Memphis / Shelby County Weather Blog

Update on major changes

2007-06-27T07:53:00.000-05:00

All right, since you asked...

I am still working on the new website. I am presently waiting on the new weather station parts to get here before I make the site officially open, but I already have some pages up if you would like to see what the final version will look like.

The website is http://www.germantownwx.com.

Be watching for more updates in the future!

Major changes ahead

2007-06-22T13:18:00.000-05:00

Yes, everyone, by next week, there will be major changes to this blog (hint: new website!). Stay tuned for details.

Rest of weather station on its way

2007-06-21T22:24:00.000-05:00

Well, the One-Wire station is almost finished. I now have the temperature, humidity, and wind sensors, and I just ordered the barometer and rain gauge today. Hopefully, by the end of next week everything will be up and running!

Stay tuned for updates.

WREG: Drought causes lakes' draining

2007-06-14T23:00:00.000-05:00

Story by Dennis Turner

Arkabutla Lake, Miss - Most of us like to beat the summer heat in the water. That's why local lakes and reservoirs are so popular. But this year, you're likely to find more heat... and a lot less water.

Ann Betterton spends hours at Arkabutla Lake in the summer... but this year she says you might as well call it the "Arkabutla desert". "This is the second time I've seen it like this, but not this low."

The lake is so low swimmers say it's not easy to have fun here. "Very low, it's not usually low like this." said Melinda Gould who came to the lake to swim with friends.

The same conditions plague almost all the area lakes. Arkabutla, Grenada, Sardis and Enid all sit at record low levels. Lake levels here read from nearly 7 feet to more than 16 feet below normal. We're told even Pickwick is low, though not quite as bad, and Horseshoe lake in Arkansas is drier than normal.

All these reservoirs, are supposed to regulate flooding and conserve water. "We operate sorta like your bathtub, ok? On the lake, we draw it down to make way for the spring rains. When the spring rains come we have water in the lake and we can also let water out for the farmers." said Ernie Lentz of the Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District, which operates the major North Mississippi lakes.

But this year the rains didn't come, and we'll soon find ourselves in the dry months of July, August and September.

How bad is it? More than half the boat ramps here look high and dry. What will it take to fix this? You won't believe the answer. Rangers here tell me it would take a hurricane or tropical storm to hover over us for a day or so to get this lake where it needs to be.

And as much as folks here want their lake back.. they're not ready for anything THAT drastic. "I don't wanna see no hurricane but I know we need some water, bad. ‘Cause the ground's so hard you can't do anything. Our garden's not doing good at all." said Betterton.

In fact, the lakes have had dozens of events like fishing tournaments cancel because of the lack of water.

But believe it or not, this dry spell does have a silver lining. "Next year fishing should be excellent because all these areas tthat [sic] are exposed where vigitation [sic] is growing and that's food for the fish." said Lentz.

But that's NEXT year. Now, you might think the low water might prevent more drowning problems, but rangers tell me they have the most drowning cases when the water's unusually high... or unusually low.

Source URL: http://wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=6654613

Rain?

2007-06-14T16:51:00.001-05:00

Short Term Forecast from MEG:

.NOW...
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE
ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI...WEST TENNESSEE AND EASTERN
ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL AVERAGE BETWEEN A
TENTH TO A HALF OF AN INCH THROUGH 500 PM CDT.

Surely not.

Oops! I'm still alive

2007-06-12T20:32:00.000-05:00

Well, if anyone is still out there, you may have noticed that this blog has not been updated in over five months, nor has my ChaseBlogs blog. Sorry. I have since gotten a job (and been fired from it) and many other major events have happened since January. Well, now I am going to try to revive this blog with its normal content. Additionally, I will be merging the ChaseBlog with this blog to help organize everything.

As you also may have noticed, the station has been down for several months. This is due to an almost complete hardware failure to the rain gauge and anemometer. And, because of that, Weather Display, my new weather station software-of-choice, won't let me upload incomplete data. Thus, the station has been down.

I have not attempted to fix that station, because I am soon going to be setting up the Hobby-Boards/One-Wire weather station. In my post below, I thoroughly described receiving the first components of the station. Well, today, I ordered the second phase of the new station from Hobby-Boards. I ordered the Wind Instrument, and various cables and connectors. I will let you know when it arrives here.

Additionally, a volunteer organization named CoCoRaHS has become active in TN, with help from the NWS. CoCoRaHS stands for "Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network". The organization seeks volunteers who will commit to report precipitation amounts from their home on a daily basis. All it requires is a manual 4" rain gauge (which can bought from a partner site). The NWS is a big sponsor of CoCoRaHS, and uses many of their reports. I joined in April and have been reporting almost every day. I would encourage anyone who likes to observe the weather daily to sign up! By the way, I am station TN-SH-4.

In other weather news, not much is happening weather wise, except for the major drought we are going through. Shelby County is listed on the US Drought Monitor as having a moderate drought, while the surrounding areas have a severe drought.

Well, that's all for now. I'll try to post tomorrow.
Jake

Station offline for a few minutes today

2007-01-28T14:30:00.000-06:00

The weather station will be offline for the next few minutes as I move my computer to another part of the room. It shouldn't take very long.

It's here! New 1-wire sensors in operation

2007-01-19T21:24:00.000-06:00

Yes! The 1-Wire sensor that I ordered arrived today. In the box from Hobby-Boards, which got here quickly thanks to fast (and cheap) shipping, included the following:

The DS9490 1-Wire USB Adapter (in blue), the Humidity/Temperature sensor and case, a RJ-45 coupler, and a special RJ-12 to RJ45 cable to interface between the sensor and USB adapter.

Here's a few photos of the inside of the Humidity/Temperature sensor.

As you may know, I am using the book Weather Toys: Building and Hacking Your Own 1-Wire Weather Station (Amazon link). In that book, author Tim Bitson takes you step-by-step in building the entire station, but he gives you the source code to the software so that you can modify and hack to your needs. Also, he set up a website for support and other ideas for the network. After setting up a mini 1-Wire network, I tried out the software, and this is what I got:

init:
deps-jar:
compile:
run:
Starting SimpleWeather 1.0
Stable Library
=========================================
Native lib Version = RXTX-2.1-7
Java lib Version   = RXTX-2.1-7
Found Adapter: {DS9490} on Port USB1
Resetting 1-wire bus
Time = Fri Jan 19 21:09:06 CST 2007
Temperature = 72.5degs F
Humidity = 29.719664%


Time = Fri Jan 19 21:09:09 CST 2007
Temperature = 72.5degs F
Humidity = 29.721657%


Time = Fri Jan 19 21:09:12 CST 2007
Temperature = 72.5degs F
Humidity = 29.35742%


Time = Fri Jan 19 21:09:15 CST 2007
Temperature = 72.5degs F
Humidity = 29.35742%

Pretty cool, huh? I kind of changed the code to refresh every 3 seconds, instead of the default one minute. Soon, I will order some more parts to expand this network into a fully functional weather station! Watch for more details.

Data outage

2007-01-17T06:55:00.000-06:00

Well, WUHU messed up around 4 PM Monday and stopped uploading. Thus, no data is available from 4 PM Monday to about 7 AM Wednesday. Sorry.

More 14 mph spikes

2007-01-14T08:43:00.000-06:00

14 mph wind spikes are still being recorded due to the wiring problem of the anemometer. I will delete these entries from WU this afternoon. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Update (1:30 pm): The wrongful entires have been deleted.

Stupid wind spikes!

2007-01-13T21:45:00.000-06:00

The WS-2310 has been malfunctioning all day today due to the rainfall. Several 14 mph wind spikes were observed at different times today. I have deleted all the wrong data on WU, but I can't delete it on CWOP or AWEKAS. Sorry.

First phase on OWS ordered

2007-01-13T21:31:00.000-06:00

I have taken a huge step in the construction of the OWS (One-Wire Station) by ordering the parts for the first phase of the project. Today, I ordered the Temperature/Humidity sensor, the case for it, the USB Adapter, and various cables and connectors from Hobby-Boards. It should be here sometime next week, and of course I'll let you know when it comes in.

Of course, all of the information for the OWS comes from the book Weather Toys: Building and Hacking Your Own 1-Wire Weather Station by Tim Bitson, and the companion website, www.weathertoys.net.

For information on the phases of this construction, see this Google document.

Major update

2007-01-13T20:04:00.000-06:00

Howdy everyone! I figured it was time to reinstate this blog again. I currently operate the Mid-South Weather ChaseBlog, and I don't update it very much. The ChaseBlog is used for discussing weather conditions only, so I figured that I would use this blog for status updates for my weather station. Whenever something goes wrong or a new feature is added, you'll see it here first.

Also, I am currently planning and constructing a brand new weather station - stay tuned for more details later!

Note some of the new features:

At the top of the page, the current version of WUHU I am running will be displayed.
The live Java applet of the weather station's data, to the right.

There will be more to come, so stay tuned for the latest information!

Jake

Two tropical systems active in the Atlantic

2006-08-24T18:44:00.000-05:00

Again, I'm sorry for not posting in the past few days. The last week and a half has been extremely hectic and busy.

Anyway, Tropical Storm Debby is currently located in the North Central Atlantic, and poses no threat to land in the immediate future. As of 4 PM CDT, maximum sustained winds were up to 50 mph, with higher gusts. It was moving toward the WNW at 20 mph. In the coming days, Debby is expected to curve toward the north, thus avoiding all land.

Though Debby will (likely) not harm land, the newly formed Tropical Depression Five might. As of 4 PM CDT, TD 5 was located 155 miles SW of Martinque. It was moving toward the west at 22 mph. Max sustained winds were 35 mph, and the winds are expected to strengthen to tropical storm status in the immediate future. As of right now, TD 5 is not headed for any land, but rain/wind bands could affect the Windward Islands, and Trindad and Tobago.

Use the links above for the latest information direct from the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service.

First case of West Nile reported in Shelby County

2006-08-18T21:04:00.000-05:00

According to a press release from the TN Department of Health, the first case of the West Nile Virus in Tennessee has been reported right here in Shelby County. According to the release, "the patient (who according to WREG's story, is over 50) is hospitalized and expected to make a full recovery." WREG says that the victim first realized something was wrong when they started having headaches and memory loss.

Here are a few reminders from the Dept. of Health on how to protect yourself from this disease:

Use a mosquito repellent containing DEET, Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus whenever outdoors. Even spending a short time outdoors can be long enough to get a mosquito bite. Follow use instructions on the product.
Wearing the right clothing can help reduce mosquito bites. When possible, wear long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors.
Be aware of peak mosquito hours. Peak mosquito biting times are between dusk and dawn for many species of mosquitoes.
Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that collect water, including toys, bird baths, old tires, buckets and other items that might hold standing water.
Make sure doors and windows are screened if you keep them open and repair any damage to screens.

Severe weather rolling through this evening

2006-08-14T22:17:00.000-05:00

UPDATE #5: SVR just issued for Chester Co until 11 PM. I'm going to bed now. Good night, everyone.

UPDATE #4 (9:50 PM): SVR for Fayette Co is cancelled, Hardeman's warning still continues. Significant Weather Advisory was just issued for Madison Co; this storm could become severe soon. Watch this one.

UPDATE #3 (9:37 PM): Severe T'storm Watch is cancelled.

UPDATE #2 (9:32 PM): SVR just issued for Fayette and Hardeman Counties until 10:15. Also, the SPC has cleared out all of the counties in the Severe T'storm Watch except for the MEG counties (expires at 10 PM CDT). I wonder if a new watch will be issued soon? Probably not - thanks to the loss of daytime heating, we have lost a lot of the energy in these storms, so they will likely weaken. But, some redevelopment is possible. Just have to wait and see.

