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Dangerous Storms Build From S. Plains to Northeast
UPDATED 3:30 PM CDT, May 21, 2013
UPDATED By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Chad Merrill | For the fourth straight day in a row, vicious storms are blossoming across the southern Plains. Additional severe storms are bubbling in the Tennessee Valley and Northeast. This is part of the same storm system that produced a deadly tornado in Moore, Okla., Monday and widespread severe storm reports since Saturday.
Storms are walloping central Oklahoma, northern Texas, Mid-South and Tennessee Valley this afternoon. A wind gust of 77 mph was clocked recently in Smyrna, Tenn., with golf ball size hail reported across central Oklahoma. Tornado Watches extend from central Texas to northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, including Dallas, Abilene and Waco, Texas, Shreveport, La., and El Dorado, Ark. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for central Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City and Ardmore.
The severe threat is sufficiently high through the evening that the Storm Prediction Center has continued the elevated Moderate Risk for destructive storms in northeastern Texas, northern Louisiana, far southeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Arkansas. This heightened threat area includes the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Waco and Texarkana, Texas, and Shreveport, La. Here, large and powerful tornadoes are likely, along with destructive winds of 70 to 80 mph and hail to the size of baseballs and softballs.
Beyond that, severe thunderstorms producing gusty winds and hail are dashing across southern New York with more forming in eastern Michigan. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for southern New York, southern Vermont and western Connecticut and Massachusetts, including Buffalo, Binghamton and Albany, N.Y., Hartford, Conn., and Worchester, Mass.
The storms will drop 2 to 3 inches of rain in a short time period, leading to rapid rises on streams and creeks and creating urban flash flooding. Flash Flood and Flood Watches are in effect across eastern Oklahoma and northern Arkansas.
Farther north, 2 to 3 inches of rain have already fallen in the Minnesota Arrowhead. Additional heavy showers today will result in flash flooding. Flash Flood Watches are in effect for northern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin and northeastern North Dakota. If you come across a flooded roadway, do not attempt to cross it, as it is likely deeper than it appears. It`s best to "Turn Around, Don`t Drown."
The same cold front that sparked the violent weather Saturday, Sunday and Monday is the root cause for today`s expected storm outbreak. The front is lined up from eastern Minnesota to central Oklahoma. Warm 80s ahead of the front clashing with cooler 50s and 60s in the front`s wake is sparking the storms today. Enough spin in the atmosphere will unleash more tornadoes.
Fifty-five possible tornadoes have been reported since Saturday, including a massive tornado that spun across Moore, Okla., Monday afternoon killing at least 24 and injuring hundreds. This afternoon the National Weather Service has determined that the storm was rated an EF5, the strongest category possible. The Associated Press reported this morning that President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in Oklahoma, ordering federal aid to help with local recovery efforts.
Make sure that you download the WeatherBug app on your smart phone. The mobile app now includes Spark Lightning Alerts, a GPS-based lightning detection feature providing you the location of the closest lightning strike, so you can Know Before the storm hits. Click here for the link to download.
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