INTRODUCTION

 During the first seven months of 1994, the Southeast was

struck by a severe ice storm in February, followed by severe

flooding in July. The ice storm resulted in over $3 billion in

damage, while the flooding, caused by the remnants of Tropical

Storm Alberto, resulted in up to $1 billion in damage. This

report provides details and climatic data from these two events.

FEBRUARY ICE STORM (FEBRUARY 9-13, 1994)

 The ice storm which struck the Southeast in February 1994

resulted from a typical icing scenario: a quasi-stationary front

with overrunning moisture producing freezing precipitation in

colder air near the surface to the north of the front. However,

this storm was very unusual in 2 respects: 1) Its areal extent

was much greater than usually found in ice storms, and 2) The

precipitation amounts were much higher than usually found in ice

storm situations, with some amounts exceeding 5 inches for the

event (see Table 1).

 The ice storm began in the western sections of the Southeast

on the 9th and gradually spread eastward into Tennessee,
Mississippi, and Alabama. These three states suffered the worst

damage before the storm continued northeastward through the

Carolinas, Virginia, and Kentucky. A large temperature gradient

across the front (some temperature drops of 40-50 degrees

Fahrenheit from the previous day's readings occurred) contributed

to the 'energy' of the storm. Ice accumulations ranged from 1

inch to as much as 6 inches in parts of northern Mississippi--

unprecedented ice thicknesses in this area for a freezing rain

event.

 Overall, the storm produced over $3 billion in damages and

cleanup costs, and at least 9 deaths were attributed (directly or

indirectly) to the storm. Also, well over 2 million customers

were without electricity at some time, and 1/2 million were still

without power 3 days after the storm. There were even some

instances of residents without power for 1 month after the storm. 

Many homes, businesses, and vehicles were damaged by falling

trees and limbs. Following is a state-by-state account of the

destruction, for those states from which detailed information was

available (some states provided much more detailed information

than others):

 Alabama: A 7-county area of northwest AL was devastated by

the storm. Numerous trees and limbs blocked roads making travel

nearly impossible, and damage to homes and businesses was
widespread. Due to the broad area with rainfall amounts of over

3 inches (some over 5 inches), flooding was also a problem,

although not nearly as damaging as the ice. Total damages were

estimated at nearly $500 million.

 Arkansas: Southeast AR was affected more severely than the

rest of the state with some areas having almost every power pole

downed by the ice. Approximately 120,000 customers were without

power at some time during the storm, and up to 2 weeks were 

required to restore power to some locations. Some power

companies called this the worst ice storm in their history. 

Damage and cleanup costs were estimated at over $50 million.

 Kentucky: The south-central and southeast sections of the

state were hardest hit. Ice accumulated to over 3 inches in some

locations. Over 190,000 customers were without electricity at

some point, with power not restored for over a week in some

locations. KY also reported 150 injuries for the event--the only

state to officially report a significant number of injuries. 

Damage estimates were placed at over $50 million for the state.

 Louisiana: Northern LA was hard hit with over 100,000

customers without power due to the storm. The Forest Service

reported that 256,000 acres of forest were damaged by icing. 

This was the worst ice storm in LA since 1983, with damage
estimated at about $13.5 million.

 Mississippi: Northern MS was probably the area of the

Southeast hardest hit by the storm. Ice thicknesses of 3-6

inches were common and caused catastrophic damage in many areas. 

Over 5 inches of rainfall at some locations produced considerable

flooding in addition to the ice damage. 3.7 million acres of

commercial forests were severely damaged, with losses estimated

at $1.3 billion. Urban tree losses were estimated at $27

million. 25% of the state's pecan crop will be lost for the next

5-10 years at an estimated cost of $5.5 million per year. 

Approximately 750,000 customers were without power at some point,

with about the same number also without water. Electricity to

some locations was not restored for 1 month. Utility damage was

estimated at about $500 million, which places total damage and

costs for the state at nearly $2 billion!

 North Carolina: The western and north-central parts of the

state were most affected, with ice thicknesses generally less

than 2 inches reported. Most of the damage was to utilities as

over 100,000 customers were without power at some point--some for

several days. Damage estimates were rather minor compared to

other states--generally less than $10 million.

 South Carolina: Northwest SC was the only part of the state
significantly affected. Power outages to nearly 100,000

customers were reported, with some out for several days. Damage

estimates were less than $5 million.

 Tennessee: A large portion of TN was affected by the storm,

with overall destruction ranking second behind MS. Many

locations experienced over 5 inches of rainfall, thereby creating 

flooding problems in addition to the icing. Shelbyville reported

7.78 inches--the maximum for the event. About 770,000 customers

lost power for some period of time, with nearly a month required

to restore all of the outages. There was one traffic fatality

attributed to the storm when a tree fell on a moving car. Total

damages/costs were placed at nearly $500 million.

 Texas: The northeast portion of the state was most affected

by the storm, with over 30,000 customers without power at some

point. Up to 4 inches of ice and sleet accumulated in some

areas, and 2 fatalities were reported due to traffic accidents. 

Damages were estimated at well under $50 million.

