156 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW b1AY 1941
Cyclones and gales.-Cyclonic activity was confined to
the western, northern, and eastern parts of the ocean.
On a p e a t expanse of middle waters south of the 40th
parallel there were few disturbances and the weather was for the most part settled. Early in the month some storminess occurred over both
northwestern and northeastern quadrants of the Pacific
within the period 1st to 5th. Early on the 1st the
American S. S. Pyesident Coolidge, Yokohama to Hono- lulu, ran into fresh gale winds in the morning near 35' N.,
152' E. In the afternoon the wind rose to force 11 from
the west. During much of the night and the early morning of the 2d, gales continued of force 10, finally moderating to force 7 late in the afternoon. A vessel to the northeast
of her, near 41' N., 170' E., on the 2d, had a highest velocity of force 9 from the northeast. On the 3d and
5th, associated with a cyclone over northern Japanese waters, three vessels reported southerly gales of force 9
south and east of the Kuril Islands. On May 3 to 5 a moderately deep cyclone affected the
northeastern Pacific, and was central off Queen Charlotte lsland on the 5th. It caused force-9 gales at some distance west of the Washington coast on the 4th and 5th, the
nearest of which to the mainland was encountered by the American S. S. J . A . Mo$ett near 47' N., 130' W., during
the night of the two dates. On the eastern half of the California-Hawaiian routes a
disturbance appeared near 30' N., 135O W., on the 9th and dieappeared close to the central Cnlifornin coast on
the 13th. In connection with it, gales of force S-9 occurred on the 10th and 11th roughly within the area
30' to 40' N., and from near the central California coast
westward to about 140' W. The lowest barometer, 989.5
millibars (29.22 inches) was reported on the loth, near
36' N., 126' W., by the American S. S. Matsonia.
Most storminess along the northern trans-Pacific routes occurred south of the central and eastern Aleutians during
two periods of cyclonic activity, the 9th and 10th and the
24th to 26th. Southeasterly gales of force 8 to 9,
accompanied by only a small depression of the barometer, were reported on the 9th and 10th south m d east of the
vicinity of Dutch Harbor. From the 24th to 26th the deepest cyclone of the month moved northward across the central Aleutians into the
Bering Sea, causing southeasterly gales along the eastei-n half of the group and vicinity, and south of the western
part of the Alaska Peninsula. The United States Coast
and Geodetic Survey vessel Pioneer recorded the lowest
known barometer of the month, 979.7 millibars (28.93 inches), near 52' N., 173' W., on the 24th, preceded by a
force-9 gale. The same vessel on the 26th encountered an east-southeast gale of force 11 in practically the same
position. In the Gulf of Tehuantepec a northeaster of force 7
occurred on the 13th, associated with high pressure over
the western Gulf States. Fog.-With advance of spriug, the usual increase in fog on the North Pacific was seen this month. But while
normally the great.& increase occurs on northwestern
waters, this year in Mav the rise in fog frequency was dis- tributed along practicahy the entire estent of the north-
ern and central routes. The majority of 5' ocean areas between 3.5' and 50' N., hac1 from 1 to 3 days with fog, as
well as several such areas between 30' and 35' N. Fog was reported on 4 days in the western part of the Japan
Sea, and on 4 days along the eastern shore of the Gulf of
Alaska. California coastal waters had 9 days and Lower California waters 8 days on which fog was observed.
RIVER STAGES AND FLOODS
By BENNETT SWENSON
Except in the middle Plains States and Wyoming, pre-
cipitation during May RRS above normal t'hroughout the western half of the country with amounts far above nor-
mal in most States. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Louisiana
had more than the usual amount for this month, but in
all other States east of the Plains the amounts were below
normal. Deficiencies were especially large from Kentucky and Virginia southward. South Carolina had only 13 per- cent of normal, Alabama 16 percent, and Georgia and
Tennessee 26 percent. It was the driest May of record in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina,
and the second driest in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, - -
and Mississippi.
For the winter and spring season (December to May) t,he East Central States, the entire Btlantic Seaboard es-
cept Florida, and the, far Northwest showed a decided
defic.ienc.y in pre.cipitation.
Athntic Slope and cast Gutf of Mexico drainage.-Floods were entidy a.bsent in this area and river stages were unusua.lly low during May, except for flood stage a t Pearl
River, La., in the Pearl River, continuing from April until
May 3. The mean monthly stage of the Connecticut River a t Ha,rtford, Conn., was 3.2 feet which is t,he lowest
May mean river stage of record and the lowest reading of .O
foot during the month set a record low for May. Stream flow was considerably below normal in the Susquehanns
1iive.r and approached a new all time low flow a t Harris- burg, Pa., for May. In t,he Gulf drainage a low stage of
0.26 feet a t Enterprise, Miss., on the Chickasawhay River,
is the. loumt st,ttge of record for May in 37 years of record.
