Global weather activity of 2009 profiles the major worldwide storms, including blizzards, tornadoes, ice storms, tropical cyclones and other meteorogical events, from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009. Wintery storms are events in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are forms that only occur at cold temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are cold enough to allow ice to form (i.e. freezing rain). It may be marked by strong wind, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), heavy precipitation, such as ice (ice storm), or wind transporting some substance through the atmosphere (as in a dust storm, snowstorm, hailstorm, etc.). Summer storms including flooding, severe thunderstorms and extratropical cyclones (which can occur in summer or winter) are also included in this list to a certain extent.
As this occurred a heat wave and/or unforeseen monsoon weather also hit parts of Australia in 2009 and 2010. Victoria, the scene of horrific bushfires the year before, had a far colder summer, with hot weather arriving more than a month later than usual in 2009. August 17 saw a dust storm at Laguna Mar Chiquita as a major drought hit Argentina, and flooding and hailstorms hit southeastern Australia and Queensland in March 2010. The lack of winter precipitation in parts of China, however, contributed to a severe drought in the southwest. Bolivia, Venezuela, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco and Spain have also seen periods of drought in 2009 and 2010. On between May 12 and 26, both Mauritania, the Sénégal River Area and neighbouring parts of both Senegal and Mali faced both a drought and famine in 2010.
A storm (from Proto-Germanic *sturmaz "noise, tumult") is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather.
Storms are created when a centre of low pressure develops, with a system of high pressure surrounding it. This combination of opposing forces can create winds and result in the formation of storm clouds, such as the cumulonimbus. Small, localized areas of low pressure can form from hot air rising off hot ground, resulting in smaller meteorological disturbances such as dust devils and whirlwinds.
January
December 30, 2008—January 1, 2009
An Alberta clipper affected regions around the Great Lakes, Midwestern United States and Northeastern United States. The storm strengthened over the Atlantic, and in turn the Northeastern United States saw about 10–20 cm of snow as compared to the 7-10 cm of snow in the Greater Toronto Area. The Atlantic provinces were in a Blizzard for New Year's Day, with 49 cm recorded in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and 25 cm in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Blizzard warnings and storm surge warnings were posted as winds were sustained more than , out of the North. Newfoundland and Labrador saw about 15–25 cm of snow, with blowing snow. Another 15–20 cm fell through the province, and 5-15 cm of heavy snowfall occurred in and around Vancouver.
Amounts of 5–15 cm of heavy wet snow fell in Metro Vancouver and the surrounding Fraser Valley.
January 2–4
January 2 saw a blizzard hit the Swiss–Liechtenstein border, killing an Italian tourist, when his car skidded into a tree due to black ice on the nearby road.
Yet another winter storm developed and brought about 10–25 cm across Alberta, Saskatchewan and through the Northern Great Plains. 10–20 cm also fell through Northern Ontario, with freezing rain, ice pellets (sleet) and rain to the south. Northeastern United States can expect ice and snow, with rain down south. Traveling will not be easy.
On the west coast, Vancouver and the surrounding Fraser Valley got 5–20 cm of wet snow, with heavier accumulation towards in the interior of British Columbia, about 10–20 cm of dryer, more powdery snow.
January 5–7
A major winter storm is developing near the Gulf. It is slowly moving north, and it will be a complex of two lows. Toronto, Ontario, recorded about 13 cm. Niagara region saw snow mixing with ice pellets and Freezing rain. Eastern Ontario and Southern Quebec saw amounts of 15–30 cm. Similar amounts fell in New England. The Atlantic provinces saw snow to start then mixing, and rain was reported in some areas.
Snow continued in Metro Vancouver with accumulations of 2–15 cm of heavy wet snow.
Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley were stuck with continuing snow from the 1st-5th with accumulations for those 5 days anywhere from 15 to 30 cm of heavy wet snow pile up. As the temperatures rose (up to 10 °C), heavy rains came to the area starting on the 6th. Rain amounts on the 6th and the 7th were anywhere from 30 to even 150 mm on Western Vancouver Island, the north shore of Vancouver, and sections of the Fraser Valley. In the city of Chilliwack in the Fraser Valley a very deep snow cover, mostly sub-freezing temperatures since December 13, 2008, warm temperatures and heavy rain created flooding concerns for residents living near or on the edge of the Fraser River.
January 8 Four died on January 8 during a heavy blizzard in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and the North West Frontier.
January 9–11
A storm brought 5–15 cm across the Canadian Prairies and through the Great Plains. Midwest U.S. and Southwestern Ontario could see amounts of 5–25 cm. Many areas are reporting heavy amounts of snowfall.
On the west coast, up to 120 mm could fall in some areas, as a low pressure area comes in. These latest storms have caused flooding in many areas. Due to excessive snow melt courtesy from the large amounts produced by the December Snowstorms with the Pineapple Express storm along with heavy rain fall lead to epic flooding. More than 18 rivers went beyond Major Flood stage and a couple went over Record Stage. These floods led the closure of I-5 in Centralia when the Chehalis and Skookumchuck Rivers overflowed. This was the second time in two consecutive years when that Section of I-5 was closed due to flooding.