UPDATE (8:59 PM): LSRs issued a few minutes ago...here's what it said:

(20:51:21) iembot: 4 S Annieville [Lawrence Co, AR] fire dept/rescue reports TSTM WND DMG at 05:47 PM CDT -- trees down
(20:51:21) iembot: Bono [Craighead Co, AR] broadcast media reports TSTM WND DMG at 06:20 PM CDT -- roof damage to home and cars blown off road
(20:51:21) iembot: Jonesboro [Craighead Co, AR] law enforcement reports TSTM WND DMG at 06:50 PM CDT -- trees down along hwy 141
(20:51:22) iembot: Corning [Clay Co, AR] trained spotter reports TSTM WND GST of E65.00 MPH at 07:10 PM CDT -- estimated wind gusts 65 to 70 mph
(20:51:22) iembot: Trumann [Poinsett Co, AR] law enforcement reports HAIL of penny size (E0.75 INCH) at 07:36 PM CDT --
(20:51:22) iembot: Harrisburg [Poinsett Co, AR] law enforcement reports TSTM WND DMG at 07:58 PM CDT -- trees down on hwy 163
(20:51:22) iembot: Joiner [Mississippi Co, AR] fire dept/rescue reports TSTM WND GST of E60.00 MPH at 08:00 PM CDT --
(20:51:22) iembot: Harrisburg [Poinsett Co, AR] law enforcement reports TSTM WND DMG at 08:00 PM CDT -- powerlines down on rayburn road
(20:51:22) iembot: Keiser [Mississippi Co, AR] nws employee reports TSTM WND GST of E60.00 MPH at 08:10 PM CDT --

ORIGINAL POST (7:59 PM): Lots to talk about, so little time...

There is a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect for the MEG counties of Dyer, Lake, Obion, Dunklin, Pemiscot, Greene, Mississippi, Craighead, Poinsett, Clay, Randolph, and Lawrence until 10 PM CDT.

Additionally, there are Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in effect for Mississippi Co. (until 8:30 PM), Greene and Clay Co. (8:15 PM), Dunklin (8:15 PM), and Pemiscot (8:45 PM). Refer to local media or the NWS website for the latest.

Stay with us for the latest.

Working on major changes for blog!

2006-08-12T20:37:00.000-05:00

Howdy everyone...sorry I haven't posted recently.

This morning, as I lay in bed, I got a brilliant idea to incorporate live weather data into this blog. So, 12 hours later, after spending about 10 at the computer, I have a little work to show for it.

Some people around here may have heard of HamWeather, a great thing for websites to add for weather info. Plus, it's ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!!!!!!! I have been working on this, and hope to have it up and running before the end of the coming week.

You can see my work so far by clicking here. Do remember, however, that this software is in the alpha stages, so a lot of it doesn't work (especially the images). If you know of any obvious bugs, please post about it here.

Heat Advisory in effect today and Monday

2006-08-06T16:09:00.000-05:00

The NWS has issued yet another Heat Advisory for all of North MS, Shelby County, and the following counties in AR: Crittenden, Cross, St. Francis, Lee, and Phillips. This advisory is in effect until 7 PM Monday.

Additionally, a Code Orange ozone air forecast is in effect today. This means that "active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors." (Airnow.gov)

Please take many water breaks if you have to be outside and stay cool if you are indoors. Refer to previous posts about what to do during a heat wave.

Tropical Storm Chris poses a threat

2006-08-01T16:45:00.000-05:00

I have been watching this system for a while (at least 5 days). I have seen the NHC say that it was possible that it could form, then say that it was unlikely to form, and then watch them declare it a tropical depression. All along, I secretely thought that this may become something big. And, it is slowly becoming that way. At 5 PM AST, the NHC put out an advisory saying that Chris had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Five minutes later, they put out an update saying that based on recon data, "the maximum sustained winds in Chris have increased to near 60 mph" and that a special advisory reflecting these changes would be released. Keep an eye out for this storm.

Great blog on Middle TN weather

2006-07-31T14:39:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Go and check out the new, handy-dandy Southern Tennessee Weather Blog! This blog was just created today by one of my friends from the TN WX Zone forum, and I am sure it will have some great weather info from that area. The counties covered in that blog are: Marshall, Maury, Giles, Bedford, Lawrence, Lincoln, Moore, Franklin, Wayne, Coffee, Perry, and Lewis (all in TN). Be sure to stop by!

The address is http://southerntnwx.blogspot.com/.

Heat Advisory extended until Tuesday

2006-07-30T20:19:00.000-05:00

The Heat Advisory that was in effect has been extended until 7 PM Tuesday. According to the notice, actual high temperatures on Monday and Tuesday will be in the mid-upper 90s. With the high humidities we will have this week, heat indices will be 105-110 degrees. Once again, here are some heat safety tips from the Red Cross:

Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor, out of the sunshine. Try to go to a public building with air conditioning each day for several hours. Remember, electric fans do not cool the air, but they do help sweat evaporate, which cools your body.
Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy.
Drink plenty of water regularly and often. Your body needs water to keep cool.
Drink plenty of fluids even if you do not feel thirsty.
Water is the safest liquid to drink during heat emergencies. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them. They can make you feel good briefly, but make the heat's effects on your body worse. This is especially true about beer, which dehydrates the body.
Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increase metabolic heat.
Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.

Also, you need to know what types of illnesses heat can cause:

Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are an early signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.
Heat exhaustion: Cool, moist, pale, or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal.
Heat stroke: Hot, red skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high-- as high as 105 degrees F. If the person was sweating from heavy work or exercise, skin may be wet; otherwise, it will feel dry.

What to do if these illnesses occur:

Heat cramps: Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. Lightly stretch the affected muscle and replenish fluids. Give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not give liquids with alcohol or caffeine in them, as they can make conditions worse.
Heat exhaustion: Get the person out of the heat and into a cooler place. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets. If the person is conscious, give cool water to drink. Make sure the person drinks slowly. Give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not give liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Let the victim rest in a comfortable position, and watch carefully for changes in his or her condition.
Heat stroke: Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation. Help is needed fast. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.

Thanks to the Red Cross for this information. For more information on heat waves, visit the Red Cross page or this page from the NWS.

Heat Advisory in effect today

2006-07-30T08:48:00.000-05:00

The NWS in Memphis has issued a Heat Advisory for the entire Mid-South today. It is in effect from 11 AM - 7 PM. Heat indices could reach 110 today. Please take the proper precautions and limit your outdoor activity.

Flooding reeks havoc on Tennessee this afternoon

2006-07-29T18:57:00.000-05:00

You probably weren't aware, but it rained in the northwestern portion of the Memphis CWA today. And it rained a lot. Radar estimates show almost 8" of rain over that area, and that is probably under the real amount. Now, before Noah opens his ark, let me tell you about some of the incidents in our area.

Near Clarksburg, TN (12:35 PM): Many county roads flooded
Chesterfield, TN (12:39 PM): Caramel Cove Road flooded
Parsons, TN (12:41 PM)

Four businesses have 4" of flood water
One home has 6" of water, and another has nearly a foot of water
Sections of almost every road in town is flooded with almost two feet of water

Forum looking for Mid-South members

2006-07-26T08:16:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! TalkWeather, a great weather forum, is looking for more Mid-South members. We already have two people from the local NWS, and a few others (including myself). We would greatly appreciate if you could join.

The address is www.talkweather.com.

Heat advisory in effect Friday

2006-07-13T23:13:00.000-05:00

The NWS in Memphis has issued a Heat Advisory for the entire Mid-South Friday, from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM CDT. Heat index values could reach 105 degrees tomorrow with actual highs in the mid-90s. Here are some safety tips on how to deal with hot weather from the Red Cross:

Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor, out of the sunshine. Try to go to a public building with air conditioning each day for several hours. Remember, electric fans do not cool the air, but they do help sweat evaporate, which cools your body.
Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy.
Drink plenty of water regularly and often. Your body needs water to keep cool.
Drink plenty of fluids even if you do not feel thirsty.
Water is the safest liquid to drink during heat emergencies. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them. They can make you feel good briefly, but make the heat's effects on your body worse. This is especially true about beer, which dehydrates the body.
Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increase metabolic heat.
Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.

View more about what to do during heat waves from this Red Cross page.

Severe weather possible today

2006-07-11T09:10:00.000-05:00

According to the NWS and SPC, there is a slight risk of severe weather today in NW Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel, and extreme NW Tennessee. This shouldn't be a huge outbreak as temperatures will have to be pretty high for storms to fire. The local NWS says that the main threat will be damaging winds. I don't think we will see any severe weather, but if we do, it will be extremely isolated.

Forum just for TN folk!

2006-07-10T21:06:00.000-05:00

Yes, boys and girls, there is a forum out in cyberspace dedicated solely to Tennessee Weather! It is called TennesseeWeatherZone and would like more members, especially from our area. The Nashville area is definitely represented, but the Mid-South does not have many members. I am the site moderator at that site, so come on over and discuss local weather! The address is http://www.armleg.com/forum/index.php?mforum=tennesseeweathe (and, no, there is not an "r" at the end of the address). So come on, Western Tennesseans, represent!

Some WunderBlog entries now archived on MSW

2006-07-09T23:29:00.000-05:00

The October and November entries from my old WunderBlog are now stored on this website. To view them, look in the archives under October and November 2005 and look for posts with "- WU" after it. These are the original posts, unedited from their previous state. The other months will be added soon.

Scattered thunderstorms to move through tonight

2006-07-09T20:19:00.000-05:00

Right now, according to NWS radar, some very light showers are located across Lake and Obion Counties and slowly moving toward the southeast. Some additional showers will be moving into this area in the next few hours.

According to the Hazardous Weather Outlook issued by the NWS, some scattered thundershowers will push into the Mid-South late tonight and tomorrow. Here is what they said:

A WARM FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE MID-SOUTH FROM THE SOUTHWEST TONIGHT. MEANWHILE...AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND SPREAD INTO THE MID-SOUTH LATER TONIGHT. HOWEVER...THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW.

Additionally, some thundershowers will move throughout the Mid-South tomorrow. The main threat from these storms will be heavy rainfall. These showers should slowly exit the Mid-South Tuesday toward the northeast, so the northern half of the area will be seeing additional rainfall. Wednesday and beyond, summer weather returns to our area with heat index values possibly reaching near 105. Actual highs will be around 97.

New discussion board!

2006-07-07T16:26:00.000-05:00

New! I have created a discussion board so that users of this blog may communicate with each other! The address is http://midsouthwx.invisionplus.net. I encourage you to visit it today and sign up (it's free!)

Parts of Mid-South under burn bans

2006-07-06T15:29:00.000-05:00

Due to the recent dry conditions, Clay County, Mississippi is under a burn ban. This means that any outdoor burning is prohibited in this county. During this firework-shooting season, please respect the officials and DO NOT shoot anything. There are no other burn bans in effect at this time in the Mid-South.

Some NWRs may go out today

2006-06-28T10:18:00.000-05:00

In a PNS issued by the NWS Memphis, the forecasters state that they are performing maintenance on the NOAA Weather Radio systems and, as a result, they may go out for some short periods. This will take place from 9 AM - 4 PM. Additionally, the weekly test of the NWRs will take place tomorrow at its regularly scheduled time, instead of today.

Day Five - Lightning Safety Awareness Week

2006-06-23T09:33:00.000-05:00

"Medical Aspects of Lightning"

How Big A Problem Is This? Statistics

Lightning has been the second largest storm killer in the U.S. for the last 40 years, exceeded only by floods. A lightning strike can result in a cardiac arrest (heart stopping) at the time of the injury, although some victims may appear to have a delayed death a few days later if they are resuscitated but have suffered irreversible brain damage.

According to Storm Data, a National Weather Service publication, over the last 30 years the U.S. has averaged 66 reported lightning fatalities per year. Due to under reporting, the figures are more realistically at least 70 deaths per year. Only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning are killed, leaving 90% with various degrees of disability.