Upper 2lfississippi Ba.sin.-From May 26 to the close
of the month a quasi-stationnry front exte1ide.d in an e.ast- west, direc.tion over the upper Mississippi River basin,
sitmted between central Minnesota and cent,ral Iowa
most of the time. Moderate to heavy rains occurred over
t.his area during this time resulting in light to moderate flooding, and severe flooding in some localities.
Rains fell a t a highly excessive rate in extreme north- castern Iowa and cause,d severe 1oca.l flooding in this area. Reports on flood damages have not been obt'ained a t this time.
Cautionary warnings were issued for the Root River
and the Wisconsin River a t Ihowlton, Wis., stating that
stages would approach flood stage. The damage from the high water was slight and confined to crop losses in
t81ie lowlands. Stages in the main cha.nne1 of the Mississippi River
showed a gradual recession from the high water of April
which was due to melting of the snow cover in the head-
wat'ers. The river was below flood stage except in the
vicinity of Haiinihal and Louisiana, Mo., where stages cont,inued above flood during the first week of May.
&/iissouri R<ver Batxin.--A mass of Polar Maritime air
moved rapidly southeastward across Nebraska and Kansas on May 19 and 20 with a cold front separating it from the
tropic.a,l air to the south and east. Heavy rains occurred along the Kansas-Nebraska bounda.ry as the warm moist
air was lifted over the cold air mass. The rains were heavy over the Republican River watershed generally and
especially on Medicine Creek. This creek was 4 feet
above banlrful during the night of the 19th and in the
main channel bhe Republican River reached bankful and slightly above for about 15 miles in the vicinity of Guide
Rock and Superior, Nebr.
MAY 1941 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW 157
Ohio Rii-er Basin .-Stages were unusually low during
the month due to continued lack of precipitation. At
Cincinnati, Ohio, the total precipitation for the first 5 months of the year, 6.05 inches was the least on record for that same period. In the Asheville, N. C., area the
precipitation since August 1940 has been 50 percent of
normal. The streadow in the upper Tennessee River basin was near the all-time low during the month and
the mean stage in the Ohio River at Cairo, Ill., for May
was 16.3 feet, compared to the 60-year normal of 29.3 feet
for that month. Arkansas River Basin.-Heavy rains in the headwaters
of the Canadian River in New Mexico a t the close of
April and the beginning of May caused severe flooding in that area. The river crested on the morning of the
3d at Union City, Okla., a t a stage of 6 feet. Further heavy rains over this portion of the basin resulted in a
second and higher crest of 10.8 feet a t Union City on the night of tlhe 4th. Crests a t other points were 5.5 feet a t
Canadian, Tex., on the 3d, and 17.0 feet a t Calvin, Okla.,
on tlie 5th. Rains were again heavy during the latter half of the month, but flood stage was not reached its the result of
these rains. However, flooding did occur in the North Canadian River a t Woodward and Canton, Okla., on
May 24-26 and at Yukon, Okla., stages were above flood the entire month. At Oklahoma City a stage of 14.0 feet
was reached on May 4.
Red River Basin .-Heavy rains over the Little Missouri and Upper Ouachita watershed from May 4 to 6 resulted
in flood stage being reached a t Boughton, Ark., on theLittle Missouri River and a t Arlmdelphia, Ark., on the Ouachita
River, on May 7. At Camden, Ark., the Ouachita
remained above flood stage from the 8th to tlie 14th,
cresting a t 31.8 feet (flood stage 26 feet) on May 10. The total loss has been estimated a t $9,200 with a reported
savings due to warnings of $5,000. The Sulphur River reached record breaking stages
early in the month with a crest stage of 32.0 feet a t Ringo
Crossing, Tex., on May 1, exceeding the high stage on June 17, 1935, and crest of 31.5 feet a t Naples, Tex., on
May 4, which is .2 foot lower than the record stage in
May 19, 1930. These umusudly high stages were the result of frequent rains during the sprmg months followed
by heavy rains the latter half of April and the first of May. The Little River, also a tributary of the Red River.
reached flood stage a t Whitecliffs, Ark., on May 3.
The Red River proper esceecled flood stage a t Fulton, Ark., from May 8 to 11, at Grand Ecore, La., from May
10 to IS, and a t Alexandria, La., from the 6t,h to 23d.