January 17–19
A major winter storm swept across the Great Lakes region and the U.S. Northeast. Areas of Toronto recorded between 15 and 25 cm, with 10 cm in Windsor, Ontario, & higher amounts towards the Lakes. Some areas reported more than 20 cm of accumulation. This same storm affected Northeastern United States with 10–30 cm, and the Atlantic provinces of Canada. Some areas have reported freezing rain and ice pellets, and even rain mixing in. U.S. Southeast saw mostly rain.
January 25–30 On January 21, heavy rain cause worst floods in 40 years in Brunei Darussalam. Heavy rains started late on Tuesday in the oil-rich capital of Bandar Seri Begawan, causing flash floods and landslides, interrupting power supply and shutting some telephone lines. About 145.8 millimetres of rainfall was recorded during the 24-hour period from 8 am Tuesday to 8 am Wednesday, according to the weather department, which expects more rain in the coming days but not as heavy as on Tuesday. Two casualties were reported.
In late January 2009, severe winter storm developed over the Midwest, after having already brought more than an inch of ice to many areas in the United States. The system moved eastward across the Midwest into the Northeast. Many places expected a major ice storm, and areas to the north expected significant snowfall accumulations. Over 2 million people were without power throughout the Midwest and Northeastern United States. About 500,000 people in Kentucky were left without electricity. Ice reached8 cm thick in some areas. The storm caused 23 deaths, with 6 deaths in Texas. Regions of Southern Ontario received between 5–20 cm, with 20–30 cm in Eastern Ontario and Southern Quebec. Similar amounts fell in the Atlantic Provinces, with some rain/snow mixing in at times, as some areas got above the 0 C (32 F) mark.
On January 27, up to 10 cm of heavy wet snow fell in Eastern Metro Vancouver, the surrounding Fraser Valley in British Columbia, and Kitsap Country in Washington. At this point, the winter of 2008-2009 was one of the snowiest in years for Southwestern British Columbia and the pacific northwest as winter storm after winter storm pounded the region from mid-December through to early January. Some locations received up to 125 cm of snow during that period and snowcover for Vancouver exceeded 60 cm at one point in late December pointing to flood concerns on the then ice-jammed Fraser river.
February
February 1–2
A warm, moist Mediterranean cyclone began to move (unusually?) northwards over France, against a cold continental high pressure ridge, causing the cyclone to discharge its moisture as snow over large areas of western Europe. The system was vigorous enough to produce a winter-time tornado in Málaga.
On February 1 and 2, heavy snow fell overnight across large parts of the United Kingdom, causing widespread disruption to transport and education. London received its heaviest snowfalls in 18 years. Many roads, including the M25 London Orbital motorway, were blocked in the morning rush hour, whilst train services are disrupted and many airport runways closed. Transport for London suspended all London Buses and the London Underground was severely disrupted. Hundreds of schools were forced to close. Temperatures fell below seasonal averages with Chesham, Buckinghamshire recording -10 degrees Celsius at night.
Airports were affected included London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport were affected.
Spain, Germany, Portugal and Ireland were also affected. In Ireland, snowstorms disrupted road and rail transport, including the M50 and M1. Dublin Airport and Cork Airport were severely disrupted, as were ferry services in the Irish Sea throughout February 2.
Ireland was affected in a similar way to the UK. In the Republic, the South and East were the worst affected. Due to black ice, driving was very treacherous, with ice and snow blocking many major routes such as the M1 and M50. Dublin Airport and Cork Airport were seriously affected, with many flights to Britain and Europe delayed and cancelled. The major rail routes across Ireland were closed down, as a result of bad ice and snow. Temperatures across Ireland fell below average everywhere, with temperatures of -8 and -9 degrees Celsius recorded in places.
The snow was a result of wind blowing across from West Siberia, and reacted with the low pressure system approaching across from the Atlantic. This created unusually large amounts of snow, which fell across England, Wales and Eastern Ireland. This weather type is rare in Ireland, and is normally confined to small amounts; however, the total amount of snowfall in this storm was the highest since 1981.
A winter storm developing over the Gulf states and through the Gulf of Mexico, is bringing widespread Heavy Rain to the South Eastern States of the US. Up to 100 mm is possible in some areas. Coastal areas of North Eastern United States can expect snowfall of up to in some areas, local amounts may be higher. Atlantic Canada will see strong winds and snowfall amounts of .
A small weather system carrying snow that developed in North France reached South East England and the Midlands which brought of snow in some parts of Gloucestershire. Further snow came in from the south and east throughout the week. The worst places affected was the Forest of Dean and The Cotswolds. On 6 February a few small towns in Devon reported around of lying snow (Okehampton). The Severn Bridge, the main link between England and Wales closed due to falling ice for the first time. Some 321 schools in Buckinghamshire, 300 schools in Gloucestershire and 307 schools in Wales also closed on the 6th.
February 6–12
About 3,000 people were killed as a storm complex paced over Haiti on the 6th