ODDS OF BECOMING A LIGHTNING VICTIM
U.S. 2000 Census population	280,000,000
Odds of being struck by lightning in a given year (reported deaths + injuries)	1/700,000
Odds of being struck by lightning in a given year (estimated total deaths + injuries)	1/400,000
Odds of being struck in your lifetime (Est. 80 years)	1/5000
Odds you will be affected by someone being struck (Ten people affected for every one struck)	1/500

Who Gets Injured

While about one third of all injuries occur during work, workers compensation companies are often reluctant to acknowledge the injury or pay related medical expenses. About another third of injuries occur during recreational or sports activities. The last third occurs in diverse situation, including injuries to those inside buildings.

How Do Lightning Injuries Affect People?

Lightning tends to be a nervous system injury and may affect the brain, autonomic nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. When the brain is affected, the person often has difficulty with short-term memory, coding new information and accessing old information, multitasking, distractibility, irritability and personality change.

"Patients have difficulty in all areas that require them to analyze more items of information than they can handle simultaneously. They present (appear) as slow because it takes longer for smaller than normal chunks of information to be processed. They present as distractible because they do not have the spare capacity to monitor irrelevant stimuli at the same time as they are attending to the relevant stimulus. They present as forgetful because while they are concentrating on point A, they do not have the processing space to think about point B simultaneously. They present as inattentive because when the amount of information that they are given exceeds their capacities, they cannot take it all in."

Early on, survivors may complain of intense headaches, ringing in the ears, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and other post-concussion types of symptoms. Survivors may also experience difficulty sleeping, sometimes sleeping excessively at first and then only two or three hours at a time. A few may develop seizure-like activity several weeks to months after the injury.

Personality Changes / Self-Isolation

Many lightning victims may suffer personality changes because of frontal lobe damage and become quite irritable and easy to anger. People who wake up after the injury often do not have the ability to express what is wrong with them, may not recognize much, become embarrassed when they cannot carry on a conversation, work at their previous job, or do the activities that they used to handle. As a result, many isolate themselves, withdrawing from church, friends, family and other activities. Friends, family and co-workers who see the same external person, may not understand why the survivor is so different. Friends soon stop coming by or asking them to participate in activities. Families who are not committed to each other break up.

Obviously, depression becomes a big problem for people who have changed so much and lost so much. Suicide is something almost all severely injured people have thought about at one time or another. Occasionally, those who do not have access to medical care or who do not understand what is happening may resort to alcohol and other drugs, particularly those who have previously used these options. Family and friends of the survivor must remain supportive even though it may require an adjustment in their relationship with the survivor. An injury such as this affects the entire family, not just to the person hit.

Fatigue

Survivors often complain of becoming exhausted after only a few hours of work. This may be because tasks they used to do automatically now require intense concentration. Many return to work but find that they cannot do all of the activities required at their job.

Medical Testing

There are two kinds of medical tests:

Anatomic tests take a simple picture (x-ray) or measurement (blood count)
Functional tests show how something is working (PET, neuropsychological testing)

Sometimes function can be ascribed to the anatomic tests but often it cannot. The mental changes of a lightning survivor are functional (how the brain works) changes, not anatomic. Anatomic tests such as a CT scan and MRI are usually normal. More functional scans such as PET and SPECT may show changes but are hard to obtain due to their relative infrequency in medical centers. To use an analogy: if an electric shock were sent through a computer, the outside case would probably look OK (similar to a photo or x-rays of the person), the computer boards on the inside would probably look OK and not be fused nor melted (CT, MRI for the person), but when you boot up the computer it would have difficulty accessing files, making calculations, printing, etc. This situation is similar in a person with brain injury who has short-term memory problems, difficulty accessing and coding information, difficulty organizing output, etc.

More useful is a functional test of how a person's brain is working: a neurocognitive or neuropsychological testing. These tests are administered by a neuropsychologist, not by a psychiatrist. The tests consist of a 6-8 hour battery of tests including memory, IQ and organizational ability. Survivors of lightning and electrical injury usually have a characteristic pattern of deficits.

Delayed Problems

Another common, often delayed, problem for some survivors is pain, also difficult to quantify and manage. The pain may not be from chronic intense headaches but may be in the back (perhaps from compression and disc injury from the intense muscle contractions which may throw a person several yards at the time of the injury), or in an extremity. Some may have nerve entrapment syndromes and a small number may eventually develop Sympathetically Mediated Pain Syndrome.

Sometimes the functional tests ordered are testing the wrong thing. An electromyogram (EMG) measures only the motor fibers, which are seldom affected by lightning injury. Smaller pain carrying nerve fibers are not tested by EMG so that a normal EMG means little when ordered for someone with pain. Likewise, the standard EEG primarily measure surface readings of the brain and misses seizure activity in several deeper regions.

Decreased libido and impotence are often reported.

Help Exists - Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors, International, Support Group

An organization of tremendous help to survivors, families, physicians and other professionals is Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors, International (LSESSI), a support group formed in 1989 by a lightning victim. LSESSI has printed materials, offers tremendous support, networks survivors with others in their area, and provides an annual meeting where survivors come together for support and lectures from professionals who work with lightning and electrical survivors and their families. LSESSI can be reached at 910-346-4708, info@lightning-strike.org, or see their Website at http://www.lightning-strike.org/, or at P.O. Box 1156, Jacksonville, NC 28541-1156.

Four Factors Necessary for Recovery

The four most important factors in overcoming disability from lightning injury (or from any illness or major injury for that matter) are:

Supportive family/friends network.
Becoming your own advocate and learning as much as you can about this disability.
A physician willing to listen, read, learn and work with the survivor and their family.
A sense of humor.

Prevention

Far more important than treating survivors is preventing lightning injury. All of the people who helped make possible National Lightning Safety Awareness Week hope it will help you and your family learn how to avoid injury. Prevention is the KEY.

This factsheet courtesy Dr. Mary Ann Cooper- Associate Professor, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Bioengineering University of Illinois at Chicago

Day Four - Lightning Safety Awareness Week

2006-06-22T08:36:00.000-05:00

What is a Safe Shelter?

A house or other substantial building offers the best protection from lightning. In assessing the safety provided by a particular structure, it is more important to consider what happens if the structure gets struck by lightning, rather than whether the structure will be hit by lightning. For a shelter to provide protection from lightning, it must contain a mechanism for conducting the electrical current from the point of contact to the ground. These mechanisms may be on the outside of the structure, may be contained within the walls of the structure, or may be a combination of the two. On the outside, lightning can travel along the outer shell of the building or may follow metal gutters and downspouts to the ground. Inside a structure, lightning can follow conductors such as the electrical wiring, plumbing, and telephone lines to the ground.

Avoid Unsafe Shelters!

Unless specifically designed to be lightning safe, small structures do little, if anything, to protect occupants from lightning. Many small open shelters on athletic fields, golf courses, parks, roadside picnic areas, schoolyards and elsewhere are designed to protect people from rain and sun, but not lightning. A shelter that does not contain plumbing or wiring throughout, or some other mechanism for grounding from the roof to ground is not safe. Small wooden, vinyl, or metal sheds offer little or no protection from lightning and should be avoided during thunderstorms.

How Lightning Enters a House or Building

There are three main ways lightning enters homes and buildings: (1) a direct strike, (2) through wires or pipes that extend outside the structure, and (3) through the ground. Regardless of the method of entrance, once in a structure, the lightning can travel through the electrical, phone, plumbing, and radio/television reception systems. Lightning can also travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.

Stay Safe While Inside

Phone use is the leading cause of indoor lightning injuries in the United States. Lightning can travel long distances in both phone and electrical wires, particularly in rural areas. Stay away from windows and doors as these can provide the path for a direct strike to enter a home. Do not lie on the concrete floor of a garage as it likely contains a wire mesh. In general, basements are a safe place to go during thunderstorms. However, there are some things to keep in mind. Avoid contact with concrete walls which may contain metal reinforcing bars. Avoid washers and dryers since they not only have contacts with the plumbing and electrical systems, but also contain an electrical path to the outside through the dryer vent.

Remember Your Pets

You may want to consider the safety of your family pets during thunderstorms. Dog houses are not lightning-safe. Dogs that are chained to trees or chained to wire runners can easily fall victim to a lightning strike.

Protect Your Personal Property

Lightning also causes significant damage to personal property each year. In addition to direct strikes, lightning generates electrical surges that can damage electronic equipment some distance from the actual strike. Typical surge protectors will NOT protect equipment from a lightning strike. To the extent possible, unplug any appliances or electronic equipment from all conductors well before a thunderstorm threatens. This includes not only the electrical system, but also the reception system. If you plan to be away from your home when thunderstorms are possible, be sure to unplug unneeded equipment before you leave.

Summary of Lightning Safety Tips for Inside the Home

Avoid contact with corded phones
Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. If you plan to unplug any electronic equipment, do so well before the storm arrives.
Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry.
Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls.

Day Three - Lightning Safety Awareness Week

2006-06-21T09:34:00.000-05:00

"Lightning Safety Outdoors"

This document has two main sections: lightning safety when a safe location is nearby and risk reduction--not safety!--when a safe location is NOT close. No place is absolutely safe from lightning; however, some places are much safer than others. The SAFEST location during lightning activity is a large enclosed building, not a picnic shelter or shed. The second safest location is an enclosed metal vehicle, car, truck, van, etc., but NOT a convertible, bike or other topless or soft top vehicle.

Safe Buildings

A safe building is one that is fully enclosed with a roof, walls and floor, such as a home, school, office building or a shopping center. Even inside, you should take precautions. Picnic shelters, dugouts, sheds and other partially open or small structures are NOT safe.

Enclosed buildings are safe because of wiring and plumbing. If lightning strikes these types of buildings, or an outside telephone pole, the electrical current from the flash will typically travel through the wiring or the plumbing into the ground. This is why you should stay away from showers, sinks, hot tubs, etc., and electronic equipment such as TVs, radios, and computers.

Lightning can damage or destroy electronics so it's important to have a proper lightning protection system connected to your electronic equipment. The American Meteorological Society has tips for protecting your electronics from lightning.

Unsafe Buildings

Examples of buildings which are unsafe include car ports, covered but open garages, covered patio, picnic shelters, beach shacks/pavilions, golf shelters, camping tents, large outdoor tents, baseball dugouts and other small buildings such as sheds and greeenhouses that do not have electricity or plumbing.

Safe Vehicle

A safe vehicle is a hard-topped car, SUV, minivan, bus, tractor, etc. (soft-topped convertibles are not safe) . If you seek shelter in your vehicle, make sure all doors are closed and windows rolled up. Do not touch any metal surfaces.

If you're driving when a thunderstorm starts, pull off the roadway. A lightning flash hitting the vehicle could startle you and cause temporary blindness, especially at night.

Do not use electronic devices such as HAM radios or cell phones during a thunderstorm. Lightning striking the vehicle, especially the antennas, could cause serious injury if you are talking on the radio or holding the microphone at the time of the flash. Emergency officials such as police officers, firefighters, security officers, etc., should use extreme caution using radio equipment when lightning is in the area.

Your vehicle and its electronics may be damaged if hit by lightning. Vehicles struck by lightning are known to have flat tires the next day. This occurs because the lightning punctures tiny holes in the tires. Vehicles have caught fire after being struck by lightning; however, there is no modern day documented cases of vehicles "exploding" due to a lightning flash.

Bolts from the Blue

There are times when a lightning flash can travel horizontally many miles away from the thunderstorm cloud itself and then strike the ground. These types of lightning flashes are called "Bolts from the Blue" because they seem to come out of a clear blue sky. Although these flashes are rare, they have been known to cause fatalities.

When a Safe Location is Nearby:

Seek safe shelter when you first hear thunder, see dark threatening clouds developing overhead or lightning. Count the seconds between the time you see lightning and hear the thunder. You should already be in a safe location if that time is less than 30 seconds.
Stay inside until 30 minutes after you last hear thunder.

Figure: When you hear thunder, run to the nearest large building or a fully enclosed vehicle. You are not safe anywhere outside.

Click here to calculate how far lightning is away from you

Plan Ahead! Your best source of up-to-date weather information is a NOAA Weather Radio (NWR). Portable weather radios are handy for outdoor activities. If you don't have NWR, stay up to date via internet, TV, local radio or cell phone. If you are in a group, make sure all leaders or members of the group have a lightning safety plan and are ready to use it.

