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These two boys in Virginia found this balloon the other day. The balloon flew away from Corydon, Indiana 24 hours before and traveled all the way to the Chesapeake Bay area. To read the story from the Virginia newspaper in Urbana....click here
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KWWL-TV in Waterloo, Iowa is having a telethon today to raise money to help out the victims of the EF-5 tornado on Sunday.
Telethon total as of 2:30 p.m.: $95,000.
KWWL Television is holding a day-long telethon fundraiser in conjunction with the Hawkeye Chapter of the American Red Cross to provide much-needed financial assistance to the victims of Sunday's tornadoes.
"Neighbors Helping Neighbors" is an effort by KWWL to encourage Eastern Iowans to reach out and provide the financial assistance to victims through the Red Cross, which is leading the disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of the severe weather which left hundreds homeless and seven dead.
'Tornadoes of 2008 - Neighbors Helping Neighbors' is now under way and will continue through the KWWL News at Ten. People wishing to donate can call a live phone bank at the station to make a donation to the disaster relief effort. 1-800-947-7746 Donations will also be accepted via the internet at the American Red Cross web site. All proceeds will go to help disaster victims. Make sure you enter zip code 50704.
Click on the graph for a larger view. This shows just how many more tornado reports there have been this year compared with the last few years.
These numbers don't include the more than 140 tornadoes in the last week.
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Here are a couple of great photos from MODIS.
On the left is a volcano erupting and the smoke plume showing up nicely on the island of New Britain in the Pacific.
On the right large clouds of dust arer being carried by strong winds over Libya oveer the Mediterranean Sea.
We are out of the severe weather risk for Saturday and almost in for Friday. SPC says.... THE MAIN STORM MODE SHOULD EVOLVE TOWARD SMALL-SCALE LINES/BOWS. THUS...ALONG WITH HAIL...POTENTIAL FOR A FAIRLY WIDESPREAD DAMAGING
WIND EVENT APPEARS TO BE UNFOLDING. STORMS -- AND ASSOCIATED THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS -- SHOULD SPREAD EWD ACROSS THE MID AND UPPER OH VALLEY INTO PA AND VICINITY OVERNIGHT. ATTM...WILL INTRODUCE 30%
SEVERE PROBABILITY ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA...
This is not weather related....unless you wanted to blame it on global warming...(just kidding)... a bear was sited at the Hard Rock Resort in Orlando, FL this morning.....click here
The Parkersburg, Iowa tornado has been classified as an EF-5
THE FOLLOWING IS A FINAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED OVER
BUTLER AND BLACK HAWK COUNTIES ON MAY 25TH.
* EVENT DATE: MAY 25TH
* ESTIMATED START TIME: 4:48 PM CDT
* EVENT TYPE: LOW END EF5 IN PORTIONS OF PARKERSBURG AND NORTH OF NEW
HARTFORD
* EVENT LOCATION: 2 MILES S APLINGTON TO PARKERSBURG TO NEW
HARTFORD AND ACROSS NORTHERN BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
* PEAK WIND: MAXIMUM WINDS OF 205 MPH
* AVERAGE PATH WIDTH: PATH WIDTH RANGED FROM 0.6 TO 0.7 MILES NEAR
PARKERSBURG TO JUST NORTH OF NEW HARTFORD. THE PATH WIDTH CONSTRICTED
TO NEAR ONE QUARTER MILE WIDE EAST OF NEW HARTFORD TO NORTH OF
WATERLOO. PATH WIDTH INCREASED TO NEAR 1.2 MILES WIDE NORTH OF
DUNKERTON BEFORE DISSIPATING NEAR THE BLACK HAWK AND BUCHANAN
COUNTY LINE.
* PATH LENGTH: 43 MILES
* INJURIES: PRELIMINARY 70
* FATALITIES: PRELIMINARY 6
* DISCUSSION/DAMAGE: SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED ACROSS
THE SOUTHERN END OF PARKERSBURG AND ALONG A PATH TO JUST NORTH
OF NEW HARTFORD. NUMEROUS STRUCTURES COMPLETELY DESTROYED FROM
PARKERSBURG TO NEAR NEW HARTFORD. THE TORNADO CONTINUED EASTWARD
TO JUST NORTH OF THE WATERLOO AND CEDAR FALLS AREA. SIGNIFICANT
DAMAGE ALSO OCCURRED NORTH OF DUNKERTON WHERE THE TORNADO
INCREASED TO ITS GREATEST PATH WIDTH. ADDITIONAL EF2 TO EF3 DAMAGE
OCCURED NORTHEAST OF DUNKERTON BEFORE THE TORNADO LIFTED SHORTLY
BEFORE MOVING INTO BUCHANAN COUNTY. THIS STORM ALSO PRODUCED
SUBSTANTIAL STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE ALONG THE SOUTHERN
PERIPHERY OF THE STORM JUST SOUTH OF THE TORNADO TRACK.
