READ MORE: Seeking ‘peace of mind’ at the end of the Memorial Day tornado’s path
The first snowstorm blanketed the Miami Valley the weekend of Jan. 12. Most of the Miami Valley got anywhere from 5 to 9 inches of snow! The Dayton International Airport got 6.1 inches, which set a daily record for snow.
The following weekend another big snowstorm dumped 3 to 6 inches more of snow on the area. By the middle of the month, there was anywhere from 5 to 7 inches of snow pack on the ground. Cold was another big story — Dayton fell below zero three nights that month.
Winter Weather Advisory in effect; 2-4 inches of snow expected for some
February kept winter interesting as well. It started with another snowstorm that brought a widespread 4 to 6 inches of snow. Just about a week later, clusters of storms brought heavy rain and even a weak tornado. A rare winter tornado developed in Selma in Clark County as an EF0 twister.
A mix of snow and ice then impacted the Miami Valley with another storm Feb. 20. February ended up being the third wettest on record.
The month ended on a windy note. An area of low pressure over the Great Lakes produced wind gusts over 50mph. A 64-mph wind gust was reported at the Sidney Municipal Airport. Trees and power lines were brought down in the strong winds that left many without power.
Transitioning to spring, severe weather season was active and destructive this year. It started with multiple tornadoes in April. April brought several rounds of severe weather that produced four tornadoes. May was just as active. A bowing line of strong storms brought three tornadoes on May 19.
The Memorial Day tornado outbreak brought the most destruction. Fifteen tornadoes would tear through the Miami Valley that night. The strongest tornado was an EF4 that ravaged the communities of Brookville, Trotwood, Harrison Twp., Northridge, Old North Dayton and Riverside. One man in Celina lost his life and a Trotwood woman's death was attributed in part to the storm. Countless others were left with homes and neighborhoods that sustained major damage.
More severe weather and flooding impacted the Miami Valley in the month of June, too. That impacted the farming community. Snow from the winter, a wet spring and then a wet early summer made planting a challenging feat.
Summer quickly brought dry conditions. Abnormally dry soil began to develop in August and by September, drought conditions became widespread. By the end of October, the Miami Valley was in a moderate drought. For farmers, the very dry end to summer and fall meant crops that were planted during the growing season were damaged during harvest.
Fall was a roller coaster when it came to temperatures. October brought the latest 90-degree days the Miami Valley had ever seen. Very quickly November brought a taste of winter. It was the earliest the Miami Valley had seen single-digit temperatures. The Dayton International Airport dropped to five degrees the morning of Nov. 13, which broke a record for the day.
Then on Nov. 12 an early season snowstorm brought 2.3 inches to the Dayton area, which broke a record for the most snowfall on that day.
STAY INFORMED: School and business closings
Snow and cold blew back into the Miami Valley on Sunday night into Monday. Tomorrow will be the coldest day this week with wind chills in the single digits and teens. Long-range trends would suggest a warmer but a wet end to the year.
After our community has been rocked by destructive tornadoes, a poor planting season and drought conditions and we continue to rebuild, hopefully 2020 will bring calmer weather to our region.
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