Determine how far you are from a safe enclosed building or a safe vehicle. As soon as you hear thunder, see lightning or see dark threatening clouds, get to a safe location. Then wait 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before you leave the safe location. If you are part of a group, particularly a large one, you will need more time to get all group members to safety. NWS recommends having professional lightning detection equipment so your group can be alerted from significant distances from the event site.

When groups are involved, the time needed to get to safety increases. So you need to start leaving sooner. Your entire group should already be in a safe location when the approaching storm reaches within 5 miles from your location.

Here some two common scenarios with suggestions on how to safely respond.

Coach of Outdoor Sports Team

You are a manager of a little league team and have a game this evening at the local recreational park. The weather forecast for the day calls for a partly cloudy skies, with a chance of thunderstorms by early evening. You arrive in your vehicle while the kids arrive with their parents. Once arriving at the park, you notice the only buildings are the the restrooms, an enclosed building. Shortly after sunset, the skies start to cloud up and you see bright flashes in the sky to the west. The local radio station mentions storms are on the way.

In this case, the safest locations are the vehicles the kids came in or the rest rooms. You should have a choice of allowing the kids to go back to their vehicles or bring everyone into the restrooms. It is important NOT to stay in the dugouts as they are not safe place during lightning activity. Once at a safe place, wait 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before going back outside.

Family at the Beach

You plan to go to the beach or lake later this morning with the kids. The weather forecast calls for a nice morning followed by a 30 percent chance of afternoon thunderstorms. You decide to head for the beach in your minivan. The beach is about 5 minutes from the parking lot. The only nearby buildings are picnic shelters. By early afternoon you notice the skies darkening and hear distant thunder. What would be your lightning safety plan of action?

In this case, the best place to go is your car. Do NOT seek shelter under the beach picnic shacks because these are not safe in lightning storms. Wait 30 minutes until after the last thunder crack before going back to the beach or driving home.

Camping

You and your family are camping. As you and your spouse are preparing dinner on the camp stove, you here rumbles of thunder in the distance. You look around and you see your tent is nearby, and a large picnic shelter is just down the trail. Your car is about ¼ of a mile away parked at the trailhead. What should you and your family do?

In this case, the smartest thing to do is to round up your family and get into your car. The tent is not a safe place to be as it offers NO protection from a lighting flash. The picnic shelter is also not a safe location. (Both the tent and picnic shelter will keep you dry…but they offer NO protection from a lightning flash). It is best to remain in your vehicle for about 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder is heard.

When a Safe Location Is Not Nearby

The lightning safety community reminds you that there is NO safe place to be outside in a thunderstorm. If you absolutely can't get to safety, this section is designed to help you lessen the threat of being struck by lightning while outside. Don't kid yourself--you are NOT safe outside.

Being stranded outdoors when lightning is striking nearby is a harrowing experience. Your first and only truly safe choice is to get to a safe building or vehicle. If you are camping, climbing, on a motorcycle or bicycle, boating, scuba diving, or enjoying other outdoor activities and cannot get to a safe vehicle or shelter, follow these last resort tips. These will not prevent you from being hit, just slightly lesson the odds.

Do NOT seek shelter under tall isolated trees. The tree may help you stay dry but will significantly increase your risk of being struck by lightning. Rain will not kill you, but the lightning can!
Do NOT seek shelter under partially enclosed buildings
Stay away from tall, isolated objects. Lightning typically strikes the tallest object. That may be you in an open field or clearing.
Know the weather patterns of the area. For example, in mountainous areas, thunderstorms typically develop in the early afternoon, so plan to hike early in the day and be down the mountain by noon.
Know the weather forecast. If there is a high chance of thunderstorms, curtail your outdoor activities.
Do not place your campsite in an open field on the top of a hill or on a ridge top. Keep your site away from tall isolated trees or other tall objects. If you are in a forest, stay near a lower stand of trees. If you are camping in an open area, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low area. A tent offers NO protection from lighting.
Wet ropes can make excellent conductors. This is BAD news when it comes to lightning activity. If you are mountain climbing and see lightning, and can do so safely, remove unnecessary ropes extended or attached to you. If a rope is extended across a mountain face and lightning makes contact with it, the electrical current will likely travel along the rope, especially if it is wet.
Stay away from metal objects, such as fences, poles and backpacks. Metal is an excellent conductor. The current from a lightning flash will easily travel for long distances (See Figure 1)

Figure: Dead cows lined up along a metallic fence. Lightning struck the fence, and the current traveled along the fence killing the cows. Photo Courtesy Ruth Lyon-Bateman

If lightning is in the immediate area, and there is no safe location nearby, stay a little aparts from other members of your group so the lightning won't travel between you if hit. Keep your feet together and sit on the ground out in the open. If you can possible run to a vehicle or building, DO so. It is much safer than sitting on the ground.

Motorcyclist/Bicyclist: So has anyone been hit riding a bike? Here are just a few real examples from the last few years.

Virginia Beach, VA: Motorcyclist killed while traveling on Route 58.
Altoona, PA: One motorcycle rider killed and three riders injured when they took shelter in a woods from a thunderstorm.
Wyoming: Motorcyclist injured while driving home on I-90 from Sturgis.
Taylor Park, CO: Dirt biker injured while heading down mountain pass.

Protect Yourself when on a bicycle, motorcycle or dirt bike.

Carry a portable Weather Radio or listen to commercial radio.
If you see threatening skies in the distance and you are passing a safe location, pull over and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder crack.
If you can turn around and get away from the storm, do so!
DO NOT ride into a lighting storm!

If you absolutely cannot get to a safe building or vehicle, here are some last resort choices:

Wait out the storm below an overpass. DO NOT touch steel girders. Move away from your bike. Remain on dry surfaces if possible. Overpasses are engineered structures and are likely to be properly grounded. Although an overpass is likely to be higher than the surrounding landscape, if it is struck by lightning, the electrical current will likely be channeled safely into the ground.
Look for a bridge. Stay away from water. Stay away from any metal surfaces. Be alert for rapidly rising water if under a bridge.
High tension wires: If high voltage electrical tension wires cross the road, you may want to seek shelter directly underneath these wires. Do not get too close to the large metal towers which hold up these wires. Stay at least 50 feet away. Electric companies design these high tension wires for lightning strikes. If lighting should strike the wires or towers, the current is designed to safely go deep into the ground.
If you are caught in the open and lightning is occurring within 5 miles, STOP riding, get off of your motorcycle/bicycle, find a ditch or other low spot and sit down.
Motorcyclists should move at least 50 feet away from their bike. Bicyclist should lay their bikes on the ground.

IMPORTANT: These recommendations are a last resort. You are NOT safe in these places just marginally safer than in the open.

Click here to read a story about a motorcyclist killed while riding in lightning.

On the Water

The vast majority of lightning injuries and deaths on boats occur on small boats with NO cabin. It is crucial to listen to the weather on a small aquatic vessel without a cabin. If thunderstorms are forecast, don't go out. If you are out on the water and skies are threatening, get back to land and find a safe building or vehicle.

Boats with cabins offer a safer but not perfect environment. Safety is increased further if the boat has a properly installed lightning protection system. If you are inside the cabin, stay away from metal and all electrical components. STAY OFF THE RADIO UNLESS IT IS AN ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY!

What should you do if you are on a small vessel and lightning becomes a threat? If the vessel has an anchor, then you should properly anchor the boat then get as low as possible.

Large boats with cabins, especially those with lightning protection systems properly installed or metal marine vessels are relatively safe. Remember to stay inside the cabin and away from any metal surfaces.

Scuba Divers

If the boat you are in does not have a safe cabin to be in during lightning activity, then you are safer diving deep into the water for the duration of the storm or as long as possible. Your first choice is to head in and get in safe building or vehicle.

Day Two - Lightning Safety Awareness Week

2006-06-20T08:43:00.000-05:00

"Why do some clouds produce lightning and not others?"

How Powerful is Lightning?

Each spark of lightning can reach over five miles in length, soar to temperatures of approximately 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and contain 100 million electrical volts.

Lightning Is A Random, Chaotic And Dangerous Fact Of Nature

At any given moment, there are 1,800 thunderstorms in progress somewhere on the earth. This amounts to 16 million storms each year! Scientists that study lightning have a better understanding today of the process that produces lightning, but there is still more to learn about the role of solar flares on the upper atmosphere, the earth's electromagnetic field, and ice in storms. We know the cloud conditions needed to produce lightning, but cannot forecast the location or time of the next stroke of lightning. There are lightning detection systems in the United States and they monitor an average of 25 million flashes of lightning from the cloud to ground every year!

Lightning has been seen in volcanic eruptions, extremely intense forest fires, surface nuclear detonations, heavy snowstorms, and in large hurricanes, however, it is most often seen in thunderstorms. A thunderstorm forms in air that has three components: moisture, instability and something such as a cold front to cause the air to rise. Continued rising motions within the storm may build the cloud to a height of 35,000 to 60,000 feet (6 to 10 miles) above sea level. Temperatures higher in the atmosphere are colder; ice forms in the higher parts of the cloud.

Ice In The Cloud Is Critical To The Lightning Process

Ice in a cloud seems to be a key element in the development of lightning. Storms that fail to produce quantities of ice may also fail to produce lightning. In a storm, the ice particles vary in size from small ice crystals to larger hailstones, but in the rising and sinking motions within the storm there are a lot of collisions between the particles. This causes a separation of electrical charges. Positively charged ice crystals rise to the top of the thunderstorm, and negatively charged ice particles and hailstones drop to the middle and lower parts of the storm. Enormous charge differences (electrical differential) develops.

How Lightning Develops Between The Cloud And The Ground

A moving thunderstorm gathers another pool of positively charged particles along the ground that travel with the storm. As the differences in charges continue to increase, positively charged particles rise up taller objects such as trees, houses, and telephone poles. Have you ever been under a storm and had your hair stand up? Yes, the particles also can move up you! This is one of nature's warning signs that says you are in the wrong place, and you may be a lightning target!

The negatively charged area in the storm will send out a charge toward the ground called a stepped leader. It is invisible to the human eye, and moves in steps in less than a second toward the ground. When it gets close to the ground, it is attracted by all these positively charged objects, and a channel develops. You see the electrical transfer in this channel as lightning. There may be several return strokes of electricity within the established channel that you will see as flickering lightning.

Thunder

The lightning channel heats rapidly to 50,000 degrees. The rapid expansion of heated air causes the thunder. Since light travels faster than sound in the atmosphere, the sound will be heard after the lightning. If you see lightning and hear thunder at the same time, that lightning is in your neighborhood!

Negative Lightning And Positive Lightning

Not all lightning forms in the negatively charged area low in the thunderstorm cloud. Some lightning originates in the cirrus anvil at the top of the thunderstorm. This area carries a large positive charge. Lightning from this area is called positive lightning. This type is particularly dangerous for several reasons. It frequently strikes away from the rain core, either ahead or behind the thunderstorm. It can strike as far as 5 or 10 miles from the storm, in areas that most people do not consider to be a lightning risk area. The other problem with positive lightning is it typically has a longer duration, so fires are more easily ignited. Positive lightning usually carries a high peak electrical current, which increases the lightning risk to an individual.

For more on the science of lightning, see the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory.

Day One - Lightning Safety Awareness Week

2006-06-19T08:53:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of Lightning Safety Awareness Week. There is a video available for Day One, located here. You need RealPlayer to view it. Here is the first factsheet from the NWS (unedited).

Lightning—The Underrated Killer

In the United States, there are an estimated 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes each year. Lightning can be fascinating to watch, but it is also extremely dangerous. During the past 30 years, lightning killed an average of 67 people per year in the United States based on documented cases. This is more than the average of 65 deaths per year caused by tornadoes and the average of 16 deaths per year caused by hurricanes. However, because lightning usually claims only one or two victims at a time, and because lightning does not cause the mass destruction left in the wake of tornadoes or hurricanes, lightning generally receives much less attention than the more destructive weather-related killers. While documented lightning injuries in the United States average about 300 per year, undocumented injuries caused by lightning are likely much higher.