 West Virginia: WV was not as severely affected as states

farther south, although about 50,000 customers were without power

at some point. The southern part of the state received most of

the damage, with damage estimates of less than $1 million

overall. 
JULY FLOODING (EARLY - MIDDLE JULY, 1994)

 Severe flooding struck the southwest half of Georgia during

the early to middle portion of July. The flooding was the result

of the slow-moving, meandering remnants of Tropical Storm

Alberto. Alberto entered the U.S. over the panhandle of Florida

near Fort Walton Beach with maximum sustained winds of around 65

MPH, and a minimum pressure of 993 mb (measured just prior to

landfall). The highest storm surge was near Destin, FL with a

height of about 5 feet. The storm moved slowly northward into

southeast Alabama, and then into west-central Georgia. It then

slowed to a crawl, even drifting southward and then westward for

a time, producing rainfall amounts that exceeded 10 inches in

many locations, with over 20 inches in a few spots. (See Figure

1 for the storm's track.) As there were no reported tornadoes or

significant wind damage, the severe damage was solely the result

of extremely heavy rainfall.

 Flooding also affected some parts of the Florida panhandle

and southeast Alabama. The flooding severely damaged or

destroyed many homes, businesses, farms, highways, dams, and

bridges, with damage estimates for the three affected states now

placed at between $750 million and $1 billion. Damage to

government-owned structures was estimated to be nearly $60
million. Agricultural damage estimates are placed at around $100

million, but may well be higher in the final analysis. 

 Georgia by some accounts experienced its worst flooding in

modern times. An estimated 1700 roads and 600 bridges were

forced out of service, and several towns were largely under

water. Over 40,000 people were evacuated due to the rising

waters, and about 12,000 homes and businesses were destroyed or

severely damaged by the flooding. Thirty people were killed in

Georgia and 2 were killed in Alabama--many of these vehiclerelated. Approximately 11,500 Georgians applied for federal

disaster assistance, as 55 counties in Georgia were declared

disaster areas. Also, 13 counties in Florida and 10 counties in

Alabama were declared disaster areas. (See Figure 2 for a map of

counties declared disaster areas.) $60 million in federal aid

was approved for the flood-damaged areas.

 Over 400,000 acres of farmland in Georgia were flooded, 

where water covered at least 60,000 acres of peanuts, 19,000

acres of cotton, and 10,000 acres of corn. Alabama also reported

over 400,000 acres to have been flooded or damaged. In Georgia

alone, the flood waters covered an area the size of Massachusetts

and Rhode Island combined. In Georgia, Alabama, and Florida

combined, over 900,000 acres were under water at one time. Also,

300,000 Georgia residents were left without safe drinking water
for periods ranging up to 3 weeks.

 In Bainbridge GA, National Guard troops and prison inmates

built a 10-foot earthen dam to protect a fertilizer plant. 

Luckily, due to their efforts and the flood crest at Bainbridge

being lower than expected, the dam held. On one Georgia farm, a

quarter-of-a-million chickens were reportedly killed by the

flooding. Over 100 dams were breached in Georgia, and Interstate

75 was covered with over 4 feet of water in places, forcing its

closure for 60 hours. In Albany GA, the east and west parts of

town were separated by the closing of 4 bridges for over a week. 

The Flint River at Albany overflowed as far as 3 miles from its

normal river edge. Numerous coffins were forced from their

cemetery plots by the water pressure. 

 The 5 river basins most severely affected were: 

The Flint River Basin in western Georgia,

the Ocmulgee River Basin in central Georgia,

the Chattahoochee River Basin along the Georgia-Alabama line,

the Choctawhatchee River Basin in Alabama,

and the Pea River Basin in Alabama.

 Several 100-year (or greater) flood events are estimated to

have occurred along and in the vicinity of the Flint and Ocmulgee

Rivers in Georgia. The Ocmulgee River at Macon reached a level
more than 4 feet over the top of the levee. Macon and Albany

were both very hard hit by the flooding. Nearly a dozen NWS

river forecast locations observed record flood stages, some by 5

to 7 feet over the previous record and 20 feet over flood stage. 

Figure 3 graphically shows the rivers which experienced major

and/or record flooding. Some of the notable flood crests

included (levels in feet):

 Flood Old Record

 Jul 94 Stage (* if broken)

Georgia:

Flint River at Newton 45.2 24.0 41.3 (1925) *

Flint River at Bainbridge 37.3 25.0 40.9 (1925)

Flint River at Albany 42.7 20.0 37.8 (1925) *

Altamaha R. at Plant Hatch 84.0 74.5 N/A

Ocmulgee River at Macon 35.3 18.0 29.8 (1990) *

Kinchafoonee R. at Dawson 26.6 13.0 20.4 (1990) *

Alabama:

Choctawhatchee R. at Geneva 42.2 23.0 N/A

Florida:

Apalachicola R. at Blounstown 27.4 15.0 28.6 (1929)

Woodruff Dam at Chattahoochee 76.3 66.0 79.6 (1929)

 Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate the unusually heavy rainfall. 
Americus GA recorded the heaviest amount with 21.10 inches for

the 24-hour period ending at 7 AM on July 6th. This far exceeded

the estimated 100-year return period 24-hour rainfall of about

8.50 inches for this area. In fact, 15 of the deaths in Georgia

occurred in Americus. Tables 2 and 3 list locations which

received at least 10 inches of rainfall. Although the amounts

exceeding 20 inches are certainly noteworthy, the large area

which received at least 8-10 inches was the chief culprit in the

tremendous runoff and widespread flooding. In fact, some

flooding continued until the end of July.