The crest stage of 38.0 feet a t Alexandria (6 feet above flood stage) occurred on May 16-17.
West Gulf of Mexico drainage.-The Trinity River
which overflowed its banks twice during April a t Dallas,
Tex., was out of its banks at, the close of April in the vicinity of Trinidad, Tex., and remained in flood there
until May 17. At Dallas tt flash rise reached a stage of 33.2 feet on May 6. In the lower reaches of the river
stages were slightly above flood stage from May 7 to 36.
The only report of damage was from Liberty, Tex., where
losses amounting to 83,500 were sustained. Het~vy rains with resultant floods occurred over the watersheds of the Guadalupe and Nueces Rivers during
the latter part of April and the first part of hfay. Extensive
overflows from the Guadalupe covered 75,000 acres of
farm lands as well as aclclitional acres of pastures. Farm
losses reached $78,500. The crest stage a t Gonzales, Tex.,
was 31.3 feet on April 29, which is t'he highest stage during the past 4 years for that section of t,he, Guadalupe.
Another crest of 27.6 feet was reached on Map 4. Along the lower portion of the river a crest of 29.5 feet oc.curred a t Victoria, Te.x., on hlay 3, equaling the crest of July
1940. In the Nueces River t'he flood was confined to the lower
portion where inost'ly pasture lands were flooded. The
peak stage rea.ched a t T h e e Rivers, Tex., was 40.1 feet, and wits the highest stage at that &ation in the past 5
years. Farm losses we,re estimat,ed a t approximate.ly
$7,100. Moderate floods occ,urre,d also in the Brazos and Sabine Rivers from heavy rains during t,he first week of May.
Flash floods in the smaller streams in Texas caused con-
siderable dama.ge. At Ca,meron, Tex., the Little River (tributary of the Brazos River) caused damage estimated
a t about $5,300. In the Plains and Panhandle sections of
t,he, Stat e, excessive rains caused flash floods in local streams
near Lubbock a,nd Friona, Tex., with damage estimated
at a,bout $125,000. The follow-ing report is ma.de by the official in charge, Albuquerque, N. Mex., relative to floods in t>he Pecos
River in New hlerrico and the upper Rio Grande to and including Elephant But,t'e Reservoir Dam, N. Mes.:
The Pecos River was in flood stage from Artesia to Carlsbad a t t,he be inning of the month and continued at. that stage until May
5th. flash flood occurred at 2 a. m., May 22, caused by excessive rainfall in the mountains west. of Carlshad. The greater portion
of the water came down Hackleberry Draw and Dark Canyon. The river stage at, Carlsbad changed from 8 feet, t,o 20 feet wit,hin 2 hours. No lives were lost but considerable damage occurred. Several homes were washed away.
On t,he morning of May 23 at about 10 a. m., the second flood came down on Carlsbad from the same source as the first. This stage was considerably great,er than t,he first, one and did much damage. Alt.hough sufficient warnings had been issuecl 5 lives
were lost, in this second flood. About 111 homes were completely lost and 210 homes flooded aud badly damaged; and about 1,500
people were homeless. So far, it. has not been possible to obtain a fair estimate of the amount of darnage to propel-ty and crops. This will be given in a later report. The Pecos River reached flood stage the night of May 23 at Artesia and remained a t high st,age uiitil close of the m0nt.h. There was very little damage, however, from water in t.he main stream above Carlshad. Flood waters in the Pecos caused the Red Bluff
Dam to fill to capacity. The Rio Grande was in flood stage from May 2 from Embudo to
San Marcial. At t,he crest,, about 25,000 second-feet were passing Albuquerque. The flood in this river has caused damage well over a million dollars, and a full report of t.he flood will be made as soon as the water subsides. As the river was still at flood stage at the
close of the mont.h, i t is not practicable to make an accurate estimate of the damage. A full report. of the flood in this river will be made
at a later date.