Lightning Safety Awareness: Education is Key

Few people really understand the dangers of lightning. Many people don't act promptly to protect their lives, property and the lives of others because they don't understand all the dangers associated with thunderstorms and lightning. The first step in solving this problem is to educate people so that they become aware of the behavior that puts them at risk of being struck by lightning, and to let them know what they can do to reduce that risk. Coaches and other adults who make decisions affecting the safety of children must understand the dangers of lightning.

Watch for Developing Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are most likely to develop on warm summer days and go through various stages of growth, development and dissipation. On a sunny day, as the sun heats the air, pockets of warmer air start to rise in the atmosphere. When this air reaches a certain level in the atmosphere, cumulus clouds start to form. Continued heating can cause these clouds to grow vertically upward in the atmosphere into "towering cumulus" clouds. These towering cumulus may be one of the first indications of a developing thunderstorm.

The Lightning Discharge: Don't Be a Part of It

During a thunderstorm, each flash of cloud-to-ground lightning is a potential killer. The determining factor on whether a particular flash could be deadly depends on whether a person is in the path of the lightning discharge. In addition to the visible flash that travels through the air, the current associated with the lightning discharge travels along the ground. Although some victims are struck directly by the main lightning stroke, many victims are struck as the current moves in and along the ground. While virtually all people take some protective actions during the most dangerous part of thunderstorms, many leave themselves vulnerable to being struck by lightning as thunderstorms approach, depart, or are nearby.

An Approaching Thunderstorm: When to Seek Safe Shelter

Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles away from the rain area in a thunderstorm. That's about the distance you can hear thunder. When a storm is 10 miles away, it may even be difficult to tell a storm is coming.

IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER, YOU ARE WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY!

The first stroke of lightning is just as deadly as the last. If the sky looks threatening, take shelter before hearing thunder.

The 30-30 Rule

Use the 30-30 rule where visibility is good and there is nothing obstructing your view of the thunderstorm. When you see lightning, count the time until you hear thunder. If that time is 30 seconds or less, the thunderstorm is within 6 miles of you and is dangerous. Seek shelter immediately. The threat of lightning continues for much longer period than most people realize. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before leaving shelter. Don't be fooled by sunshine or blue sky!

If it is cloudy or objects are obscuring your vision, get inside immediately. It is always safer to take precautions than to wait.

Outdoor Activities: Minimize the Risk of Being Struck

Most lightning deaths and injuries in the United States occur during the summer months when the combination of lightning and outdoor summertime activities reaches a peak. During the summer, people take advantage of the warm weather to enjoy a multitude of outdoor recreational activities. Unfortunately, those outdoor recreational activities can put them at greater risk of being struck by lightning. People involved in activities such as boating, swimming, fishing, bicycling, golfing, jogging, walking, hiking, camping, or working out of doors all need to take the appropriate actions in a timely manner when thunderstorms approach. Where organized sports activities take place, coaches, umpires, referees, or camp counselors must protect the safety of the participants by stopping the activities sooner, so that the participants and spectators can get to a safe place before the lightning threat becomes significant. To reduce the threat of death or injury, those in charge of organized outdoor activities should develop and follow a plan to keep participants and spectators safe from lightning.

Indoor Activities: Things to Avoid

Inside homes, people must also avoid activities which put their lives at risk from a possible lightning strike. As with the outdoor activities, these activities should be avoided before, during, and after storms. In particular, people should stay away from windows and doors and avoid contact with anything that conducts electricity. People may also want to take certain actions well before the storm to protect property within their homes, such as electronic equipment.

Helping a Lightning Strike Victim

If a person is struck by lightning, medical care may be needed immediately to save the person's life. Cardiac arrest and irregularities, burns, and nerve damage are common in cases where people are struck by lightning. However, with proper treatment, including CPR if necessary, most victims survive a lightning strike, although the long-term effects on their lives and the lives of family members can be devastating.

Summary

Lightning is a dangerous threat to people in the United States, particularly those outside in the summer. With common sense, we can greatly reduce the number of lightning deaths. When thunderstorms threaten, get to a safe place, stay there longer than you think you need to, stay away from windows and doors and avoid contact with anything that conducts electricity.

Tornado touchdown near Lakeland, TN yesterday

2006-06-18T21:01:00.000-05:00

A brief F1 tornado touched down yesterday in the Franklin Farm subdivision near Lakeland, TN. According to a Public Information Statement from the NWS in Memphis, the tornado "touched down near Wood Sage Cove ... around 6:35 PM CDT." It then continued across Tall Hickory Drive and lifted back into the air. The path length was 500 yards. Here is one picture (thanks Google Earth) showing the upclose path of this tornado (click for larger version).

In addition to this map, I have also made an image of the track in relation to the Wolfchase Galleria area, for those not familiar with this area (click for larger version; look for white line with red dots).

According to the Local Storm Report, about 20 homes were damaged, and luckily, there were no injuries. However, a few homes had significant roof damage and one SUV had windows blown out of it.

The initial reports of this tornado came from local broadcast media. WPTY has a more detailed story on some damage. Look for more stories on this tornado from the local media in the days to come.

This week is Lightning Safety Awareness Week

2006-06-18T20:42:00.000-05:00

Yes, the title says it all. June 18-24, 2006 is the official Lightning Safety Awareness Week from the National Weather Service. Each day this week, we will show you some different aspects of lightning safety, ranging from "The Medical Aspects of Lightning" to "Lightning Safety Outdoors". We will bring you the unedited article from the NWS.

If you want to get a head start on this week, go to http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov for all kinds of information on lightning.

Slight risk of severe weather today

2006-06-18T08:23:00.000-05:00

According to the SPC, most of the Mid-South is under a slight risk for severe weather today. "Locally damaging winds should be the main threat with these storms." Our local NWS office says that the most likely time for this severe weather will be 10 AM-10 PM. They also say that the heavy rain produced by these storms may result in some flash flooding. Then, they end with this note - "Spotter activation may become necessary today into this evening."

I'll do a technical analysis of this situation this afternoon. Stay tuned for more information.

Weather station back online

2006-06-17T21:44:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: Well, the station has gone offline again. Will look at it again tomorrow when it is daylight and not raining.

ORIGINAL POST (2:53 PM CDT): Yea! Finally, after a month of downtime, my weather station is back online. You can view the data at Weather Underground, CWOP, or AWEKAS. The links to these websites are on the sidebar at the right.

TS Alberto Links

2006-06-12T18:36:00.000-05:00

As Alberto bears down on the Florida panhandle, I figured I'd create a link directory of related links. I do not warrant any of the info contained on these pages nor do I warrant it. If any of these links have objectionable content on them, please post a comment and I will remove it.

National Hurricane Center Info
Homepage
Latest Public Advisory
3 Day Forecast Map

Weather Underground
Tropical Homepage
Tracking Map
Computer Models
Alberto Radar

Tampa Television
WTVT - 13 (FOX)
WFLA - 8 (NBC) [WeatherPlus Live Stream]
WTSP - 10 (CBS) [Live Radar Stream]
WFTS - 28 (ABC)

Tallahassee Television
WCTV - 6 (CBS)
WTWC - 40 (NBC)
WTXL (under construction)

Orlando Television
WESH - 2 (NBC) [WeatherPlus Live Stream]
WKMG - 6 (CBS)
WFTV - 9 (ABC)
WOFL - 35 (FOX)

Florida Government Information
Florida EMA
Shelter Info

If you have any links to add, please post a comment and I will add it!

Some scattered severe weather this evening

2006-06-11T21:21:00.000-05:00

Currently, there is a Severe T'storm Warning in effect for Mississippi County until 9:30 PM. Also, there is a T'storm Warning in effect for Carroll Co. until 9:30 PM. The Storm Prediction Center says that this severe activity could continue throughout the evening in its Mesoscale Discussion. In it, they say that we have a "continuing marginal severe wind threat, in addition to isolated large hail."

Today is an Ozone Action Day

2006-06-10T15:08:00.000-05:00

The air quality experts here in Memphis have placed the metro area under an Ozone Action Day (also known as a Code Orange). Here is a quote from the AIRNow website on what to do during an Ozone Action Day:

Action days are usually called when the AQI [air quality index] gets into the unhealthy ranges. Different air pollution control agencies call them at different levels. In some places, action days are called when the AQI is forecast to be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, or Code Orange. In this case, the groups that are sensitive to the pollutant should reduce exposure by reducing prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. For ozone this includes: children and adults who are active outdoors, and people with lung disease, such as asthma. For particle pollution this includes: people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children. Occasionally, an action day is declared when the AQI is Moderate, or Code Yellow, if the levels are expected to approach Code Orange levels.

Click here to view the current health quality for Memphis from AIRNow.

Tropical Depression One forms

2006-06-10T08:08:00.000-05:00

Well, here we go again. The first organized tropical system of the 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season has formed. Tropical Depression One, at 8 AM CDT, was located 50 miles SSW of Cabo San Antonio, Cuba. It is moving toward the NNW at 12 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 35 mph, and some strengthing is expected. Heavy rainfall is expected with this system.

This system should not affect the Mid-South area.

-------------------
TD 1 Information
Public Advisory (NHC)

Announcing the new Yahoo Group!

2006-06-08T20:59:00.000-05:00

Since absolutely NOTHING is happening weatherwise in the Mid-South, I decided that it would be a good time to begin a Yahoo Group. It is called "Mid-South Weather" (catchy, isn't it?) and its home page is located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/midsouthweather. When you join this, you can talk to many people about the weather in our area (when people join). So, tell all your friends - the Mid-South Weather Yahoo Group has begun! You can sign up painlessly by using the box to your right.

Severe weather this evening

2006-06-07T21:38:00.000-05:00

Sorry for just now posting - I have been busy.

Currently, some severe thunderstorms are moving through western Tennessee. So far, there has been a Mesoscale Discussion, two Significant Weather Advisories (Carroll Co. and Henderson Co.), and four Severe Thunderstorm Warnings (Carroll [2 separate warnings], Henderson, and Chester/McNairy). There are presently no watches in effect for our area.

There has been one storm report tonight. Several truck drivers near Wildersville, TN reported 1" hail at 7:01 PM. They were driving through the storm (obviously).

Looking at the NWS radar, there is currently just one important cell - it is primarily in McNairy County. It has weakened from its severe state eariler this evening. I think that this will be the end of our severe weather for the night.

Update on severe weather possibility

2006-06-06T20:50:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is my revisit to the severe weather possibility tomorrow. The SPC has placed all of west Tennessee, north Mississippi, and the counties in eastern Arkansas south of I-40 under a slight risk for severe weather in its Day 2 Outlook. They say that "damaging wind gusts and hail will be the primary threats across these regions mainly during the afternoon and evening hours". The NWS office in Memphis agrees with this - they say basically the same thing in their Hazardous Weather Outlook.

Time for the forecast models. The ETA's CAPE values (3000) seem to be greatest in western TN (from Jackson going east) at 7:00 PM. They fizzle out after 10:00 PM. Also, around that time, we will be seeing dewpoints upwards of 70 across all of west TN and most of north MS.

Though the risk is definitely not big, there will still be some instability to create some thunderstorms, some of which will probably be severe. Stay tuned tomorrow for more information.

NWS Memphis receives new employee

2006-06-06T19:37:00.000-05:00

The June 5 edition of the NWS Focus, a publication for employees of the National Weather Service, reports in its "New Appointments" section that on May 28, our local office hired Carolyn Glover, who will be an Administrative Assistant. According to the Spring 2006 edition of the Mid-South Chronicle, the former Administrative Assistant, Virginia Johnson, retired from the NWS on March 31 after 21 years working in the government.

