NL

Alex Beresford visits Moore Oklahoma after the EF5 that swept through on the 20th last month and examines the terrifying power of the most destructive winds on Earth. Channel 4 20:00-21:00 tonight.

Mist and low cloud steadily being eroded away here in South Shields hoping that it will burn away completely but with winds veering to a north-easterly/easterly just after mid day we could possibly hang on to this muck all day.

Temperature only12.8℃ with a light N/easterly breeze. Luckily my back garden is south facing and it feels very warm out of the breeze, unfortunately tomorrow may be dull and will feel cold with the lack of sunshine here on the coast if this northeasterly persists and strengthens. Early this morning around 6am it was clear and sunny then around 8am some dense fog/haar arrived but the sun burned it off within an hour so I'm hoping tomorrow the sun will burn it back once again but I remain doubtful. As you say Gavin the rest of the week looks fine again after the 'little blip' tomorrow.

I'm going for Woodward Ok, with storms predicted to initiate around NW Tx they should encounter favourable conditions as they cross into Ok. There is concern over the strength of the cap but is expected 'locally' to weaken and be breached. I think a couple of year back Netweathers own Mr Shermanator and team where the only chasers to get on a tornado around Woodward Ok.

Very sad news, I'm surprised that Tim even tried to chase this in a built up area as he was very 'safety' minded, just goes to show that tornado chasing can be a very dangerous game even to those who know what they're doing.

On this trajectory Moore looks in the firing line again.

Latest visible satellite images showing growing activity just North of Wichita Falls

Tornado watch..PDS now issued. 555 WWUS20 KWNS 312028 SEL2 SPC WW 312028 OKZ000-010500- URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 262 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 330 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA * EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON FROM 330 PM UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT. ..THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION * PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE... SEVERAL INTENSE TORNADOES LIKELY NUMEROUS VERY LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 4 INCHES IN DIAMETER LIKELY NUMEROUS DAMAGING WIND GUSTS LIKELY WITH SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT GUSTS TO 80 MPH POSSIBLE THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 65 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 20 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF BARTLESVILLE OKLAHOMA TO 30 MILES EAST OF WICHITA FALLS TEXAS. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU2). PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The update from the SPC have not upgraded to high risk but do mention the possibility of a couple strong to violent tornadoes. http://weather.cod.edu/text/#

MD issued from SPC/NWS. 945 ACUS11 KWNS 311940 SWOMCD SPC MCD 311940 OKZ000-KSZ000-TXZ000-312115- MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0907 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 0240 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 AREAS AFFECTED...MOST OF OK CONCERNING...SEVERE POTENTIAL...TORNADO WATCH LIKELY VALID 311940Z - 312115Z PROBABILITY OF WATCH ISSUANCE...95 PERCENT SUMMARY...PDS TORNADO WATCH WILL BE ISSUED BY 21Z. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED DISCRETE SUPERCELLS SHOULD FORM ALONG DRYLINE BETWEEN 21-23Z WITH PRIMARY INITIAL THREAT OF VERY LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED SEVERE WINDS. TORNADO RISK WILL INCREASE TOWARDS 00Z WITH AN EXPECTATION OF A FEW SIGNIFICANT TORNADOES. DISCUSSION...19Z SURFACE ANALYSIS PLACED A QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT FROM GRANT TO CUSTER COUNTIES WITH A DRYLINE DRAPED S/SWWD INTO THE LOW ROLLING PLAINS OF NWRN TX. SURFACE TEMPERATURES HAVE NOW BREACHED 100 DEG F ALONG THE RED RIVER IN SWRN OK/NWRN TX...RESULTING IN MINIMAL MLCIN PER MODIFIED 18Z OUN RAOB. CU JUST AHEAD OF THE DRYLINE HAS BECOME MORE AGITATED IN LATEST VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO GROW WITH GLANCING INFLUENCE OF A SHORTWAVE IMPULSE OVER THE CNTRL HIGH PLAINS. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN TSTM INITIATION BY 21Z. STRONG EFFECTIVE SHEAR WILL PROMOTE SUPERCELLS WITH AN INITIAL PRIMARY RISK OF VERY LARGE HAIL. WITH A PLUME OF 73-74 DEG F SURFACE DEW POINTS REMAINING ACROSS CNTRL OK BENEATH THE CAPPING INVERSION NOTED IN 18Z OUN RAOB...AND AS THE LLJ INTENSIFIES BY 00Z...TORNADO THREAT WILL INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY. SOME OF THESE WILL LIKELY BE SIGNIFICANT...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE I-35 CORRIDOR.

This is how it looks Tom.

Just been following Mike Phelps on www.stormscapelive.tv and the last week he's had the chief forecaster for The Weather Channel chasing with him and on a telephone conversation with him in the last 10 mins he has had word from the SPC in Norman that the risk of tornadoes has increased to 30%. And the overall risk is to be upgraded to high risk in the next update.