The official in charge, El Paso, Tes., report,s as follows on floods in t'he Pecos River in Terns and in the Rio
Gr:mde from Elephant Butt,e Dam t,o the niout,li of t'he
Pecos River:
Due t,o heavy t.hundershowers in the middle Pecos Valley water-
shed, in New Mexico on 4 days, beginning May 21, the Red Bluff
Reservoir became full and began spilling on May 24. Heavy
showers also fell i n the Pecos River wat,ershed in Tesas immediately
south of t,he Red Bluff Dam, during the same period, particularly
on the 22d and 23d. A rapid, sudden inflow of wat.er took place
int,o t,he Pecos River and it overflowed at Mentone, Tes., about 20
miles south of the Dam, on the night. of the 23d-24th. On the
morning of the 25t,h t,he stage of t,he Pecos River at. Pecos, Tes.,
20 miles southeast of Mentone, was 8.7 feet, rising. Flood stage
at Pecoa is 13.0 feet. River st,ages at, Peroa during the reiiiaiiider of the m0nt.h were as
fnllows: 26th. 12 feet,, rising; 27th, 14 feet, rising; PSth, 14.4 feet,
rising; 29th, 14.5 feet,; 30th, I4..i feet,: and 31st, 14.5 feet.
158 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW MAY 1941
raneihlc Prcsprr-
proDerty rrops tive
The river enters a canyon at Sheffield, Tex., about 75 mile- houth-
east of Pecos and remains therein until it empties into the Rio Grande and no overflows are possible. The predicted orerfloas began to occur in the Pecos district on
the 27th. Highways and 5,300 acres of irrigated farm land in
Ward, Loving, and Reeves counties were flooded. The flood continued after May 31. An effort will he made to
obtain detailed edimates of loss when the flood subsides.
Heavy rains in the Rio Grande River watershed between La Nutria and Presidio, Tex., a distance of about 60 miles, on May 23 and 24, caused o\ erflows in the River and arroyos in that section.
The Presidio Valley is bordered both on the north and south by mountains, which are connected with the River by dry arroyos.
This topographicsl formation, of course, is most favorable to quick
run-offs. Farm lands between Candelaria and Presidio were flooded both by adjacent arrotos and the River. The total losses from the two sources amounted to about $34,000 in Texas and $30,000 in Mexico.
While no flood stages were indicated in the lotver Rio Grande, the river broke through some privately-owned levees below Brownsville, Tex., but no material damage
resulted.
Gulf of California drainage.-High water and flooding
occurred in the upper watershed of the Colorado River during the month. The high water resulted mainly from melting snow. Temperatures were unusually high in
Colorado during the month and some rains occurred late in April and during the latter half of May.
There was considerable flooding in the Gunnison River
which drains into the Colorado River above Grand Junction, Colo. The unusual1 high stage of 12.7 feet
River flood stage was exceeded slightly a t Grand Junction with a peak stage of 11.2 feet on May 15. Damages have
been estimated at $120,000 in this area. The San Juan River, also a tributary of the Colorado
River, was a t flood stage from May 12 to 17 in the vicinity
of Farmington, N. hlex. The river crested a t 40,000
second-feet a t that place on May 15. A further report 011
this flood will be made at a later date.
Pacijic Slope drainage.-Stages above flood occurred in the Kings River at Piedra, Calif., several times during the
month. The highest stage reached was 11.25 feet on
May 24. The high water WEIS due to the melting of snow in the elevated regions. Additional areas in Tulare
Lake Basin are being flooded by the annual rise in the Kings, Kaweah, Tule, and Kern Rivers. These streams
have not yet reached the seasond peak.
was reached a t Delta, Colo., on i lay 14. In the Colorado
Table of estimated Jlood losses and savings f o r May 1941
Livrstnck and vtl1c.r movable farm proprrty
River and drainage
3,000 30.20
2. sol!
8,noo
MISSISSIPPI PYSI EM
Red Btrain
Ouachita Rivcr
WEST GITLF OF MEXICO
Trinity Rirer. .____________
~
Rrazns River _______________ Ouadalure Rivrr 1 . - ______ __ Nueccs River !- _._ __ ________
GULF OF C.~I.IFOENIA
Ounnison and Colorsdc Rivers..- _________..__. ___. Salt River: __________________
--. - ____ __________. 100,wo 7 5 ,m 3,5m 4.600 350
$2,500
1
$2,000
I
$700
36. OOL
1
84,000
1 lSG, 300 ___ ______ __.__
- -
Total losses
$9, ?oo
3,500 130. :!Po
im, 500
9, "50
13, ooo IW, 300
-
FLOOD-STAGE REPORT FOR MAY 1941
[ 411 dates in May imle
River and station
-~-_____ -
E.43T GULF OF MEXICO DR.4INAGE
Penrl: Pearl River. La. ____
~
____ ______ ____
Uppfr Nissiasippi Basin
YISSIBSWP1 SYSTEM
Mississippi: Hannihnl, Mo ... _____ ._____ _____ __ _____. Louisiana, hfo. -.