Small chance of severe weather Wednesday

2006-06-05T21:39:00.000-05:00

According to NWS Memphis's AFD (Area Forecast Discussion), all of eastern AR and the counties in TN bordering the Miss. River could see some severe weather after midnight Wednesday, and the thunderstorms could linger until the morning. It is a pretty slim chance, according to the SPC's Day 2 Outlook, holding it at 15%.

Looking at the forecast models (thanks to WxPortal), I really don't think that any severe weather, if it happens, will begin until after 10:00 AM. There are no CAPE or lifted index values across the area until that time. However, the current run of the ETA only goes out until 1:00 PM CT, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to give you more specifics, but it's looking like there will be a better chance for severe weather in the afternoon. The GFS can't help us out because there is a big chunk of the data missing, but it seems to be generally be saying the same thing as the ETA.

I'll give you more information tomorrow when more data is available.

Amber Alert

2006-06-05T16:48:00.000-05:00

Here is an Amber Alert from Austin, TX:

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
CHILD ABDUCTION EMERGENCY...CORRECTION
TEXAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AUSTIN TEXAS
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1100 AM CDT MON JUN 5 2006

...AMBER ALERT...

THIS IS A CHILD ABDUCTION ALERT ISSUED BY THE TEXAS AMBER ALERT NETWORK.

***CORRECTION - PHONE NUMBER FOR LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT***

THE LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT IS SEARCHING FOR PRICILLA NICOLE MALDONADO. ...DATE OF BIRTH...MAY 31...2006...18 1/4 INCHES...5.5 POUNDS...WHITE. ...FEMALE...BLACK HAIR...BROWN EYES...AND WEARING A DIAPER...WHITE SOCKS...WRAPPED IN A BLUE RECEIVING BLANKET.

POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR LISA STEWART...30 TO 40 YEARS OF AGE...WHITE....FEMALE...DIRTY BLONDE HAIR...AND WEARING A RED DRESS WITH YELLOW DAISIES AND BLACK SANDALS IN CONNECTION WITH HER ABDUCTION.

THE SUSPECT IS DRIVING A RED PONTIAC 4 DOOR OR A WHITE VAN.

THE SUSPECT WAS LAST HEARD FROM IN LUBBOCK TEXAS.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS BELIEVE THIS CHILD TO BE IN GRAVE DANGER OR IMMEDIATE DANGER.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ABDUCTION...CALL THE LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 806-775-2788.

THE NEWS MEDIA POINT OF CONTACT IS LIEUTENANT ROY BLOCK AT 806-548-3635.

END OF MESSAGE.

Here is a picture of her:

New logos/graphics

2006-06-05T16:29:00.000-05:00

To make the affiliation with WxChat, I had to create some graphics for them to use on their site. Here they are. You can use these to link to me, put PLEASE notify me first by posting a comment. I can create custom sizes upon request.

Tiny Button - 88 x 31 -
Location: http://img459.imageshack.us/img459/8192/mswbutton88x318qs.png

Banner - 400 x 60 -
Location: http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/4276/mediummswbanner1jj.png

These images are to be used only with permission of yours truly.

Blogger having problems today, may see outages

2006-06-05T14:15:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: New info from Blogger Status:

There is still some residual slowness as a result of emergency maintenance we are performing on the system.

ORIGINAL POST: Blogger is having some problems today due to a hardware problem. As a result, all or parts of this blog may go down today. Here is what Blogger says (status.blogger.com):

We are now recovering from an unscheduled downtime, related to the problem from last week [a hardware problem]. We have obtained more information about the problem and will be working to prevent it from re-occuring.

Also, when this is fixed, I will fix the WxChat banner so that it does not go out.

Sorry for any problems that happen today.

Jake

Who is the newest affiliate of WxChat.com?

2006-06-05T07:31:00.000-05:00

WE ARE! Effective today, Mid-South Weather will become a bona fide affiliate of WxChat.com. This mainly means that we put a banner for them on our home page and they do the same for us (thus the lofty banner at the top of this page). Be sure to visit their site at wxchat.com.

Questions? We have answers! Post a comment. (No, that is NOT RadioShack's motto.)

Rain showers moving through area

2006-06-04T15:21:00.000-05:00

A few light showers are moving across the entire Mid-South this afternoon. These showers will usually be light in nature but may produce some CG (cloud-to-ground) lightning. These showers will end tonight, and it will be clear until Monday night.

Looking for related websites/blogs to link to

2006-06-03T10:19:00.000-05:00

If you desire to link to this blog, I would gladly add a reciprocal link under my "Links" section for your site or blog. The only rule is that you must be a weather-related website or blog and/or be a blog or website about something in the Mid-South area.

To request a reciprocal link, simply post a comment with your email address on this post. Don't worry - no one else will see it because I have comment moderation enabled. This means that all comments posted must be approved by yours truly before they will appear on this blog, and none will be approved for this post.

If the requirements don't apply to you but would still like to request a reciprocal link, go ahead and comment. I will probably approve it, anyway.

Sorry for not posting for a few days

2006-06-02T20:55:00.000-05:00

I am terribly sorry for not posting since Tuesday. First, I was on vacation in Destin, FL, where my family had an AWESOME time. Second, my stupid DSL connection was down, so even if I was here, I couldn't have posted anyway. Luckily, it works now.

I don't know anything about the weather at the moment as I have within the past hour just gotten in from Destin. I will post more in a few hours.

And, yes, I know that the template has gone haywire. I will fix that in the coming hours.

More popcorn showers this afternoon

2006-05-29T17:23:00.000-05:00

NWS radar is showing scattered showers in NE MS, north of Dyersburg, and in the MO Bootheel this afternoon. These are moving N at 10-15 mph (according to the NWS). Most of the storms will dump less than .5 in/hour, but some could dump over 1 in/hour. Some of the storms are strong with max hail sizes in the .75-1 in range. Max echo tops are 47200 kft.

One concern I have right now is a cell that is moving into Hardeman/McNairy Counties from MS. At 5:15, there seemed to be an area of possible rotation right over the town of Middleton. I will be watching this one closely. Also getting some high cloud tops with this one - 48900 kft. VIL is at 51 & max hail size is 1.12 in. I would not be surprised to see a warning out for this one soon.

Rain moving in this morning

2006-05-29T10:10:00.000-05:00

Right now, there is a large patch of showers in southeastern Arkansas. These showers are generally light in nature, but there could be a few downpours located in this area. These showers are moving NNW at 25 mph.

For the rest of today, there is a 50% chance of showers. According to WU, most of these should move in after 11:00 AM, but the chances get higher as the day goes on. Tomorrow is the same situation.

Another update will come this afternoon.

Scattered severe activity this afternoon

2006-05-28T17:35:00.000-05:00

Well, those popcorn showers are kind of turning severe. There is a Severe T'storm Warning in effect for Craighead Co. in effect until 5:45. This storm is capable of producing nickel-sized hail and winds in excess of 60 mph. Here is an image from 5:16 PM (thanks to GR2):

This storm does not seem to be very impressive. No storm reports prompted the warning. The echo tops are only about 35 kft right now. This storm has weakened considerably and I bet that the NWS cancels this one early.

UPDATE: How did I know? The NWS has cancelled this warning as of 5:35 PM.

Afternoon Weather Update

2006-05-28T15:19:00.000-05:00

Looking at the awesome software of GRLevel2 Analyst Version, many popcorn showers are developing across eastern Arkansas, with a few sprinkles over the rest of the Memphis CWA. Apparently, the NWS is somewhat fearful of these showers (Short Term Forecast):

IF A THUNDERSTORM OCCURS IN YOUR AREA...SEEK SHELTER INSIDE UNTIL THE STORM PASSES DUE TO THE OCCURRENCE OF DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

Well, I guess this is true. Yesterday, a person at Pickwick Lake, near the TVA dam, was struck by lightning around 1:30 PM. The person complained of no feeling in his arm and the inability to swallow. He lived, though.

Today will the last day in the 90s for a while. Most of the week's highs seem to be in the mid 80s. Friday, however, it should creep back up to 90.

Hi! I'm back!

2006-05-28T08:36:00.000-05:00

Howdy everyone! After a long hiatus, I decided to return to Blogger. I really don't know why, but I just feel like it.

Let me review you on what has happened to me in the past two months. I have met with Jim Belles at the National Weather Service twice, one time just to meet him and another time to discuss SKYWARN matters. By the way, I now have my amateur radio license: it is KI4PCT. I don't have a radio yet, but plan on getting one soon. I do, however, have EchoLink.

Also, my weather station is currently down. A few weeks ago, as some roofers were hard at work nailing shingles to our house, somehow they damaged my anemometer located on the roof. So, the data will be gone until I can purchase a new anemometer.

Much more has happened since then, but I've forgotten it. Oh well.

Jake

Severe weather possible tonight - WU

2006-04-25T16:53:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
-----
The SPC in Norman, OK, has just issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for all of the MEG TN counties, all in AR except Phillips and Lee, and the MO counties. This watch is in effect until 11:00 pm tonight.

Stay tuned for more info.

Record high set today - WU

2006-04-17T17:23:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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At Memphis International Airport today, the high was 91 degrees at 4:45 pm. This passed the previous record of 90 set in 1937. The high at my weather station today was 94.3 at 3:30 pm.

Humor in NWS forecast - WU

2006-04-16T12:42:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
-----
Though this has nothing to do with the Memphis area, it is still funny for anyone to read. This AFD was issued at 2:53 PM on Saturday by the Birmingham, AL office (link).

"GUIDANCE SUGGESTS A SLIGHTLY BETTER RAIN CHANCE WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MAINLY FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA. HOWEVER THIS PRECIP IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA ON THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN EDGES OF A WEAK RIDGE...SO MAY BE A BIT OPTIMISTIC. THE ONLY OTHER ITEM OF INTEREST IN THE LOOOOOONG TERM IS THAT COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON IS JUST 137 DAYS AWAY."

New tornado watch just issued for TN & MS - WU

2006-04-07T20:02:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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The SPC in Norman, OK, has just issued a new, fresh Tornado Watch for all of the NWS MEG Tennessee and Mississippi counties until 4:00 am. Be prepared for more severe weather in the next eight hours.

Huge severe weather outbreak in northern Mississippi - WU

2006-04-07T18:51:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
-----
EDIT: Changed post to reduce radar image to thumbnail size.

ORIGINAL (5:36 pm): This image speaks without words:

Severe weather popping up this afternoon - WU

2006-04-07T13:44:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
----
EDIT: Here is a radar scan of the severe thunderstorm moving through eastern Shelby County at 11:50 am. (Click on it for the full-size version)

ORIGINAL POST (1:07 pm): Well, here we go again. Most schools in the Memphis area have dismissed early due to the threat of severe weather. About an hour ago, I observed the severe thunderstorm moving through Shelby County in Cordova. There, I saw pea-sized hail, and I called the NWS to report it. This storm is now moving through Hardeman and McNairy Counties.

Also, we are under a PDS Tornado Watch until 8:00 pm. PDS means "Particularly Dangerous Situation". These are rarely issued. Also, we are under a high risk for severe weather today.

Stay with this blog for more info throughout the afternoon and evening.

High risk for severe weather today - WU

2006-04-07T06:52:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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Just when we don't need it, more severe weather will be rolling through this afternoon and evening. The NWS says a "dangerous, life-threatening tornado outbreak" is forecast today. Please begin to make preparations for this outbreak now.

Severe weather likely tomorrow - WU

2006-04-06T07:03:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
-----
In a SPS, the Memphis NWS states that a severe weather outbreak is likely tomorrow. The SPC has placed most of the Mid-South under a moderate risk for severe weather tomorrow, while a slight risk is in effect for today.

We just don't need more severe weather yet - people are still cleaning up from Sunday's tornadoes. By the way, Dyer and Gibson Counties are now federal disaster areas.

Stay tuned for more details.

Massive damage reported from severe weather - WU

2006-04-03T07:03:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
-----
There were many fatalities reported last night and early morning. Eight deaths occurred in Gibson County, where fifty injuries were reported. In Dyer County, eleven deaths were reported. Another death occured in Pemiscot County.