 Finally, Table 4 provides a summary of weather-related

disasters of the past 15 years with at least $1 billion in

damages/costs. As it shows, these last 2 events to strike the

Southeast are the latest in a series of very damaging events to

affect the U.S. over the past 7 years, with 6 of the events

occurring during the past 2 years.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS/REFERENCES

 The information for this report was collected from numerous

sources. They include the Climate Analysis Center, the National

Weather Service (NWS), the Southeast Regional Climate Center,

NCDC's Storm Data publication, and various news media reports. 
Especially noteworthy contributors were Scott Kroczynski with the

NWS Special Studies Branch (contributed Figures 1-3), William

Angel and Bob Summers with NCDC's Operations and Support Division

(contributed Figures 4-6 and data for Tables 2-3), and Scott

Miller with NCDC's Global Climate Lab (contributed front cover). 

For those desiring further information or data, please contact

NCDC's Climate Services Branch: Phone 704-271-4800, Fax 704-271-

4876, Internet orders@ncdc.noaa.gov. Also, this and other

reports, along with various on-line datasets, are available via

our Mosaic/WWW system (http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov).
TABLE 1 - PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS (MELTED) FOR FEB 9-13, 1994

 FOR STATIONS WITH AT LEAST 5 INCHES (MOST FELL ON

 FEB 9-11)

ALABAMA: 

HUNTSVILLE MADISON 6.02

RUSSELLVILLE 5.65

HALEYVILLE 5.48

ADDISON 5.40

MOULTON 5.36

HODGES 5.36

HANCEVILLE 5.30

ATHENS 5.18

HAMILTON 5.14

BELLE MINA 5.12

MISSISSIPPI: 

AMORY LOCK & DAM A 5.94

VAIDEN 5.56

MINTER CITY 5.49

ABBEVILLE 5.34

VERONA EXP STN 5.24

FULTON 5.21

BALDWYN 5.19

IUKA 5.16

RIPLEY 5.16

PONTOTOC EXP STN 5.14

PONTOTOC 5.10

TENNESSEE: 

SHELBYVILLE 7.78

NORRIS 7.44

KINGSTON 6.51

TULLAHOMA 6.35

PULASKI WATER PLANT 5.88

LAFAYETTE 5.86

JEFFERSON CITY 5.81

LIVINGSTON RADIO 5.80

JAMESTOWN 5.78

MONTEAGLE 5.75

TAZEWELL 5.67

WINCHESTER 5.64
ALLARDT 5.55

OAK RIDGE 5.52

DAYTON 5.42

ROGERSVILLE 5.41

MC MINNVILLE 5.33

ONEIDA 5.25

MORRISTOWN RADIO 5.12

PORTLAND SEWAGE PLAN 5.10

BRISTOL TRI CITY AP 5.07

LENOIR CITY 5.07

LEWISBURG EXP STN 5.00

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TABLE 2 - PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS FOR JULY 1-7, 1994

 FOR STATIONS WITH AT LEAST 10 INCHES

ALABAMA:

ENTERPRISE 21.58

KINSTON 17.07

ABBEVILLE 15.93

DOTHAN 15.24 

ELBA 15.04

HEADLAND 14.74

CLAYTON 13.58

GENEVA 11.63

EUFAULA WILDLIFE REF. 11.32

UNION SPRINGS 11.14

HURTSBORO 10.03

FLORIDA:

NICEVILLE 19.78

GEORGIA:

AMERICUS 27.61

CUTHBERT 23.87

BUTLER 23.63

PLAINS 21.91

MARSHALLVILLE 20.55

BYRON EXPERIMENT STN 16.61

MACON 16.51

PEACHTREE CITY 15.63 (unofficial) 

MONTEZUMA 15.07
THOMASTON 14.57

EXPERIMENT 14.31

JONESBORO 13.79

BUENA VISTA 13.65

PRESTON 13.36

LUMPKIN 11.20

JULIETTE 11.00

IRWINTON 10.22

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TABLE 3 - PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS FOR JULY 5-6, 1994

 FOR STATIONS WITH AT LEAST 10 INCHES

 

ALABAMA:

ABBEVILLE 10.75

GEORGIA:

AMERICUS 24.23

MARSHALLVILLE 20.55

BUTLER 19.88

PLAINS 17.85

BYRON EXPERIMENT STN 15.60

CUTHBERT 14.45

EXPERIMENT 13.68

JONESBORO 12.94

MONTEZUMA 12.71

THOMASTON 12.34

MACON 11.00

IRWINTON 10.22

BUENA VISTA 10.20

Table 4
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6