2012 - Only about 8 thunderstorm days in Norfolk, VA?

[WestWind]

I was looking at the historical observation data for 2012 and I only counted 8 days when thunderstorms were reported at the Norfolk international airport.  Does this sound correct, or is that data suspect?  I did check a few previous years and they look closer to the normal average of around 35 thunderstorm days.  Precipitation amounts do not look particularly low during the summer, but it looks like most of that fell without any thunder?

 

My father still lives in that area, and usually complains when it gets dry, and I don't recall many complaints last summer.  Also I was there for a few days in August and the grass was green and we did have a thunderstorm one day (though nothing particularly notable). 

 

Maybe someone who lives in the Tidewater area can explain what happened, or if the data is suspect?  I lived in Portsmouth, VA for about 15 years (1968 - 1982).

 

[WilkesboroDude]

I can not speak for Norfolk, but I can speak for the Appalachian mountains/foothills of NC. 

 

Very recent summers have sucked for thunderstorms. I miss the daily activity with the occasional tornado warning and constant severe thunderstorm warnings.

 

It seems as if we had to get widespread event i.e. (derecho) maybe in order to see severe weather.

[WilkesboroDude]

^

That may impact areas to our east if the Apps can not support storms they will not drift east or break the cap further east.

[Disc]

I was looking at the historical observation data for 2012 and I only counted 8 days when thunderstorms were reported at the Norfolk international airport.  Does this sound correct, or is that data suspect?  I did check a few previous years and they look closer to the normal average of around 35 thunderstorm days.  Precipitation amounts do not look particularly low during the summer, but it looks like most of that fell without any thunder?

 

My father still lives in that area, and usually complains when it gets dry, and I don't recall many complaints last summer.  Also I was there for a few days in August and the grass was green and we did have a thunderstorm one day (though nothing particularly notable). 

 

Maybe someone who lives in the Tidewater area can explain what happened, or if the data is suspect?  I lived in Portsmouth, VA for about 15 years (1968 - 1982).

Perhaps someone in the Mid-Atlantic forum may have better insight because there are a few folks there that are in SE VA.

[SeVa]

That data seems correct. We did not have too many boomers this year.

[WestWind]

Thanks for the replies.  I did a bit more checking and it seems that although the number of thunderstorm days was low in SE VA in 2012, it was not as low as 8 days with thunderstorms.  Based on historical radar I see several days when the intensity over Norfolk on radar would have to indicate thunderstorms but only heavy rain was observed.  The data is suspect.  Newport News reported only one day with a thunderstorm - the rest of the days, just heavy rain.  At nearby Hampton I counted about 25 days with thunderstorms in the observations.  I would guess this is close to correct. 

 

Richmond had over 40 days with thunderstorms reported in observations in 2012, but they are about 100 miles away and a lot can change in 100 miles (especially if sea breezes were inhibiting thunderstorms near the coast).