Marmaduke, AR is completely shut down but to emergency personnel.

I don't have time to completely review this storm, but that will come later.

Pray for the victims of this storm.

Jake

Aftermath of severe weather damage, more might be on the way - WU

2006-04-02T22:21:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
-----
EDIT #9: A new Tornado Watch has been issued for all of western TN, northern MS, and most of eastern AR. This is valid until 4:00 AM Monday. However, go to the NWS-Memphis and SPC websites for info, as I am signing off for tonight. But, if there is some strong severe weather near Memphis, I will be awake and a-posting.

Everyone be safe!
Jake

EDIT #8 (9:09 PM): Receiving 1st reports out of the MO bootheel and surrounding area, including reports of fatalities. See comments.

EDIT #7 (8:30 PM): Severe T'storm Warning for Shelby/Fayette Counties just issued until 9:00 PM. The sirens are going off here, though my location in Germantown has received no rain or any severe wx stuff.

EDIT #6 (8:12 PM): See comments section for latest info.

EDIT #5 (7:47 PM): A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has just been issued for Shelby County until 8:15 PM. Quarter sized hail is possible in this storm.

EDIT #4 (7:26 PM): The tornado near Wynne is still active, and seems to possibly be moving toward southern Shelby County. I don't know the exact location of where the tornado is going. To be sure, turn to a local channel with weather information at once, and be prepared to take further action.

EDIT #3 (7:02 PM): A new tornado has been reported five miles west of Wynne a few minutes ago, and, I hate to say it, is moving toward Memphis. Also, just coming across the scanner, roof damage has been reported in Tipton County near Covington due to straight line winds. Expect a warning in a minute for this cell.

EDIT #2 (6:32 PM): The Greene/Randolph County Tornado Warning actually had a tornado touchdown in Imboden, AR. The path has continued through Pocahontas and Marmaduke, AR, and is still on the ground, moving toward Dunklin County. As a result, the NWS just issued a Tornado Warning for Dunklin County until 7:00 PM CDT. This storm will mainly track across rural areas. Also, a Significant Weather Advisory has been issued for Pemiscot County, saying that the storm will move into the area after 7:00. (By the way, SKYWARN has been activated.)

EDIT (5:37 PM): Greene County is now under a Tornado Warning until 6:15 PM (this is the same storm listed below). Also, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Phillips and Coahoma Counties until 6:00 PM.

ORIGINAL POST (5:25 PM): Severe weather is absolutely exploding on the radar this afternoon. GRLevel3 says that at the time this post was published, 34 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and 20 Tornado Warnings were in effect. One of those Tornado Warnings are in the Memphis CWA - it is for Lawrence and Randolph Counties until 5:45 PM. A tornado has been spotted by law enforcement near Imboden, and it is moving east at 50 mph.

Additionally, there is a Tornado Watch in effect for the entire Mid-South until 9:00 PM tonight.

Stay tuned for the latest.

Severe weather to move in today - WU

2006-04-02T13:35:00.000-05:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
-----
According to the NWS, severe weather is supposed to move into the Mid-South today. We are under a slight risk for severe weather (5% tornado, 30% hail, 15-30% damaging wind). At the present time, a squall line is moving through Fayette County, Marshall/Benton County, and Lafayette County. No warnings are in effect at the moment.

Stay tuned for the rest of the day for more info.

"Potentially dangerous weather situation" tomorrow - WU

2006-04-01T19:58:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
-----
Now, time for some REAL weather - no joke :). The SPC in Norman, OK, has most of the Mid-South under a slight risk for severe weather tomorrow (45%). The NWS in Memphis is taking this storm system seriously - "Tornadoes along with large hail and downbursts are very possible tomorrow afternoon and evening." (quote from AFD)

Now, it's time to look at the forecast models (thanks to WxPortal). On the ETA, CAPE values at 18:00 (6 PM) Sunday are around 2000-2500 (for the non-weather person [NWP], this suggests that there is a moderate to strong severe potential). The lifted index is showing values of -6 at that time (NWP's: strong t'storm potential). For the NWPs, the basic, generic thunderstorm probability at 18:00 is 100%.

Longterm, there is another chance for severe weather April 5-7. The GFS forecast model can (sort of) help us out here. Based on the lifted index, the best time for this severe weather (if there is any) would be on the 6th around 6 PM. But, even then, the values only show -2 (NWP's: just a possibility of thunderstorms). Just have to wait that one out.

"Potentially dangerous weather situation" tomorrow

2006-04-01T18:25:00.000-06:00

Now, time for some REAL weather - no joke :). The SPC in Norman, OK, has most of the Mid-South under a slight risk for severe weather tomorrow (45%). The NWS in Memphis is taking this storm system seriously - "Tornadoes along with large hail and downbursts are very possible tomorrow afternoon and evening." (quote from AFD)

Now, it's time to look at the forecast models (thanks to WxPortal). On the ETA, CAPE values at 18:00 (6 PM) Sunday are around 2000-2500 (for the non-weather person [NWP], this suggests that there is a moderate to strong severe potential). The lifted index is showing values of -6 at that time (NWP's: strong t'storm potential). For the NWPs, the basic, generic thunderstorm probability at 18:00 is 100%.

Longterm, there is another chance for severe weather April 5-7. The GFS forecast model can (sort of) help us out here. Based on the lifted index, the best time for this severe weather (if there is any) would be on the 6th around 6 PM. But, even then, the values only show -2 (NWP's: just a possibility of thunderstorms). Just have to wait that one out.

50 tornadoes to strike Memphis tomorrow

2006-04-01T16:34:00.000-06:00

The HWO from NWS MEG states that there is a 97% chance of at least 50 tornadoes striking the Memphis Metro Area. Here is the unedited version of the HWO:

FLUS44 KMEG 012051
HWOMEG

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
0306 PM CST SAT APR 1 2006

ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-
MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-021230-
ALCORN-BENTON(MS)-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CHESTER-CHICKASAW-CLAY-COAHOMA-
CRAIGHEAD-CRITTENDEN-CROCKETT-CROSS-DESOTO-DECATUR-DUNKLIN-DYER-
FAYETTE-GIBSON-GREENE-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-HAYWOOD-HENDERSON-HENRY-
ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-LAWRENCE-LEE(AR)-LEE(MS)-
MADISON-MARSHALL-MCNAIRY-MISSISSIPPI-MONROE-OBION-PANOLA-PEMISCOT-
PHILLIPS-POINSETT-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-QUITMAN-RANDOLPH-SHELBY-
ST.FRANCIS-TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-TIPTON-TISHOMINGO-TUNICA-
UNION-WEAKLEY-YALOBUSHA-
0306 PM CST SAT APR 1 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS...
THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THE STATIONARY FRONT OVER NORTH MISSISSIPPI WILL RISE NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT TONIGHT WITH ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

A POTENT UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE MID SOUTH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE AIRMASS AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL BE UNSTABLE AND WIND FIELDS WILL BE VERY STRONG. THE GFS AND NAM STATE HUGE CAPE VALUES OVER 10000 FOR SUNDAY EVENING DIRECTLY OVER THE MEMPHIS METROPOLITAN AREA. THUS, WE ARE FORECASTING A 97% CHANCE OF OVER FIFTY TORNADOES STRIKING THE MEMPHIS METRO AREA. WE ENCOURAGE ANYONE WITHIN FIFTY MILES OF THE METRO AREA EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY OR CONSTRUCT AN UNDERGROUND STORM SHELTER AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED FEET BELOW THE GROUND. ANYONE LEFT IN THE MEMPHIS METRO AREA WILL DIE IMMEDIATELY DUE TO AIRBORNE DEBRIS FLYING OVER 300 MPH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TOMORROW AS WE ENCOURAGE ANYONE WITHIN 50 MILES OF THE MEMPHIS METRO AREA EVACUATE. EVEN THE ENTIRE FORECASTING STAFF HERE AT THE NWS WILL BE LEAVING TOWN TOMORROW BECAUSE THIS IS AN APRIL FOOLS' JOKE.

$$

JH
---
Note: no one at the NWS sent this out. I made this up as an April Fools' joke. If you really don't think so, go ahead and evacuate.

More chances of severe weather

2006-04-01T14:08:00.000-06:00

We're in that (wonderful) time of year. No, not Christmas, but the annual severe weather season! As a result, we, in the Mid-South, have several chances for severe weather in the coming week.

First, there is a slight risk for severe weather for the entire Mid-South on Sunday afternoon and evening (45% chance for the area). According to the Day 2 Convective Outlook, a few strong tornadoes, destructive winds, and damaging hail are possible. (A technical analysis on this system will be coming later today.)

Additionally, severe weather is possible across the entire region this coming Wednesday into Friday, according to the Day 4-8 Convective Outlook. Not much is known about this one, so stay tuned next week for more details.

Tornado Watch issued for majority of Mid-South

2006-03-31T17:07:00.000-06:00

The SPC in Norman, OK, has just issued a Tornado Watch (#119) for the majority of the Mid-South until 10:00 PM tonight. "Tornadoes, hail to two inches in diameter, thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph, and dangerous lightning are possible in these areas." I will be out of the house this evening, so go to the NWS-Memphis website for the latest updates.

Severe weather popping up this afternoon

2006-03-31T15:56:00.000-06:00

Well, I guess I was wrong. Severe storms are popping up this afternoon. Presently, there is a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Craighead County until 4:30 PM. Quarter sized hail has been reported in this storm. Additionally, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect until 4:00 PM for Obion County. Quarter sized hail has also been reported in this storm. The Short Term Forecast issued by MEG says that these storms will continue to move east throughout the rest of the afternoon. Stay with this blog for the latest.

Severe weather possibility seems to have diminished

2006-03-29T16:49:00.000-06:00

Based on the SPC outlooks, NWS MEG's AFDs and HWOs, the severe threat seems to have diminished. Sure, we could still have some storms, and even a few severe ones, but I'm just not seeing the huge risk.

Looking at the forecast models, here is what I see. Based on the ETA, the thunderstorm probability at best tomorrow is only 60%. CAPE values around noon CST are only 1000, which is the highest seen during the day tomorrow. In Memphis, the lifted index never goes below 0. Oh well.

Though we will probably not see very much severe weather, we could definitely see some heavy rainfall. The models seem to agree on this - GFS reports at 6 AM tomorrow, northwest TN and northeast AR could be seeing some very heavy rainfall.

There might be a glimmer of hope on Friday afternoon, when CAPE values seem to increase, though the model has not run that far yet. Have to wait until later.

I'll watch what the models say tonight.

Chance of severe weather Thursday

2006-03-28T19:26:00.000-06:00

According to the Storm Prediction Center, parts of the Mid-South are under a slight risk for severe weather on Thursday. Based on the Day 3 Outlook, northeastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, and a sliver of northwestern Mississippi are under the slight risk. The Hazardous Weather Outlook from the NWSFO Memphis, some of the incoming storms could produce large hail and damaging winds. Additionally, heavy rain is possible. "Spotter activation may be required Thursday night into Friday."

Looking to recover old posts

2006-03-28T16:48:00.000-06:00

Some of you may recognize me from the old Memphis Weather News blog (weather.blogspot.com). Does anyone know where I could find my old posts cached somewhere? I would like to add them to this blog (and, by the way, Google does not have them).

Jake

Technical Update #3

2006-03-28T07:09:00.000-06:00

Current Hazards

None

SPC Products

Slight risk (15%): Day 3 (March 30)

Hazardous Weather Outlook / Area Forecast Discussion

The cold front moving in Thursday will likely bring thunderstorms ahead of the front. Some of these storms could be severe, producing large hail and damaging winds. Rain could be heavy.
Dry weather today and Wednesday
Another storm system will approach Sunday night into Monday
Spotter activation may be needed Thursday

Weather Data Info

No known problems

Technical Update #2/Climate Summary

2006-03-27T21:08:00.000-06:00

Current Advisories

None

SPC Products

Extended outlook: Severe T'storm possibility on March 30

Hazardous Weather Outlook / Area Forecast Discussion

Light rain should begin to end, however chance of rain will linger until 6 AM tomorrow, then the cold front will exit
Cold front moving through on Thursday, could be some strong storms with heavy rainfall
Southerly winds will prevail for the coming week

Weather Data Info

No known problems

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Climate Summary
March 27, 2006
High: 67.1 F at 12:34 PM
Low: 37.7 F at 4:04 AM
High Wind: 13 mph at 12:02 PM
No rainfall reported

Technical Update #1

2006-03-27T16:26:00.000-06:00

In case you are wondering what Technical Updates are, they are basically summaries of the current National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center products relative to Memphis. I do these updates about twice a day.

