NATIONAL SUMMARY                   
 
Locally severe thunderstorm fired along a nearly stationary frontal 
zone over upstate New York for the second afternoon in a row. The 
storms brought a risk of large hail and brief strong wind gusts. 
Additional lines of showers and thunderstorms were forming over the 
Ohio Valley and South Wednesday afternoon. The major threats being 
flash flooding, locally strong winds and hail. Drenching rain was 
falling from the central Great Lakes westward to part of the Upper 
Mississippi Valley. Much of the balance of the Plains and the 
Southwest were free of rainfall. A chilly storm with rain and high 
country snow was affecting areas from Washington and northern Oregon 
to western Montana. Warm and humid conditions continued over much of 
the eastern third of the nation, ahead of a cold front. Cooler and 
less humid air was expanding from the Plains into the middle and 
lower Mississippi Valley.          
 
 
SPECIAL WEATHER                    
 
More Deadly Tornadoes...           
 
--Additional major fatalities have occurred from violent tornadoes in 
past decades on May 22. In 1933, an F4 tornado was hidden in one of 
the great dust storms of the era over Liberal, Kan. The storm was a 
half-mile wide at times and took the lives of four people and injured 
150 others. A significant part of the
business and residential district was devastated. An even more deadly 
tornado struck Saragosa, Texas in 1987. The storm of similar size and 
strength demolished about 85 percent of the town. Thirty people lost 
their lives with 121 injured.      
 
 
WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS BY ACCU WEATHER 
 
Severe Weather Incidents Wednesday afternoon and evening:
A cluster of thunderstorms caused down trees and power lines in 
central Pennsylvania before nightfall, downing several trees and 
power lines in Clearfield, Centre and Potter Counties.
A severe thunderstorm passed through parts of Massachusetts between 
5:30 and 6:30 p.m. A funnel cloud was sighted in Whately and the 
storm caused golf-ball sized hail in Conway. One house fire caused by 
lightning was reported in Greenfield, a second on Shelburne. Trees 
and power lines were reported down in Gardner.
Persistent thunderstorm downpours cause street flooding in and around 
Burlington, Vt., around 6:00 p.m. Some creeks in the area were also 
reported out of their banks.       
Thunderstorm winds measured at up to 60 mph in the Detroit, Mich., 
metro area caused down trees and power lines; damage was reported 
near Dundee, Livonia, Dearborne, and Milford.
A funnel cloud was reported near Muscoda, Wisc., at about 4:50 p.m. 
local time.                        
A waterspout was reported by spotters near Bahia Honda Key, Fla., at 
about 5:00 p.m., which was crossing 7 Mile Bridge.
Severe thunderstorms caused numerous reports of wind damage and flash 
flooding in and around Schenectady, N. Y., and in nearby Rotterdam 
and Rexford.                       
 
24-Hour Rainfall (Inches) as of 1:00 p.m. CDT Wednesday...
 
Baton Rouge, La.                   2.95                                   
New Iberia, La.                    2.85                                   
Bennington, Vt.                    2.19                                   
North Bend, Ore.                   2.13                                   
Morganton, N.C.                    1.91                                   
Homestead AFB, Fla.                1.86                                   
Albany, N.Y.                       1.85                                   
Chicago, Ill. (O'Hare)             1.80                                   
Big Rapids, Mich.                  1.72                                   
Alexandria, La.                    1.68                                   
Tupelo, Miss.                      1.68                                   
Port Hope, Mich.                   1.57                                   
Bonners Ferry, Idaho               1.51                                   
Burlington, Vt.                    1.51                                   
Lake Charles, La. (Chennault)      1.47                                   
Conroe, Texas                      1.47                                   
Pontiac, Ill                       1.39                                   
Jaffrey, N. H.                     1.39                                   
Mena, Ark.                         1.37                               
 
 
 
DAILY EXTREMES                     
 
National High Today (through 9 p.m.) 105 at Death Valley, Calif.
National Low Today (through 9 p.m.) 19 at Lakeview, Oregon
 
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