Spring is in the air!

Spring has finally arrived in the Northern Plains! ;)

Temperatures on Tuesday reached the 60 degree-mark for the first time since November 3rd, 2008, when we hit 66° F.

The official high at the airport Tuesday hit 64° F and even at this late hour (2:00am) we are still sitting at 45°.

It's been great enjoying the mild temperatures and they should continue through, at least, through the next few days as this ridge slowly slides east across the plains. Slightly cooler temperatures will come this weekend, but a broad ridge will build across the plains again next week which will continue temperatures in the 50's and 60's.

Our next target is to get our dewpoints into the 50's and 60's! Some thunder would be nice, as well.

Severe Weather Outbreak

Well, folks, it appears the convective severe season has begun across the Southern Plains and Southern Mississippi Valley. Numerous reports of hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes have sprung up across the region today.

A combination of several factors are resulting in the outbreak... First, a deep trough over the west, resulting in strong west-southwest flow aloft (700 mb flow of 100+ KTS is providing for 50+ KTS of bulk shear over areas of Eastern Texas, Eastern Oklahoma and western areas of Arkansas and northwest Louisiana). Second, a potent shortwave being kicked eastward out of the southwest by the trough... Third, southerly winds at the surface. Finally, warm and juicy air advecting northward out of the Gulf. It's a darn good synoptic setup for an outbreak of this magnitude.

The setup will push eastward overnight and into tomorrow, so additional severe weather is in store for areas over the Tennessee Valley and into the Lower Ohio Valley, Wednesday. It will be an active week with this system pushing through the eastern US, while another shortwave trough will eject into the Southern Plains from the the cut-off low over the southwest.

This type of pattern would spell a chaser's dream in May or June, let alone in mid-February.

While I'm jealous of the chasers in the Southern Plains, I don't necessarily want to see damage or fatalities. Luckily, there have been no reports of fatilities or injuries, but there have been widespread damage reports. Edmund, Olkahoma seems to be hardest hit, as far as tornado damage is concerned. Reports are trickling in now, that northwestern areas of the city saw major damage from a large tornado there earlier this afternoon. I haven't confirmed this, myself, but either way, I'm hoping folks there took the proper precautions and are doing well.

I've been watching areas down there most of the afternoon and into the evening and, as you can see on the Radar Floater, a strong squall line is currently pushing eastward across Texas and Oklahoma late tonight. This will likely continue to bring damaging winds, hail, and possibly an isolated tornado or two.

Ice coats Hoosier-land

The major winter storm that was forecast to sock the Midwest and Ohio Valley certainly lived up to it's billing last evening and through early this morning. Not only did areas of Southern Iowa receive all sorts of ice and sleet accumulations, but northern areas of Illinois and Indiana did as well.

In fact, the following image from Decatur, Indiana clearly shows a quarter-inch or better accrual. And given the image is from Southeast Elementary, it's pretty clear there was no school today for the kiddies back in the Hoosier state. At least, not in Decatur. Unfortunately, my home town of Bluffton doesn't seem to offer any webcams whatsoever, so I have to accept the Decatur AWS cam as my local look into my hometown.



It can't be so much different of a look in Bluffton given there is only about 15 miles separating the two towns.

Either way, I'm sure glad the ice and sleet is occurring there and not here. We will have Winter Storm Watches up for the Valley for this next system. Yes, the active pattern continues to wreak havoc across the Northern Plains. The inverted trough and upper-level wave will bring the threat for moderate to heavy snows across much of the area possibly as soon as tonight, with activity likely continuing through tomorrow evening. What this means is that another 5-9 inches will be possible here by then and that strong winds will once again bring Blizzard-like conditions to the area.

Granted, there are some chasers out there that are suffering through SDS so badly this time of year, they're more than willing to go out there and chase these systems. I'm definitely not one of these types... I may have let you all know that already. If I have, I apologize. I think it's worth saying again!

I have the weekend off again, and as with Blizzard Ali, I'll be staying inside where it's warm to watch. If I feel brave enough, I may get out in the elements at some point tomorrow to possibly get some photos. We'll see how motivated I am to do just that. ;)

In the meantime, stay safe everyone. No matter where you are, I'm sure you have some sort of winter weather to be concerned about.