Current Advisories

None

SPC Products

General T'storms today
Extended outlook: Severe T'storm event for most of area possible mainly on March 30

Hazardous Weather Outlook / Area Forecast Discussion

More light showers will continue through tonight, no t'storms as the atmosphere is too stable
Next cold front moving in Wednesday, possibility of severe weather mainly on Thursday night into Friday morning; however, there is still some uncertainty with the severity of the event, but there could be heavy rainfall
Next system will come Sunday night into Monday

Weather Data Information

No known problems

Startup

2006-03-27T16:08:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone!

This blog will cover many weather-related things pertaining to the Memphis area. But first, let me introduce myself.

My name is Jake Hughes, and I live near Memphis. I plan to become a meteorologist in the National Weather Service someday. I have always been interested in weather, particularly severe weather. My interest in weather, I think, began because when I was a toddler, my grandfather would always watch the Weather Channel. I also remember specifically me and him watching coverage of Hurricane Danny.

I plan on receiving my Bachelors' Degree in meteorology then going on to get my Masters' Degree.

I currently own and maintain a weather station located in Germantown, TN. Data is uploaded to the Internet every minute. You can find my data at Weather Underground, CWOP, and AWEKAS.

Anyway, let me get on to my first real post.
Jake

Thinking of becoming a ham operator - WU

2006-03-26T20:24:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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Hi everyone! I am considering becoming a licensed ham radio operator. I think I will take the exam sometime in the middle of April, so any advice about starting out on ham radio (with a tight budget) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Jake

Severe weather rolling in this morning - WU

2006-03-13T05:36:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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The SPC has issued a Tornado Watch for areas west of the Mississippi River until 10:00 AM. Though the severe weather has not moved into the Memphis CWA, it will within the next two hours.

Definite possibility of severe weather tonight - WU

2006-03-12T13:55:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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Well, you most likely know that it is VERY warm for early March. In fact, here at my house, it is presently 86.3 degrees. We are not helped from the winds as they are warm winds. These ingredients will help to make a good possibility of severe weather tonight.

The SPC in Norman, OK, has placed most of Arkansas a under a moderate risk of severe weather today. The rest of the Mid-South is under a slight risk for severe weather.

Locally, the NWS in Memphis thinks that the best bet for severe weather will be northern Arkansas and the Missouri bootheel. However, severe weather could occur anywhere across the Mid-South tonight.

Here we go again... - WU

2006-03-11T07:07:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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Just two days after our lovely bout with severe weather, another round is forecast. There were two Severe Thunderstorm Watches (#60 & 61) in effect for northeastern Arkansas and most of west Tennessee. These watches (just barely) included Shelby County. However, the SPC has cancelled the watches for all of the Memphis CWA.

I should be posting throughout most of the day.

Latest on Mid-South severe weather - WU

2006-03-09T16:03:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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As you probably know, a massive amount of severe weather rolled through the Mid-South this morning and afternoon. There are over 50 storm reports that have been called into the NWS. We are currently under a Tornado Watch that is supposed to last until 7 PM, but will be likely be cancelled in some areas.

Don't celebrate just yet--there is some redevelopment after the main line of showers. In fact, this redevelopment has prompted a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for parts of northern Arkansas.

I will be posting all night, so check back often.

It's going to be a great day for severe weather... - WU

2006-03-09T07:03:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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UPDATE: The NWS in Memphis has just issued a Tornado Warning for Cross County until 7:30 AM. Additionally, the SPC has issued a Tornado Watch for most of the Mid-South until 2:00 PM.

ORIGINAL POST (6:03 AM):As I a posting this, WFO MEG has issued their first Severe Thunderstorm Warning for several counties in northeast Arkansas. (Check out the radar scan below) Additionally, WFO LZK (Little Rock) has issued a Tornado Warning for Lonoke County.

The SPC has placed us under a "Moderate Risk" for severe weather today. Also, they call this situation an "extremely dangerous situation".

I will not be able to post throughout the day, but I will be posting up a storm this afternoon.

Moderate risk for severe weather tomorrow - WU

2006-03-08T20:39:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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UPDATE: WFO MEG has cancelled the Wind Advisory. They say that winds have fallen to 10-20 mph, which is below advisory criteria.

ORIGINAL POST (5:35 pm): The SPC has placed the entire Mid-South under a "moderate risk" for severe weather tomorrow. They say that there is a risk for winds over 80 mph, hail bigger than 2" in diameter, and isolated tornadoes.

Also, WFO MEG has issued a Wind Advisory for most of the Mid-South. Winds higher than 39 mph but less than 57 mph are possible.

I will post more on this later.

Sorry for the data loss... - WU

2006-03-07T16:33:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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I am sorry for the data loss that occurred today from noon to 4 PM. My stupid internet stopped working.

Data being sent again - WU

2006-03-04T13:00:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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I have fixed the problems and now am posting live data to Wunderground and CWOP.

Jake

No data being updated to internet anymore - WU

2006-02-25T13:37:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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Hi everyone!

I have recently had some problems with my weather station's internet upload, so I have cancelled all uploading. I'm terribly sorry for any inconveinence this causes.

Jake

Severe Weather Awareness Week - Day 4 - Flooding/Flash Flooding - WU

2006-02-23T16:14:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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...Flood and Flash Flood Awareness Day...

Severe Weather Awareness Week continues today with a look at flood and flash flood safety.

Floods and flash floods occur every year in the Mid-South. River flooding occurs seasonally when winter or spring rains or torrential rains associated with tropical storms fill river basins with too much water too quickly. Flash floods occur suddenly, usually occurring within hours of excessive localized rainfall. These flash floods can become raging torrents which rip through river beds urban streets or valleys sweeping everything before them.

When a Flash Flood Warning is issued for your county, or the moment you first realize that a flash flood is imminent, act quickly to save yourself. You may only have seconds.

A Flood Watch means it is possible that heavy rains will cause flooding in the specified area. Stay alert to the weather and think about what you would do if water begins to rise or if you receive a warning. Watch for development.

Here are some flash flood safety rules.

Get out of areas subject to flooding. This includes dips, low spots, valleys, stream banks, and flood plains.

Avoid already flooded and high velocity flow areas. Do not attempt to cross a flowing stream on foot where water is above your ankles.

If driving, know the depth of water in a dip before crossing. The road bed may not be intact under the water. Don't drive into a pool of water or where water is flowing. Water up to the bumper will likely stall a car.

If the vehicle stalls, abandon it immediately and seek higher ground. Rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and its occupants and sweep them away.

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers. Heavy rain events frequently occur at night!

Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams or drainage areas particularly during threatening conditions.

Severe Weather Awareness Week 2006 - Day 3 - Tornadoes - WU

2006-02-22T17:22:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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...Tornado Awareness Day...

Your safety depends on being constantly alert to the possibility of tornadoes from the thunderstorms that approach you. This is especially true during Tornado Watches. A careful lookout should be kept during any period of severe weather activity. Plan in advance where you will go and what you will do if a tornado threatens you.

Remember...a Tornado Watch means that tornado development is
possible...so watch the sky for developing thunderstorms and all the hazards they bring. Stay tuned to weather radio...commercial radio or television for weather statements or warnings.

A Tornado Warning...usually issued for 1 or 2 counties at a time...means that a tornado has been sighted...or indicated by weather radar. Persons in the path of the storm need to immediately find shelter...preferably in a sturdy building...below ground if possible.

Here are some tornado safety rules.

In homes or small buildings...go to the basement...or to an interior room...such as a closet or bathroom...on the lowest level. Get under something sturdy...such as a heavy table or a bed.

In mobile homes and vehicles...abandon them and go to a sturdy structure. If there is no such structure nearby...lie flat in a ditch ravine...gully...culvert...or low spot with your arms and hands shielding your head.

In large buildings such as schools...factories...hospitals...nursing homes...and shopping centers...go to the predesignated shelter area.
Interior hallways on the lowest floor are usually best. Stay away from rooms that are large in area because they have weakly supported roofs.

Stay away from windows.

Severe Weather Awareness Week - Day 2 - Lightning - WU

2006-02-21T17:24:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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Unedited Public Information Statement from NWS Memphis:

...Lightning Awareness Say...

Severe Weather Awareness Week continues today with a look at lightning safety.

Here are some lightning safety rules.

Any lightning safety plan should incorporate the "30/30 Rule". The 30/30 rule states people should seek shelter is the flash to bang delay /length of time in seconds between a lightning flash and its subsequent thunder/ is 30 seconds or less and that they remain under cover until 30 minutes after the final clap of thunder.

Move inside a well constructed house...a large building...or an all metal vehicle. Stay away from electrical appliances and do not use the telephone.

If you are in a boat...get off the water and into a substantial building...or at least into an enclosed and all-metal vehicle with the windows up. If you're caught in an open metal boat...lie down in the boat with cushions between you and the metal sides and bottom.

If you are caught outdoors...get down to avoid being the highest point for a lightning discharge. If you're caught in a flat open field or if you feel your hair standing on end...Crouch down and cover your head with your hands. That way...only your feet will touch the ground.

Move away from motorcycles...scooters...Golf carts...bicycles...tractors...and other metal farm equipment. Avoid wire fences...clothes lines...metal pipes...drains...Railroad tracks...and other metallic objects.

Avoid lone trees and the tallest trees. If caught in the Woods...pick a small grove of trees as your shelter...and stand at least 5 feet from the trunk of the nearest tree to avoid flying bark if the tree is struck.

Avoid standing in a small isolated shed or other small ungrounded structure in other areas.

If in a group of people in an open area...spread out before you kneel down.

On Wednesday...we will conduct a Tornado Drill between 9 and 10 A.M. in Tennessee.

Severe Weather Awareness Week - Day 1 - Severe Thunderstorms - WU

2006-02-20T15:03:00.000-06:00

**This post was archived from the MemphisWx WunderBlog.**
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Here is the unedited (except for punctuation and capitalization) Public Informtion Statement from WFO MEG.

...Severe Thunderstorm Awareness Day...

There are approximately two thousand thunderstorms in progress around the world at any given time. Most of these storms are beneficial and bring needed rain. Only a small fraction (less than one percent) are classified as severe. Severe thunderstorms are those thunderstorms that produce hail three quarter inch in diameter...or larger...and or strong wind gusts of 58 mph or greater. Hail that is three quarters of an inch in diameter is about the size of a penny.

A small fraction of these thunderstorms produce tornadoes. All thunderstorms are capable of producing deadly lightning. The heavy rains or the lightning activity in a thunderstorm do not have anything to do with a thunderstorm being classified as severe.

Some of the severe thunderstorms safety rules are as follows.

Find shelter immediately. Go to a sturdy building that will withstand high winds. Avoid electrical appliances and telephones.

It would be a good idea to bring your car inside a garage and to secure loose objects.

Remember...a Severe Thunderstorm Warning means that a severe thunderstorm is occurring. The severe thunderstorm has been detected by the Doppler Radar...or reported to the National Weather Service by our Skywarn spotter network...or the local law enforcement agency in a particular county.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means that conditions are right for severe thunderstorms to develop...but none has been observed. Folks should keep an eye on the sky and listen to commercial broadcasts...or weather radio for any subsequent warnings.

When a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued for your location....treat it the same as you would a Tornado Warning. Severe thunderstorms can produce damaging winds large hail and deadly lightning.