NWS/SPC have upgraded the risk area to moderate for most of central/eastern Oklahoma and southern Kansas, for possible long-lived supercells and tornadoes.. looking like a loaded gun scenario in Oklahoma especially south of the red river. http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html Tornado probability.

Sean Casey and the TIV2 team intercepted the tornado in Smith Centre Kansas and shot this incredible footage from inside the violent tornado. The winds were recorded at 150-175mph before the tornado ripped off the instruments attached to the roof of the TIV.

Latest satellite showing Cu field developing ahead of the cells around Ness City up to Wakeeney (Kansas)

MD issued for AREAS AFFECTED...NEB PANHANDLE...W-CNTRL NEB...NE CO...NW KS Cap remains strong so as Chiono has said initiation still a few hours away. http://weather.cod.edu/text/#

Stunning photographs people, incredible how far that lightning is jumping out of that fantastically structured cell. I'm sure a tornado would have been the cherry but I'd take that structure any day..!

In the mean time watch that scorpion dosen't have a sting left in its tail..!!

What a fantastic day up to 18.5℃ already in calm westerly breeze. No doubt an onshore breeze will develop this afternoon cooling by a few degrees here right on the coast but will still feel pleasant out of the wind.

Yet again the high plains deliver with fantastic structures and amazing colours, very nice.

Currently under a heavy hail storm accompanied by strong winds, no thunder and lightning but quite impressive nonetheless.

Incredible footage from a Mr Charles Gafford as he took refuge in his storm shelter in Moore Oklahoma, he literately just stuck his camcorder through a small hole and shot the tornado as it passed by.

Time-lapse video of the 'Moore' tornado shot from News9 helicopter. http://5stateweather.com/index.php/articles/1-articles/122-video-timelapse-of-moore-ok-tornado

Classic wedgenot far from Newcastle Oklahoma.

Tornado watch likely to be issued soon. Current MD focus on most of Oklahoma northern Texas and Southern Kansas. MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0726 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 1226 PM CDT MON MAY 20 2013 AREAS AFFECTED...MUCH OF OK INTO NWRN TX AND SERN KS CONCERNING...SEVERE POTENTIAL...TORNADO WATCH LIKELY VALID 201726Z - 201930Z PROBABILITY OF WATCH ISSUANCE...95 PERCENT SUMMARY...SEVERE STORMS ARE LIKELY TO FORM THIS AFTERNOON WITH A FEW SIGNIFICANT TORNADOES...EXTREMELY LARGE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS ALL POSSIBLE. TWO WATCHES WILL BE NEEDED SOON FROM KS INTO N TX. DISCUSSION...SURFACE MAP SHOWS A QUASI-STATIONARY BOUNDARY FROM SERN KS INTO NRN OK AND BENDING SWWD W OF THE I-44 CORRIDOR. FARTHER SW...A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WAS NOTED OVER NWRN TX...ON THE NOSE OF A LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATE PLUME WITH DRYLINE EXTENDING SW ACROSS W TX. VISIBLE IMAGERY SHOWS DEEPENING CU ALONG THE BOUNDARY FROM NRN OK INTO SERN KS WHERE A DEEP MOIST LAYER EXISTS. GIVEN A GRADUAL INCREASE IN THETA-E AND BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS...THIS AREA COULD BE WHERE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OCCURS. LONG HODOGRAPHS AND STEEP MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL FAVOR VERY LARGE HAIL...AND LOW LEVEL VEERING WIND PROFILES WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR TORNADOES GIVEN AFOREMENTIONED THERMODYNAMIC FACTORS. TO THE S...AN EXTREMELY VOLATILE AIR MASS EXISTS WITH AN INCREASING CU FIELD FROM NWRN TX INTO SWRN OK WHERE STRONG HEATING PERSISTS. WIND FIELDS ALOFT ARE MORE THAN FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELLS...WITH VERY LARGE HAIL LIKELY. ALTHOUGH SHEAR IN THE LOWEST 1-2 KM IS NOT PARTICULARLY STRONG...VERY LARGE VERTICAL ACCELERATIONS...AS WELL AS HODOGRAPH AUGMENTATION NEAR THE SFC FRONT WILL AID IN TORNADO POTENTIAL. HP SUPERCELLS ARE EXPECTED WITH STRONG MESOCYCLONES AND POSSIBLE RAIN-WRAPPED TORNADOES. ACTIVITY MAY EVENTUALLY MERGE INTO ONE OR MORE BOWS...AND RAPIDLY EXPAND NEWD ACROSS ERN OK LATER THIS EVENING PER MULTIPLE CONVECTION ALLOWING MODELS. Latest visible satellite image.