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES THAT STRAIGHT LINE WINDS OF 90 TO 100 MPH
OCCURRED WITH THIS STORM. AT 537 PM CDT THE WATERLOO AIRPORT
RECORDED A 93 MPH WIND GUST. INITIAL SURVEY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT
STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE SEVERE DAMAGE AT
THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE DEALERSHIP NORTH OF CEDAR FALLS.
FOR REFERENCE...THE FUJITA TORNADO SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO
THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
EF0...WIND SPEEDS 65 TO 85 MPH.
EF1...WIND SPEEDS 86 TO 110 MPH.
EF2...WIND SPEEDS 111 TO 135 MPH.
EF3...WIND SPEEDS 136 TO 165 MPH.
EF4...WIND SPEEDS 166 TO 200 MPH.
EF5...WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 200 MPH.
For a more detailed report.....click here
There was a brief tornado touchdown west of Bedford, IN near Washington, IN this afternoon.... 0312 PM TORNADO 4 N WASHINGTON
DAVIESS CO. LAW ENFORCEMENT
BRIEF TOUCHDOWN IN OPEN FIELD. NO DAMAGE. WITNESSED BY
COUNTY SHERIFF.
The Parkersburg, Iowa tornado has been classified as an EF-5
THE FOLLOWING IS A FINAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED OVER
BUTLER AND BLACK HAWK COUNTIES ON MAY 25TH.
* EVENT DATE: MAY 25TH
* ESTIMATED START TIME: 4:48 PM CDT
* EVENT TYPE: LOW END EF5 IN PORTIONS OF PARKERSBURG AND NORTH OF NEW
HARTFORD
* EVENT LOCATION: 2 MILES S APLINGTON TO PARKERSBURG TO NEW
HARTFORD AND ACROSS NORTHERN BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
* PEAK WIND: MAXIMUM WINDS OF 205 MPH
* AVERAGE PATH WIDTH: PATH WIDTH RANGED FROM 0.6 TO 0.7 MILES NEAR
PARKERSBURG TO JUST NORTH OF NEW HARTFORD. THE PATH WIDTH CONSTRICTED
TO NEAR ONE QUARTER MILE WIDE EAST OF NEW HARTFORD TO NORTH OF
WATERLOO. PATH WIDTH INCREASED TO NEAR 1.2 MILES WIDE NORTH OF
DUNKERTON BEFORE DISSIPATING NEAR THE BLACK HAWK AND BUCHANAN
COUNTY LINE.
* PATH LENGTH: 43 MILES
* INJURIES: PRELIMINARY 70
* FATALITIES: PRELIMINARY 6
* DISCUSSION/DAMAGE: SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED ACROSS
THE SOUTHERN END OF PARKERSBURG AND ALONG A PATH TO JUST NORTH
OF NEW HARTFORD. NUMEROUS STRUCTURES COMPLETELY DESTROYED FROM
PARKERSBURG TO NEAR NEW HARTFORD. THE TORNADO CONTINUED EASTWARD
TO JUST NORTH OF THE WATERLOO AND CEDAR FALLS AREA. SIGNIFICANT
DAMAGE ALSO OCCURRED NORTH OF DUNKERTON WHERE THE TORNADO
INCREASED TO ITS GREATEST PATH WIDTH. ADDITIONAL EF2 TO EF3 DAMAGE
OCCURED NORTHEAST OF DUNKERTON BEFORE THE TORNADO LIFTED SHORTLY
BEFORE MOVING INTO BUCHANAN COUNTY. THIS STORM ALSO PRODUCED
SUBSTANTIAL STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE ALONG THE SOUTHERN
PERIPHERY OF THE STORM JUST SOUTH OF THE TORNADO TRACK.
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES THAT STRAIGHT LINE WINDS OF 90 TO 100 MPH
OCCURRED WITH THIS STORM. AT 537 PM CDT THE WATERLOO AIRPORT
RECORDED A 93 MPH WIND GUST. INITIAL SURVEY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT
STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE SEVERE DAMAGE AT
THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE DEALERSHIP NORTH OF CEDAR FALLS.
FOR REFERENCE...THE FUJITA TORNADO SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO
THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
EF0...WIND SPEEDS 65 TO 85 MPH.
EF1...WIND SPEEDS 86 TO 110 MPH.
EF2...WIND SPEEDS 111 TO 135 MPH.
EF3...WIND SPEEDS 136 TO 165 MPH.
EF4...WIND SPEEDS 166 TO 200 MPH.
EF5...WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 200 MPH.
For a more detailed report.....click here
There was a brief tornado touchdown west of Bedford, IN near Washington, IN this afternoon.... 0312 PM TORNADO 4 N WASHINGTON
DAVIESS CO. LAW ENFORCEMENT
BRIEF TOUCHDOWN IN OPEN FIELD. NO DAMAGE. WITNESSED BY
COUNTY SHERIFF.
