http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/23/10214424-hundreds-of-homes-ravaged-by-deadly-ala-storms
"Unusual" Winter Tornado May Have Been On Ground For Two Hours
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/01/unusual_winter_tornado_may_hav.html
"It's pretty rare for us to be in moderate risk in the middle of the winter," he said. "This was almost like a March or April-type storm."
The weather will have a decidedly spring-like feel across the Lower Mississippi Valley, as an outbreak of severe thunderstorms is poised to develop later today. The outbreak will be reminiscent of those seen in 2011, with gusty winds, hail and tornadoes all possible.
Thunderstorms will develop across Arkansas and Louisiana, quickly becoming severe as they cross the Mississippi River into Tennessee and Mississippi. The strongest storms will be found later this evening across the Mid-South where the storms are able to tap into unseasonably humid air.
These storms will strike western Tennessee, eastern Arkansas and northern Mississippi with a fury similar to the storms of 2011. Strong tornadoes, wind gusts of 70 to 80 mph and large hail are all possible today across this region, including Memphis, and Greenville, Miss. Due to the threat of these dangerous storms, the government`s Storm Prediction Center has considered this a Moderate Risk for some of the most dangerous storms.
Beyond this bulls-eye for storm activity, the thunderstorm threat will expand into the Ohio Valley and across the South. Locations from Louisiana to southern Indiana and southwestern Ohio could be at risk for a strong to severe thunderstorm capable of producing 60 mph winds, hail and even a weaker tornado. Cities such as Baton Rouge, La., Jackson, Miss., Birmingham, Ala., Nashville, Tenn., Paducah and Louisville, Ky., Evansville, Ind., and Cincinnati could see a strong thunderstorm this evening or overnight.
Today`s storms won`t come together until late in the day, delaying the storm threat from developing until after sunset. Remember: severe storms and tornadoes at night can be particularly dangerous, as they are harder to see and thus have a reduced warning time. Take the time during the day today to make sure your shelter is ready so that you can quickly act when storms come knocking on your door after dark.
An area of low pressure will surge eastward from the Rockies today, crossing from the Plains into the Mississippi Valley. The low will quickly access warm and humid air building along the Gulf Coast, while also dragging along a pool of cold, Canadian air behind the storm. By this evening, these two air masses will meet and the results will be explosive.
The dynamics for today`s storm threat are much more typical of March or April than mid-to-late January. The low is part of the same storm system that has been responsible for all of the snow in the western U.S., and its exit into the Rockies with all of its energy intact has allowed it to prepare to roar into the central U.S. Fed by multiple jet streams, the same winds that will roar into the Mississippi Valley will force the low pressure responsible for the storms to make a quick turn to the north, scooting across the Great Lakes and into Canada.
250,000 Seattle Customers Without Power; Flooding Feared
http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/apArticle/id/D9SCN98G0/
State Of Emergency Declared In Washington
http://www.ktvb.com/news/national/137689733.html
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/the-year-without-a-winter-in-t-1/59591
Low Snow Could Foreshadow Spring Drought -- The Biggest Impact On Food Prices
http://www.wunderground.com/US/Region/US/2xSnowDepth.html
Unusual Jet Stream Patterns Blocking Snow
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45809978/#null
Winter Storm Watches and Warnings from North Carolina to Maine, up to 10 inches expected in the Appalachian mountains. More on the atmospheric "bomb" below...
http://www.footsforecast.org/2011/12/here-we-go-again-coastal-bomb-may.html
*The Hurricane Irene comparison? On August 26, 2011 Irene reached a central pressure of 942 millibars. Since Tuesday, computer models have shown that this storm will rapidly deepen in the overnight hours. The anticipated drop in central pressure is projected to be over 24 millibars in a 24 hour period. This is the unofficial criteria for an "atmospheric bomb" or "bombogenesis" which is a meteorological slang along the eastern seaboard. The October 2011 Northeast U.S. snowstorm is the most recent example of this phenomena.
US Dealt Another La Nina Winter But "Wild Card" Could Trump It
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20111020_winteroutlook.html
Starting today, through Wednesday...potentially affecting 1/3 of US...100 million people....
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/44816/bonechilling-dangerous-cold-in.asp
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/44753/next-weeks-snowstorm-is-a-big.asp
Expect to see records keep being broken. The article says it doesn't know if there has ever been 49 states with snow on the ground at the same time. The answer is yes. It happened last year, and like this year, Hawaii was the holdout. So, this is the second year in a row this has happened.
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/44891/tennessee_valley_to_new_englan.asp
The rain has already started in southwest VA. It was in the 50s today and raining. In January. Crazy.
Local weather is calling for 4-8 inches of wet snow.
This map indicates 6-12 inches for our area. I'm ready for winter to end.
Get ready, California! And note the usual "it's happened before" routine.
Got heat?
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/44289/weekend-of-january-2223-may-be.asp
http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2010/12/13/midwest-deep-freeze-storm-cancels-flights/
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/42915/new-cold-blast-invading-easter.asp