~
_____ ___ __ __
Missouri Rosin
Republican: Guile Rock, Nrbr _.___..____._
White Bnsin Nb i te : Georwtom. Ark.. .______
Clarcndon, Ark. _____________.. - __ ..- - -.
Arkaiiraa Ehsin
Cimsrron: Pcrlrins. Okla _..___
~
__. ..-- - _____
Neosho: Wymdotte, Okls .______ .-. ..-- __. North Canndian:
Woodward. Okla ______ __. _____ ____._____
Canton, Okla. _______________ .. -. _.__ __.
Yukon. O k h _________________.__-.-- ..
Oklahonia City Okla ..
(~a s t ) Oklahoda City, 0k1a .... . . .....
Can:idian. Trx.. ___. .. .._.. . . . . . . .. . . .
Vniou City. Okla ._._...._.... ..-.... ~..
Calvin. Okla ____.._.....__. .. .
~
.-. . . -. ..
Canadian:
Rtd Basin
1.ittL Missouri: Boughton. Ark ... ..__ ......
Ouachitn: brkadrlphia, Ark ___....._.__. .-. . . ~. . . .
Camdcn, Ark. __. -. . - -. -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lit.tle: Whitecliffs, .4rk.-. ....... . __... . . .
~
SUIIJIIW:
Ring0 Crossin& Tex-. _.___. -... . .. .. . .
Naples, Tes--. . . . -. -. - - -. . - - .. . . -. . - -. . .
Fulton. Ark __ __.___. ...- .____. ___. __. .
~
Grand Erote. La .__._.__________..._---.
Alexandria, La _____
~
....
~
______._. .___. .
Red.
WEST GULF OF MEXICO DRAINAGE
Saliine: Logansport, La .-.. ____ ________ __ .-.
Trinit.y: Dallas, Tex ______________.__.__--. . ..-..
Trinidad, TCT ....________ __._____ ____._.
Long Lake, Tcr .____________.._____---..
Liberty, Ter ______._____ _____.. . .- .. . ___
Brazos: Waco. Tex __..___________...._______
Colorado: Whart.on, Tes __.._ __ ___....
~
__ -..
Guadalupe:
Gonzales, Ter .___________.
~
._____._..___
Victoria, Tes.-. - __ - - _._ - - - -. . -. . -. . -. -.
Neuces: Three Rivers, Tex _.________.______.
Colorado Basin
N0rt.h Fork of Gunnison: Paonia, Colo ....--
GULF OF CALIFORNIA DBAINAGX
Ounnison: Delta, Colo. ______. ___ ._ ....__ __.
San Juan: Farminaton. N. hfer __....._____.
Colorado: Orand Junction, Colo.. __ .._____.
PACIFIC SLOP- DRAINAGE
Sail Joaquin Baain
Kings: Piedra, Calif.6 __________.__
~
_.______.
1 Continued from previous month. Continued into followine month.
ntheri -
Flood stage
-
Fret I?
13
12
9
21
2%
11
23
5
8
R
12 14
5
f i
15
20
17
26
-35
20
22
25
33 32
25
.a 2s
40
21
21 26
20
21
37
9
9
7 11
10
-
-
TO- -
3
4
(3) (1)
21
2 5
6 22
24
(9 )
5
24 5
21 2;
6
5
3 5 5
(?)
7
1 14 4
11
19
5 12 19
24
, 15
7 17
16
15 26 6 4
1
7 11 24 1 S
4
1.5
18 6 20 27 15 15
12
18
28
-
Crest
--I--
Stage Date
12.75 11.9
33.2 2-3
5.0 5
6. ti 24
9.1 5 s. 5 21
11.4 26
13.0 ?3 14.0 4 15.4 S
R
17.0 5
20.1 7
17. 1 7
-..-... ._..__~~
31.4 i n
25.4 3
32.0 1
27.0 11
31.5 4
25. 0 5 26.4 10 36.0 15
38.0 16-17
25.0 7 26.4
33.2 6
1G. 2 14
41. G 13 -36.0 IC-12
24.9 24 2s. 8 5 26.4 4
2 .3
40.1
9.0 4 9. 9 13 9.0 17-18 5
1;: 3 14
9. 1 -37 7.8 14
11.2 15
10.35
11.25
Data for Rio Grandr and Pecos Rirers not arailnblc.
I April and May. ,
* Flood of Marcb 194:.
3 Oc&ionallfG orabqvcflood staae due to operations of Dam No. 24.
4 Gage inacccssible during hiah water on Mny 5 7. ?3, 27-30; crest estimated.
2 Data furnished by the Kings River Water ?L$&ciation.