Virtual Storm Chase 2

[Gorky]

It looks like by far the most damaging tornado was the one which struck NE Nashville (outside the High risk area!). I really don't want to know what would have happened if it had dropped that tornado 10 minutes earlier as it was going through downtown. This was one of the last images I took from GRLevel3 before I went to bed. (it was 4:30 and I was up for work at 7:30 :o )

I stayed up to watch it miss Lafayette just to the north but obviously by not enough. If it proves to be one track from Sumner County, TN to Monroe county, KY, that tornado would have been responsible for 19 of the dead (and climbing ). Considering it never hit a 'major' populated area I guess they have something to be thankful of. I know no one is going to consider themselves lucky given the damage but I don't think I have ever been more scared watching a storm as I was at Nashville was under the gun. There were some very lucky escapes last night.

Edited February 6, 2008 by Gorky

[Cookie]

thanks for you tube link NL

[NL]

thanks for you tube link NL

Nay botha Cookie, here's another link to a few more vids

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=to...m=0&spell=1

Edited February 7, 2008 by NL

[Cookie]

thanks mate

[NL]

(strong language)

A video from Oxford Mississippi, lightning is awsome and if you pause it at 1:22 you can see

the funnel, this did touch- down and caused widespread damage.

[Nick F]

Plenty of damage reports now from NOAA agencies for the 5th Feb tornado outbreak.

The NWS forecast office in Memphis gave an EF4 for the Union University at Jackson TN; 2 EF3s and an EF2 and EF1 in the area:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/meg/events/20080205/stormSurvey.php

Little Rock, Arkansas office are sending a team out to assess the damage today (8th), though they reckon at least an EF3: tornado ratings of at least EF3 have been assigned in some spots ...and it is possible that the ratings could be higher. A quick response team will be in Arkansas on the 8th (Friday) to view the worst damage, and to determine if a higher rating would be more appropriate.:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/svr0208a.htm

Nashville area office damage report had at least an EF2 for a tornado that hit Sumner, Trousdale and Macon Counties - the one that hit a gas plant and caused an explosion, and killed people in Lafeyette City:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/productview.php?pil=OHXPNSOHX

West KY, Paducah office have 3 damage assessments: Muhlenberg County, KY (EF-3, 3 fatal); Christian Co., KY (EF2); Calloway Co., KY (EF1):

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pah/?n=Feb508tornadoes

Also 6th Feb saw tornadoes further east/SE:

Lawrence/Morgan County and Jackson County Tornado

Tornadoes in AL were given an EF4:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hun/stormsurveys/2...06/lawrence.php

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hun/stormsurveys/2...-06/jackson.php

[Paul Sherman]

Thanks for those Nick, Interesting reading whilst eating my Lunch!

I have a sneaky feeling that the Arkansas Tornado, if verified at 120 miles in Length could possibly be an EF5, Of course this all depends on damage sustained to Property etc, if it went across open Prairie then the EF5 Will be out of the question!

Paul S

[Cookie]

thanks for that nick good read

[Nick F]

I have a sneaky feeling that the Arkansas Tornado, if verified at 120 miles in Length could possibly be an EF5, Of course this all depends on damage sustained to Property etc, if it went across open Prairie then the EF5 Will be out of the question!

Paul S

They gave the Atkins, Arkansas tornado an EF4 rating yesterday:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR

455 PM CST FRI FEB 8 2008

...TORNADO DAMAGE EVALUATED AND AERIAL SURVEY PLANNED...

A MEMBER OF THE QUICK RESPONSE TEAM WAS IN ARKANSAS TODAY TO

EVALUATE DAMAGE FROM ATKINS TO CLINTON...MOUNTAIN VIEW...AND

HIGHLAND. A SINGLE TORNADO MAY HAVE TRACKED THROUGH THESE

AREAS...WITH THE TORNADO GIVEN AN INITIAL RATING OF AT LEAST EF3.

THE RATING HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO EF4.

AN AERIAL SURVEY IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY...FEBRUARY 9TH...TO

DETERMINE IF ONE TORNADO OR SEVERAL TORNADOES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR

THE DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT WAS PLANNED FOR THIS MORNING...BUT WAS

CANCELLED.

THE MEMBER OF THE QUICK RESPONSE TEAM IS ALAN GERARD...THE

METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON

MISSISSIPPI. HE TRAVELED WITH JOHN ROBINSON...WARNING COORDINATION

METEOROLOGIST...AND RENEE FAIR...METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE...BOTH FROM

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK.

$$

On another note, a SLGT for Monday over the South central Plains:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/

[Paul Sherman]

Still a Slight Risk for tomorrow for OK/KS But this looks like a Brief Large Hail and Wind event and not much else at the moment.

Just a Text Risk for Today and an Interesting part of the text I have never seen - In Bold below

...PART OF CENTRAL AND NRN OK/SERN KS/FAR SWRN MO LATE TONIGHT...

