Brief update on Friday severe weather
There were three areas of severe weather in the country on Friday, as seen on the Storm Prediction Center torm reports map. One was the east, with numerous wind damage and hail reports and a few tornado reports, most prominently the one that moved through parts of Hampton in southeast Virginia. The second was in the Texas Panhandle, where the Virginia Tech storm chasers observed some supercell storm structures, though the sparse road network didn’t allow us to position ourselves as well as we would have liked. And then there was a third in South Dakota, considered a marginal chance Friday morning, but ending up producing a few tornadoes.
Cooler, drier weather is moving into Southwest Virginia for the weekend, as the jet stream takes a big dip in the Eastern U.S.
Meanwhile, we’ll take another stab at Plains supercells on Saturday, quite likely in the Texas Panhandle once again.
June 2, 2012 - 12:32 AM
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I am impressed that Kevin called this storm a few days ago before it landed in Christiansburg. Following Dan on Twitter made it sound like it was a wild ride, and just very thankful no lives were lost.
Doug, I read you comment about the mule…no, I’m not a writer, I have dabbled in creative writing many times, earning rave reviews from middle school teachers for my science fiction story about a group of interstellar explorers. I have often fantasized about being a writer. They don’t make a lot of good money unless they penned “Harry Potter” or “The Hungry Games.”
Trevor – I agree on the speed of that storm. It was like someone flipped a giant fan switch ON (at high setting!) and then soon after, OFF. And Joe, yes I threw on a blanket last night. Best sleeping weather ever! VT airport readings show a low of 48. This morning is just sparkling and I am finally going to plant my annuals in the front yard – they have been rained on all week on the porch. Then wine festival.
Kevin – hope you find some good chasing today in TX. My grandparents lived in Weinert, TX. Flat, hot, dry cotton country. Like everyone, they had a concrete storm cellar out in the yard. As kids we thought it was a cool place but thinking back, it was concrete stairs with a tiny 4×4 room at the end. My grandmother kept canned goods there on a shelf, like chow-chow and black eye peas. Always spiders down there.
52* this AM. More like a fall morning than late spring/early summer morning
I can’t really claim any special insight on Friday’s severe threat. This one was pretty obvious in the large-scale pattern.
We’re out here chasing small-scale features. Probably going into Colorado today to catch some stuff coming off the Rockies.
Cathy Benson of the Botetourt View posted a photo from Botetourt County that 1 TV meteorologist says may have been a rope tornado. Not being around to closely monitor the synoptic conditions, I can render no verdict. There are formations of mountain condensation that can sometimes mimic funnels, but again, not being there, not watching the radar closely, I can’t say. Here is the link:
http://blogs.roanoke.com/botetourtview/2012/06/reed-said-it-was-what-we-call-a-rope-tornado-kerlins-saw-it-near-old-fincastle-road/
I truly dislike hot weather and consider anything over 70 hot. This morning has been one of the best in a very long time. Cooler temps and a nice breeze; oh how lovely! I sat outside on the patio this morning with coffee and the morning paper. Absolutely perfect weather! We are going to the Salem Red Sox tonight and the weather should be great for that as well.
I’m with you, wdbrand. My deck thermometer shows a reading of 68 degree, but it feels like it’s in the lower to mid 50s with breeze. Feels more like a football weather than a typical late spring/early summer weather. I’m not complaining, though, as I prefer the temperature like this, only slightly warmer.
Kevin – I’m in Colorado at the Sunriise Mine Fire between Gateway and Paradox on Hwy 141, south of Grand Junction. Arrived here from Christiansburg on Sunday, so I missed the storms at home.
Storms here are moving into the fire area now (11:20) from SW. Our Incident Meteorologist reports 7-15 lightning strikes every 15 minutes; little if any rain. This fire is about out, but we’re watching for new starts from the lightning.
If you are near Gateway, stop by the fire Base Camp!
Joe, in reply to your comment just after midnight EDT, about 14 hours ago. I don’t know what rainfall map you were looking at, but if it was for SW Virginia for yesterday, it was WAY off. I know that I did not get even a 1/4 inch, and both Doppler Carol and wd made comments on yesterday’s thread that they did not get much, either. i just checked the IFLOWS charts for Montgomery, Franklin, and the immediate Roanoke Valley Counties and jurisdictions, and NONE of the sites received anything close to an inch. The Montgomery County sites were particularly low. I am not complaining, just contradicting what the rainfall map you looked at indicated.
Perhaps you were referring to another day, or another part of Virginia?
DC, and all the other folks in the colder locations, how are you enjoying a touch of fall this morning. And maybe some of next week looks like. Nothing summer like here today.
Looks like a good evening Kevin…
Your call to visit the front range looks
like its paying off…good forecast.
Nothing.. not even a green speck in Tx Panhandle..
Looks like a nice one coming off Rockies vcnty southeast of Denver now
tops above 55000, stretching down to Limon/Pueblo and Trinidad.
Moving off ENE 25-30 kts…hopefully you got some still photos..
Beautiful area.
Kevin…with regards to # 5 I do think the conditions were there in this area based on radar views between 5 and 6:30pm…over the ROA Valley and north up I-81 a line of distinct cells formed (biggest up north along 81 and one was even tornado warned for a bit)and the closer to ROA they were just starting to form with the smallest developing over Hollins. All these storms were travelling slowly (maybe 15 mph) to the NE.
Just to the west of all this was a solid line (no distinguishing cells) moving E at 50 to 60 mph and when the two merged in the Hollins area and that is when Roanoke County got the Severe T-Warning.
The point is that there were two distinct right angle wind flows that would have been available to contribute to conditions.
Alexandria, Va. (1945)
Severe thunderstorm dropped hailstones the size of oranges in a 20 x 40 mile area, shattering 14,000 window panes.
Back in Guymon, Okla., for our fourth straight night after chasing severe storms in eastern Colorado and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Storm with intense lightning closing in on our hotel now that is after dark and we are back. Lots of good storm structure today. Good chase day. Apparently headed to eastern Kansas on Sunday.
More on the National Weather Service interest in Cathy Benson’s photo of a possible tornado in Botetourt County:
http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/309671
Calling for a low of 51 here in Woodlawn,but we are already sitting o n 44. I think we may drop into the upper 30s tonight…wait and see…