May 23, 2013

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Severe weather possible this afternoon, evening for most of Missouri

April 17, 2013 By

The National Weather Service is warning Missourians of the possibility of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Storms happening this morning could present some severe activity, but the greater threat is later in the day.

The St. Louis NWS office's severe weather outlook for today and tomorrow.

The St. Louis NWS office’s severe weather outlook for today and tomorrow.

The Weather Service says large hail and damaging winds are likely and tornadoes are possible. A tornado watch is now in effect for 71 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis until 10 p.m. A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 5 p.m. for 32 counties across northern Missouri.

Flooding is also a threat with this system, with forecasted rainfall totals as high as more than four inches in north-central Missouri through the Kansas City area. The heavy rainfall will be falling on already saturated ground, increasing the threat for flooding. Flood watches and warnings extend through most of the state except southeast Missouri.

Another round of severe weather is possible late tonight and Thursday morning.

For information for your area, visit these NWS pages.

In northwest and western Missouri:  Kansas City (Pleasant Hill)

In northeast and eastern Missouri:  St. Louis

In southwest Missouri:  Springfield

In southeast Missouri:  Paducah, KY

Scotland and Clark counties:  Davenport, IA

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Drought lessened in Southeast Missouri, still ‘severe’ in Western Missouri

January 19, 2013 By

The drought has lessened in parts of Missouri, but it hasn’t broken and is still considered severe in nearly 40 percent of the state according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor update for Missouri.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor update for Missouri.

A system that caused flooding in southeastern Missouri has eased the drought there, according to National Weather Service hydrologist Mark Fuchs, but much of Missouri didn’t get very much rainfall.

“The areas that did (get significant rain) would be areas basically just south of St. Louis down into south-central Missouri and points east, like over toward like Cape Girardeau, did get some fairly decent drought relief.”

The rain also significantly raised the level of the Mississippi River by as much as 9 feet in places, but Fuchs says much more rain is needed before the drought can really be broken.

“We’re going to need repeated events of precipitation that we really haven’t seen this winter yet, but the key will be this spring. If we get some substantial rainfall in the spring that will go a long way to helping solve the moisture deficit across central and western Missouri.”

Fuchs says the Weather Service’s outlook for precipitation into the spring is pretty ambiguous.

“For the state of Missouri, more or less equal chances of above, near average or below average precipitation for the month of February or the three-month period from February through April, which is essentially a very fancy way of saying, ‘We’re not really sure.’ Some models are showing we could see above average rainfall, some models are showing we could see below average rainfall. There’s no real clear consensus in the modeling.”

Filed Under: Drought, Featured, News, Weather Tagged With: ,

2012 a below average year in Missouri for tornadoes, not for tornado fatalities

January 11, 2013 By

The number of tornadoes in Missouri in 2012 was below average, but the number of people killed by them was not.

The strongest tornado to hit Missouri in 2012 occurred the morning of February 29 and killed one person in Stoddard County. It registered an EF-3 on the enhanced Fujita scale, with winds estimated between 136 and 165 miles per hour. (Image courtesy; National Weather Service.)

The strongest tornado to hit Missouri in 2012 occurred the morning of February 29 and killed one person in Stoddard County. It registered an EF-3 on the enhanced Fujita scale, with winds estimated between 136 and 165 miles per hour. (Image courtesy; National Weather Service.)

Preliminary data say Missouri had 28 tornadoes in 2012 that killed 6 people and injured 70. That’s below the average of 32 tornadoes a year going back to 1950, but nearly right on average for casualties.

Warning Coordination Meteorologist Jim Kramper says the unusually warm and dry weather last year had a lot to do with the number of tornadoes being down.

“2012 was a record-setting year in terms of warmth.  We had a very warm spring and as such … late winter and spring was our most active time of the year. February lead the way, believe it or not, with 13 tornadoes in February followed by March with 2 and then April had 5. Then after that it really slacked off. Very slow numbers in May, virtually nothing in June as well … (in 2012) everything was very early in the year.”

Kramper says it’s disappointing that tornado deaths were not down, especially in a below-average year for the number of twisters. He suspects too many people still think it won’t happen to them.

“It’s really their own level of protection. What do they feel safe with? Do they have adequate protection in case they’re threatened? One of the big problems we’re finding is a lot of people simply don’t have adequate protection and that’s something that needs to be worked on.”