ARCTIC COLD FRONT FORECAST TO EXTEND FROM CENTRAL AR/OK WNWWD INTO

THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS AT 12Z WILL CONTINUE TO SETTLE SWD INTO NRN

TX TODAY. A PORTION OF THIS BOUNDARY SHOULD RETREAT NWD TONIGHT

ACROSS OK AS A SWLY LLJ STRENGTHENS FROM NW TX INTO SERN KS IN

RESPONSE TO HEIGHT FALLS ACCOMPANYING A WEAK LEAD IMPULSE AHEAD OF

AMPLIFYING NRN/CENTRAL ROCKIES TROUGH. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE/WARM AIR

ADVECTION ATOP COLD STABLE BOUNDARY LAYER WILL BE GREATEST ALONG

AXIS OF LLJ INTO SERN KS LATE TONIGHT AIDING IN ELEVATED

DESTABILIZATION. MUCAPE AROUND 200 J/KG SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR

TSTMS...MAINLY AFTER 11/09Z...FROM PARTS OF CENTRAL/NRN OK INTO SERN

KS/FAR SWRN MO. MOST OF THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS

A REGION WITH SUB-FREEZING SURFACE TEMPERATURES...SO THUNDER SLEET

AND FREEZING RAIN SHOULD BE COMMON WITH THESE STORMS.

Paul Sherman

[Paul Sherman]

Have been looking into why the season has sprung into life so early and La Nina is not helping things

Are we heading for another 1999

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g7WI9ki...l12j9wD8UL4GT80

What I find Interesting about the SPC Tornado Reports from the below link is the same areas had pretty strong Tornadoes and almost during the same late Winter period

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/torn/1999deadlytorn.html

Paul Sherman

[Cookie]

thanks for both the links mate some interesting stuff especially in the first link

[NL]

Another short video of last weeks tornado outbreak, these 2 'deep south' geezers

are really funny without knowing it..!!

Listen carefully their patter is straight outta 'Laural and Hardy'

I'd be absolutely cac'n myself, pitch black and a monster coming for ya..!!

[Nick F]

Another short video of last weeks tornado outbreak, these 2 'deep south' geezers

are really funny without knowing it..!!

Listen carefully their patter is straight outta 'Laural and Hardy'

I'd be absolutely cac'n myself, pitch black and a monster coming for ya..!!

Classic! Sound like proper hillbillies.

Few more vids of the tornado in Southaven, MS - just south of Memphis metropolitan area over the TN border - not great quality - but you get the feeling of the power of these things:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yLOPenXZijM&...feature=related

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ceh_p6sOCWw&...feature=related

[NL]

Thanks for more links Nick, (i can watch these all day..!)

Here's another really scary moment..!!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ceh_p6sOCWw&NR=1

OOOOppps its the same one just different link...DOH..!! Think i'll get my coat and join those hillbillies..!!

Edited February 10, 2008 by NL

[NL]

Slight risk still on for today, looks like the primary threat

will be large hail, only 2% chance of a tornado..

[NL]

There's a mean thunderstorm just to unleash over Houston Texas.

http://www.westchase.dst.tx.us/webcam2.htm

Edited February 11, 2008 by NL

[NL]

Just seems to be very heavy rain..

I have witnessed some fantastic lightning

on this cam in the past..

[Cookie]

thanks for the link mate

[NL]

Nay botha Cookie, Pottyprof has a pinned thread with a list of

many useful links for following storms in the US. http://www.netweather.tv/forum/index.php?showtopic=36945

Looks likely that Houston may get another storm within about an hour, storm currently moving 20-21mph.

In the slight risk area convective storms are now showing

[NL]

The 5th of Feb tornado outbreak gave Arkansas their longest tornado track

it measured 123 mile..!! more here.... http://www.katv.com/blogs/wx/

[Nick F]

Pretty impressive NL, I guess the speed of the storms helped the long tornado track aswell - travelling at 60-70 mph - which is common of storms in Nov-March, though we saw storms shift at 60 mph on the high risk day in Kansas back in May.

Some way off the 219 miles track of the Great Tri-State Tornado of Wednesday, March 18, 1925.

SLGT risk today towards the Gulf coast of Ern TX, LA, MS, AL and FL. 5% risk of a tornado this evening in the SLGT area. Crap chase country though -with too many trees towards the Gulf coast.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html

[NL]

They've opted for a 10% chance right on the Florida penninsula (south east).

Could get interesting with increased tornadic supercells later tonight, (early morning here)

[Nick F]

tornado watch for Sern LA, far east of TX and far southwest of MS currently:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/ww0051.html

... looks like there is a sea breeze convergence ahead of the Cold Front just inland where the t-storms are firing - again, not great chase country - as Paul S will probably tell you as he's been down that way - loads of trees basically!

[pottyprof]

Looks like fun Nick.. Great radar image. More more!! lol