Top 10 Weather Events: 2013

[CrazyC83]

I do this every year, so I have decided again to list - for all of 2013 - the top 10 weather events. I try to keep a mixture, and it doesn't appear any event the rest of the way can make it (this current storm appears to have fallen just short IMO). This was a tougher list to determine since there were relatively few blockbuster events.

Here is my top 10:

1 - Moore tornado week: A questionable #1, but it was extremely destructive and brought the nation together after a very slow start to the severe weather season. Many lost their lives, but the human toll could have been worse. Nonetheless, the area was virtually flattened (May 19-26)

2 - Colorado floods: Sudden heavy rain leads to the worst flooding in the state's history and one of the most feared scenarios of all (mid to late September)

3 - February Northeast blizzard: New England is paralyzed after a massive blizzard leaves feet of snow and hurricane-force winds from an impressive Nor'easter (February 8-10)

4 - November tornado outbreak: A late season tornado outbreak surprised the Midwest with extreme damage in just a few hours on a mid-November day, but few fatalities fortunately (November 17)

5 - Cold, snowy spring: Winter seemed to hang on with multiple snowstorms and blizzards as late as early May in much of America, especially in the Midwest (late March to early May)

6 - West Coast drought and fires: Driest year on record for much of the West Coast and not surprisingly that leads to many wildfires across the region. (entire year 2013)

7 - December winter storm: Much of the Southern Plains, including Dallas, shut down for days by snow and ice (December 6-12)

8 - El Reno tornado disaster: While the tornado remains mostly in the open, many are caught unaware and tragically we lose some of the greatest storm chasers as well (May 31)

9 - October blizzard and severe weather: A winter-type storm in early October buries the Plains in record snow, while also producing intense tornadoes and flooding elsewhere (October 2-6)

10 - Tropical tranquility: Other than Tropical Storm Andrea which does very little harm, the tropics do nothing at all to the US - and most of the basin (Mexico a notable exception) in 2013 (entire year 2013)

Globally, I would say the #1 event definitely was Typhoon Haiyan.

[CrazyC83]

There weren't too many blockbuster events in 2013 so it was a harder list than usual to draw up with a lot of events that could easily be placed elsewhere on the list.

For comparison, the top events in other recent years:

2012 - Hurricane Sandy
2011 - Southern tornado outbreak on April 27
2010 - Nashville area floods in May
2009 - Ohio Valley/Southern ice storm in January
2008 - Hurricane Ike

[Cyclenall]

Top Weather Events of 2013:

1. Moore OK EF5 on May 20
2. May 31 2013 El Reno EF5
3. Super Typhoon Haiyan
4. November 17 2013 Major Tornado and Severe Outbreak
5. TIED: January 2013 North-east Blizzard and December 20-22 2013 North American Storm Complex
6. Early October Mid-West Tornado Outbreak
7. Alberta Canada June 20 Historic Flooding and Rains
8. April 13 2013 Ontario Ice Storm
9. June 2013 Europe Flooding
10. Colorado Wildfires (summer)

Notable mentions:

11. Western North American Heatwave Late June-July 2013
12. Summer in China/SE Asia Heatwave
13. December Lake Effect Snow for all Great Lakes

Again, this is based on what was most interesting or unique, not damage or impact. 2013 didn't contain as many catastrophic disasters as 2011 but managed to be another stand-out year.

I don't understand your list Crazy, I don't agree really with much of it. Putting the May 31 2013 El Reno EF5 at #8 is just criminal, that was one of the most insane things I've seen in my life weather-wise. The Colorado floods might have caused more damage for example but the tornado had so many peaks of insanity (and surreal points) and memorable aspects that it had to be near the top of the list, no doubt. Even though the death toll wasn't sky high or major population centers razed down to nothing, CNN still covered it all overnight (live) it was that unbelievable of a tornado. #10 is the lack of something which shouldn't be on this list. Another type of index, yes.

[somethingfunny]

If I'm going global events there's no way Haiyan isn't #1.