Of the 28 tornadoes in the state, most were relatively weak in terms of wind speed. The strongest was a single EF-3 tornado in southeast Missouri’s Stoddard County that killed one person.

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I-55, other roads could close with Christmas night SEMO blizzard

December 25, 2012 By

The Transportation Department is discouraging travel in Southeast Missouri while a winter storm blows through the rest of tonight through tomorrow morning.

The National Weather Service is forecasting blizzard conditions in Southeast Missouri and parts of neighboring states that the Transportation Department says could close roads, including I-55. (Photo courtesy, National Weather Service.)

The National Weather Service is predicting blizzard conditions with that storm. State Maintenance Engineer Beth Wright says that would mean highways could be closed.

“We’re very concerned about I-55 with this storm. The Weather Service is forecasting somewhere between 7 and 9 inches of snow and that isn’t the largest issue. What we’re also hearing is we’ll have sustained winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour gusting up to 40 and that’s when people will see blizzard-like conditions, so that’s our greatest concern at this time.”

For the Department to make the decision to close a road, Wright says a storm must be making it difficult for snow plow drivers to see other traffic.

“They’re a larger vehicle, they’re higher, they generally have better visibility, so we know that when they have a difficult time seeing, that especially small passenger cars have a very difficult time seeing. That’s when it’s just best for none of us to be traveling on a roadway and we try to pull our folks off so that we’re safe and everyone else is safe, and then as the storm system dies down a bit and we have better visibility, then we get out.”

The Department is advising motorists to avoid traveling in southeast Missouri and has issued a No Travel advisory until condition simprove tomorrow.

Those who do atttempt to travel are advised to bring a mobile phone and winter survival supplies.

The Department offers a Traveler Information Map and the Highway Patrol offers an emergency phone number for people needing assistance, at (800) 525-5555 or *55 from a cellular phone.

Filed Under: News, Weather Tagged With: , , , , ,

Christmas night blizzard for the Bootheel, travel discouraged

December 25, 2012 By

A blizzard is in the forecast for the state’s Bootheel region tonight through tomorrow morning.

This map shows the National Weather Service’s latest snowfall predictions for a winter storm expected to hit Southeast Missouri and neighboring states Christmas evening through Wednesday morning. (Graphic courtesy, National Weather Service.)

The National Weather Service has increased its snowfall predictions, now saying nearly 11 inches of snow could fall in Cape Girardeau county, with 7 to 10 inches across the region. A blizzard warning includes 11 Missouri counties until noon tomorrow.

Meteorologist Christine Wielgos explains why the predicted snowfall amounts for Southeast Missouri have increased.

“I think we’re getting more and more confident as the actual track (of the storm) becomes more certain, as to which way this low pressure system that’s right now down in west-central Louisiana and is slated to move into Tennessee by later tonight into tomorrow morning, and usually your heaviest snows are on the northwestern side of a low pressure system and that looks to be setting up right over Southeast Missouri up into Southern Illinois at this time.”

Visit  the National Weather Service’s Paducah office website for warning information.

The updated track of the storm has the brunt of it now passing south of the St. Louis region, with heavy snowfall expected as far north as a Farmington to Salem, Illinois line.

Winds are predicted to be sustained at 25 miles per hour with gusts of 35 to 45 miles per hour. That could lead to blowing and drifting of snow and completely eliminate visibilities.

Wielgos says it is likely some roads in Missouri and neighboring states will become impassable during the storm.

“It’s just going to be a very treacherous night and early tomorrow morning to be out driving out on the roadways.”

The Missouri Department of Transportation has issued a No Travel Advisory for the region, advising motorists to avoid travel in that region.

The Department says in a statement, “Motorists should be advised that travel during this type of storm is very dangerous. Should you attempt to travel, bring your mobile phone and winter survival supplies. If you do become stranded, stay with your vehicle and call 911. Be aware that emergency responders may have difficulty reaching you.”

The Department urges Missourians to use its online Traveler Information Map for travel condition updates. The Highway Patrol also offers an emergency phone number for people needing assistance, at (800) 525-5555 or *55 from a cellular phone.

Filed Under: Featured, News, Weather Tagged With: , , ,
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