A Combination of Spring and Winter for the First Week of May...

I know it's not the first full week of May this week, but the calendar will flip on Wednesday, and some of you may be flipping out over the (winter) weather by that time as well, so I figured the headline is justified...A strong area of low pressure will move across the Plains and Midwest this week, producing a variety of weather conditions.  As I mentioned in a post last week, some of that will include a threat of snow in areas that are certainly...

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Unsettled Weather to Continue This Week...

While I don't see any "major" severe weather "outbreaks" in the offing for this week, there will be several opportunities for strong to locally severe storms across portions of mainly the southcentral and southeastern part of the country...For today, the primary threat will extend across a small pocket of the central Plains, mainly across southern Kansas and Oklahoma:Isolated to widely scattered strong to severe storms are likely to form along and...

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Severe Weather Shifts into Ohio/Tennessee Valley Today...

The threat of severe weather continues to shift Eastward today, with the primary concern extending from the Ohio and Tennessee Valley region into primarily Northern portions of the lower Mississippi Valley.All severe weather modes are expected, from hail and damaging winds to tornadoes.  There is some risk of a strong tornado or two, particularly in association with any storm that is able to form out ahead of the main line and become well organized....

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Severe Weather Update: Central/Southern Plains...

Tornado Watches are now in effect for the areas outlined in pink on the above composite radar image.  The watches run through the evening hours and include the cities of Wichita Falls, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City, Joplin, Springfield, Columbia, Jefferson City and St. Louis.As you can see, thunderstorms continue to form along the Western and northern peripheries of the watch areas and move to the North/Northeast.  This trend will continue...

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Severe Weather Threat Plains/Midwest Today; A Strong Tornado Is Possible...

As we've been talking about for several days now, today appears to hold the highest potential for significant severe weather across the central U.S.  Above is the latest severe weather forecast for today (which is unchanged from the outlook that we provided yesterday).I expect strong to severe thunderstorms to become widespread within the yellowish-green shaded area by late this afternoon and this evening.  Some of the storms within this...

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Tornado Chronicles: Shuqualak MS Tornado of 4-11-13...

A strong, long track tornado struck portions of east-central Mississippi and west-central Alabama during the afternoon hours of April 11, 2013.  The above photo was taken by Leonard Kingery near Prairie Point, MS.Below is a video of the tornado from the same location as the still photo, as captured by Tony Sudduth (warning, some foul language at times):In all, the tornado was on the ground for just over 68 miles and was rated EF-3 intensity by...

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Update on Severe Weather Threats This Week...

A strong area of low pressure in the middle and upper atmosphere will move East into an increasingly moist and unstable airmass over the Plains the next few days, resulting in several rounds of severe weather.Below is the latest outlook for today:It's important to keep in mind that since we'll still be well out ahead of the main upper-level energy today, the severe weather threat will be relatively scattered in nature (albeit across a potentially...

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Severe Threat Begins Today, Ramps-Up through Mid-Week...

In a fashion similar to that of last week, a threat of severe weather is forecast to develop out over the central Plains today:...spreading slowly toward the Southeast for Monday:...and Tuesday (when coverage will likely increase):By Wednesday, the threat will spread from central Texas into the middle Mississippi Valley, along and ahead of a strengthening cold front:Each day, large hail, damaging winds and a few tornadoes will be possible.  The...

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The Tornado Chronicles: Hazelwood (St. Louis Area) Tornado of 4-10-13...

A strong tornado struck the Hazelwood and Florrisant areas of northwest St. Louis during the evening hours of Wednesday, April 10, 2013.  The preliminary National Weather Service (NWS) damage survey has rated the tornado EF-2 intensity, with maximum winds estimated at 115-125 mph.The tornado initially touched down at approximately 8:00 PM CDT in the Bridgeton area, near I-270 and St. Charles Rock Road.  It then continued to the East/Northeast...

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