(1:45) There is a narrow line of storms from the western suburbs of Cincinnati to Seymour westward into Illinois.....
TORNADO WARNING FOR...
SOUTHEASTERN RICHLAND COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS...
* UNTIL 100 PM CDT.
* AT 1231 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF CALHOUN...OR ABOUT
5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OLNEY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CALHOUN...
PARKERSBURG...
We are in the severe weather outlook for Saturday.....here is what SPC says: THE SURFACE LOW IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE MOVING EWD ACROSS THE NORTHEAST U.S. DAY 5...WITH THE COLD FRONT MOVING EWD ACROSS NEW
ENGLAND BUT MORE SLOWLY SEWD ACROSS THE OH/TN VALLEYS AND MID-ATLANTIC REGION. WITH STRONG WIND FIELD PERSISTING AND AMPLE INSTABILITY S/E OF THE FRONT...EXPECT FAIRLY WIDESPREAD THREAT FOR
SEVERE WEATHER TO CONTINUE INVOF THE FRONT DAY 5
Definition of dew point..... The dewpoint temperature is the temperature at which the air can no longer hold all of its water vapor, and some of the water vapor must condense into liquid water. At 100% relative humidity, the dewpoint temperature and real temperature are the same, and clouds or fog or dew can begin to form. While relative humidity is a relative measure of how humid it is, the dewpoint temperature is an absolute measure of how much water vapor is in the air.
For the summer months....
Dew point in the 50s: comfortable
Dew point in the lower 60s: starting to get humid
Dew point in the mid 60s: humid
Dew point in the upper 60s: very humid
Dew point in the 70s: oppressive
Current dew points in Kentucky are in the mid to upper 60s.
Current dew point in Indiana range from the upper 60s to near 70 in the south to mid 60s central to lower 40s in the north. There is a front just north of Indianapolis. After it moves through the dew points will drop and the weather will feel much more comfortable tomorrow.
Yesterday's severe weather outlook from the SPC was a major bust. They had a 30% wind damage outlook in Indiana and Ohio. There was a 5% tornado risk covering everywhere along and north of the Ohio River. The storms coming out of Missouri weakened and made the entire region more stable. All of the warnings were in Tennessee which wasn't even in a risk area.
Here is today's outlook for wind. The slight risk (15% or greater) goes from west Tennessee to Texas. We are in a 5% risk. Even though the wind fields are not impressive, there is a large temperature and moisture difference with the front and there will be some storms this afternoon. Will they be severe? It is possible but that would be isolated. Thunderstorms are just beginning to develop in the Indianapolis area.
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It was a busy day yesterday for lifeguards on the Atlantic beaches in Florida. There were over 100 rescues in the Daytona Beach area and 200 rescues due to rip currents in the New Smyrna Beach area. Three teenagers from Sanford, FL were swimming about 100 yards from a lifeguard tower when they were caught up in the powerful rip current. Lifeguards responded and rescued two of the boys, who are both 17 years old. The third teenager, a 15-year-old, didn't make it and authorities said he was swept under by the rip current. For the complete story....click here
The photos from the Mars spacecraft, Phoenix, are really something. This shot shows a polygon pattern in the ground that is similar to the Arctic regions on here on Earth. The Phoenix did land in the polar region on Mars.
To see the image gallery from NASA.....click here
Greensburg, Kansas is the town that was destroyed by an EF-5 tornado last year. Last week there was a tornado heading right toward Greensburg and it lifted up about a mile from the town. Now here we go again.....this warning was just issued.... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GREENSBURG...OR 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MULLINVILLE...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 22 MPH.* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...GREENSBURG...
One of our regular readers here at the blog, Ryan, is storm chasing this week out in the plains. He will be updating his blog all week.....click here
More videos of the weekend tornadoes......
Parkersburg, Iowa tornado (NWS summary)...*** 6 FATAL, 70 INJ *** THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 2 MILES SOUTH OF APLINGTON...THEN TRACKED EAST THROUGH PARKERSBURG AND JUST NORTH OF NEW HARTFORD...THEN ACROSS NORTHERN BLACKHAWK COUNTY BEFORE LIFTING NEAR THE BLACKHAWK BUCHANAN COUNTY LINE. THE PRELIMINARY SURVEY INDICATES POTENTIAL TORNADO INTENSITY OF GREATER THAN EF3...WITH POTENTIAL WINDS GREATER THAN 165 MPH. ADDITIONAL DETAILS WILL BE ADDED TUESDAY ALONG WITH FINAL EF SCALE RATING RESULTS. FATALITY AND INJURY TOTALS ARE PRELIMINARY....for the video of the tornado....click here
To see an aerial view of the Parkersburg damage....click here Thanks to Hack for the info on that.
To see a video of a Minnesota waterspout from this past weekend....click here
To see more on the big tornado that hit the Minneapolis suburb of Hugo....this includes a video.....click here
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