Some scattered severe weather this evening

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

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

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.

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TD 1 Information
Public Advisory (NHC)

Announcing the new Yahoo Group!

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

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

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

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.