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8-14th…A
large low pressure system brought scattered showers to the Western half of the
nation on Monday. A low pressure system strengthened as it moved off the
Northern Rockies and into the Plains. Counter-clockwise flow around this wide
system allowed for warm and moist air to pour into the Midwest from the Gulf of
Mexico. This created a warm front that stretched from the Northern Plains, into
the Great Lakes and Midwest. This system kicked up widespread scattered showers,
with periods of heavy rainfall over the Upper Midwest. Most areas saw between
0.50 and 1.0 inches of rain, while Menominee, Wisconsin saw a mid-day total of
1.14 inches of rain. Moisture wrapped well around the back side of this system,
which also pulled cooler air in from Canada. This allowed for more rain showers
to develop across the Rockies, with high elevation snow showers. Parts of
western Montana saw 1 to 2 feet of snow above 6,000 feet. The Central Rockies
only saw light flurries with accumulation near 1 inch at high elevations of Utah
and Colorado.
Fairly
widespread clouds covered much of the northeastern quadrant of the nation
Wednesday as a deep low pressure system sat over the Central Appalachians. Wrap
around winds associated with this low ushered significant moisture into the
Mid-Atlantic and southern New England. This translated into numerous rain
showers with periods of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms throughout the day.
Daytime heating increased atmospheric instability in the Upper Ohio Valley and
the northern Mid-Atlantic, putting these areas at slight risk of severe weather
activity with damaging wind, hail, and perhaps some tornadoes. Thus far, two
events of quarter sized hail (1.00 inch in diameter) were reported in Randolph
and Marion Counties, West Virginia. Flood Watches and Flood Warnings remained in
effect for areas of West Virginia through Connecticut and western Massachusetts
due to persistent precipitation. Additional on and off showers and thunderstorms
developed in parts of the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley. Some rain prompted
flash floods. Meanwhile, a large, cold storm system sparked numerous showers
around the West. Heavy mountain snow accumulated in the Rockies and Sierra. The
West Coast dried out through early Wednesday.
15th-21st…More
severe weather developed across the Plains on Friday, as a low pressure system
hovered over the Central U.S. Counter-clockwise flow around the system pulled
warm and moist air in from the Gulf of Mexico, which produced a warm front that
stretched from the Plains to the mid-Mississippi River Valley. At the same time,
a cold front developed behind this system, and extended southward into the
Southern Plains. The strong surge of moisture in between these two fronts
allowed for severe storm development with heavy downpours, strong winds, and
large hail. Rainfall totals ranged from 1 to 2 inches across Oklahoma and
Missouri, with up to 3 inches in areas of severe thunderstorm development.
Tinker, Oklahoma reported a mid-day total of 3.37 inches. Meanwhile, multiple
reports of large hail came in from western Arkansas, as well as golf ball size
hail reported in Goldthwaite, Texas. The northern side of this system allowed
for periods of heavy rainfall to develop across Montana and North Dakota.
Rainfall totals ranged from 1.0 to 1.5 inches, with no reports of severe storms.
The
Mid-Mississippi River Valley saw another active weather day on Monday. A low
pressure system that moved into the Great Lakes continued to push a strong
frontal boundary southeastward. The system stretched from the Great Lakes, down
the Ohio River Valley, over the Mid-Mississippi River Valley, and into the
Southern Plains. Due to warm and moist air feeding this system from the Gulf of
Mexico, more severe storms developed just ahead of this front. Rainfall totals
ranged from 1 to 2 inches across most of Missouri, Arkansas, and eastern
Oklahoma. However, heavier rain developed in areas of severe thunderstorms.
Blytheville, Arkansas reported a mid-day total of 2.13 inches of rain. Large
hail and damaging winds accompanied these storms with quarter sized hail
reported in Lake Worth, Texas, and dime to quarter size hail reported in St.
James Phelms, Missouri. Montevallo, Missouri saw strong winds with gusts up to
60 and 70 mph, which caused major damage to trees and power lines across the
region.
A
massive tornado that tore a six-mile path across southwestern Missouri killed at
least 116 people as it smashed the city of Joplin, ripping into a hospital,
crushing cars and leaving behind only splintered tree trunks where entire
neighborhoods once stood. City Manager Mark Rohr announced the new death toll at
a Monday afternoon news conference. He said seven people had been rescued, and
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said he was "optimistic that there are still lives out
there to be saved." Search and rescue efforts continued throughout the city of
50,000 about 160 miles south of Kansas City. Much of its south side has been
leveled, with churches, schools, businesses and homes reduced to ruins by winds
of up to 198 mph. Jasper County Emergency Management Director Keith Stammer has
estimated about 2,000 buildings were damaged. Joplin Fire Chief Mitch Randles
estimated the damage covered a quarter or more of the city of about 50,000
people some 160 miles south of Kansas City. He said his home was among those
destroyed. An unknown number of people were injured, and officials said patients
were sent to any nearby hospitals that could take them. Police officers staffed
virtually every major intersection Monday as ambulances screamed through the
streets. Rescuers involved in a door-to-door searches moved gingerly around
downed power lines and jagged debris, while survivors picked through the rubble
of their homes,
salvaging clothes, furniture, family photos and financial records, the
air
pungent with the smell of gas and smoking embers. Some neighborhoods were
completely flattened and the leaves stripped from trees, giving the landscape an
apocalyptic aura. In others where structures still stood, families found their
belongings jumbled as if someone had picked up their homes and shaken them. A
cross stands atop a church that was severely damaged by a tornado in Joplin,
Mo., as a severe storm passes overhead Monday, May 23, 2011. A large tornado
moved through much of the city Sunday, damaging a hospital, hundreds of homes
and businesses and killing at least 89 people.
The strong storm system, associated cold front, and jet
stream that brought deadly tornadoes to Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas moved
eastward from eastern Kansas into Missouri on Wednesday. This system drew warm,
moist air from the south northward, while the jet stream ushered cold air into
the nation's mid-section as it streamed in from the southwest. This activity
created warm and unstable conditions from parts of eastern Texas and northern
Louisiana through the eastern Great Lakes. Atmospheric conditions were favorable
for the development of severe weather with severe thunderstorms, potentially
deadly tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind. Strong thunderstorms, heavy
rainfall, hail, high wind, and tornadoes formed ahead of the cold front in parts
of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. Meanwhile, numerous bands of showers, heavy
rainfall, and thunderstorms developed to the north of this low and to the north
of another associated front stalled in the Ohio Valley, from Nebraska through
Michigan. The Storm Prediction Center put areas from northern Louisiana through
the eastern Great Lakes at slight risk of severe weather development. Areas from
southern Arkansas and northern Mississippi across much of the Mid-Mississippi,
Ohio, and Tennessee Valleys were placed at moderate risk. A high risk statement
remained in effect for parts of northeastern Arkansas, western Tennessee,
southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois, western and central Kentucky, and
southern Indiana through the afternoon into the early night. A major tornado
outbreak was anticipated over portions of the Mid-Mississippi and lower Ohio
Valleys.
Jim G. Munley, jr.
http://www.jimmunleywx.com
