Saturday,  March 22, 2014 • Vol. 16--No. 249 • 12 of 38

(Continued from page 11)

systems, water covered many roads and resulted in numerous road closures. The water covered entire sections of land as well and threatened many homes. A winter storm event on March 24th and 25th brought more snow to the region, along with a turn to colder temperatures. This resulted in a first crest for many rivers in the southern Red River Valley and west central Minnesota. However, river levels at most points along the Red River continued to stay high. Another winter storm event hit much of the area March 30th to 31st, dropping up to 2 feet of snow in the southern Red River Valley. There was a lot of moisture in this new snow, with snow to liquid ratios of less than 10 to 1. This set the stage for continued flooding into the months of April and early May. The North Dakota Governor issued a statewide disaster declaration on March 13 in anticipation of spring flooding. Most counties in eastern North Dakota later received a Presidential Disaster Declaration.


1992: USAir Flight 405 was scheduled to depart from LaGuardia Airport in New York City for Cleveland, OH. Due to a delay at the gate, during a storm in which four inches of snow fell, a large amount of ice collected on the wings and airframe. The aircraft crashed during takeoff into Flushing Bay. 27 of the 51 people on board were killed.

1999: Tropical Cyclone Vance came ashore in Australia bringing much destruction as a category 5. Water and power supplies throughout Gascoyne and Goldfields were disrupted and many homesteads sustained wind or flooding damage. The main rail and road links to the eastern states were cut. The storm surge was greater than 15 ft, and as much as 12" of rain fell.

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