The term isn’t common, in fact I’d never heard of it until it wreaked havoc across the Great Plains a few weeks ago, but meteorologists know the term. It’s one strong storm system.
The strength of a storm is measured by its central pressure – the lower the number, the stronger the storm. This particular storm gained strength in just 24 hours rising to 968 millibars – just shy of Hurricane Florence (958) when it made landfall.
Cities and towns were engulfed in floodwaters, inaccessible by the outside world except by helicopter or boat.
And, this storm hit our Nebraska neighbors causing widespread devastation. The nightmare exploded across the landscape dumping heavy snow and rain on top of snow-packed, frozen ground which offered no place for more precipitation.
Howling winds, emergency declarations, evacuations, and horrific flooding resulted leaving hundreds of homeless people displaced in shelters. Levees failed. Rivers soared t