with the destruction of thousands of homes (AFP/OCHA).

For 2006 basin tropical cyclone statistics, please refer to the following:
Australian Basin
North Indian Ocean Basin
Western North Pacific Basin
South Pacific Basin
South Indian Ocean Basin
Northeast Pacific Ocean Basin
Atlantic Basin

No reports of significant extratropical cyclones were received during July 2006

No reports of severe winter weather were received during July 2006

For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:

Climate Services Division
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue, Room 120
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4876
phone: 828-271-4800
email: ncdc.orders@noaa.gov

For more information, refer also to ...
Selected U.S. City and State Extremes
2006 Atlantic Hurricanes
2006 East Pacific Hurricanes
2006 U.S. Wildfire Summary
Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN)
The Global Temperature Anomalies
CLIMVIS - Global Summary of the Day
CAMS data provided by the Climate Prediction Center
Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) - NASA
Relief Web
Geographic Reference Maps (pdf format)

For further information on the historical climate perspective presented in this report, contact:

Scott Stephens
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: Scott.Stephens@noaa.gov