August 7: Dust Storm Warning- Casa Grande, AZ

...DUST STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX HAS ISSUED A DUST STORM
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING. AT 415
PM...A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EMPLOYEE REPORTED A DUST STORM WAS
APPROACHING CASA GRANDE FROM THE SOUTH.

* AFFECTED AREA: WEST-CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY AND SOUTHWEST MARICOPA
  COUNTY.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: GILA BEND...CASA GRANDE...INTERSTATES 10 AND
  8...AND STATE ROUTE 85.

* TIMING: AREAS OF DENSE BLOWING DUST WILL SPREAD NORTH THROUGH 6 PM.

* WINDS: 30 TO 40 MPH...MAINLY FROM THE SOUTH.

* VISIBILITY: BRIEFLY AT OR BELOW ONE QUARTER MILE.

* IMPACTS: MOTORISTS WILL EXPERIENCE PERIODS OF SHARPLY REDUCED
  VISIBILITY...AND ARE URGED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A DUST STORM WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN WINDS HAVE GENERATED LARGE
AREAS OF BLOWING DUST OR BLOWING SAND THAT HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY
REDUCED VISIBILITIES...TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS...RESULTING IN
HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS IN SOME AREAS. BE READY FOR A SUDDEN
DROP IN VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO. USE EXTRA CAUTION AND SLOW DOWN
WHILE DRIVING...AS OBJECTS ON AND NEAR ROADWAYS WILL BE SEEN ONLY
AT CLOSE RANGE. IF YOU ENCOUNTER BLOWING DUST OR BLOWING SAND ON
THE ROADWAY OR SEE IT APPROACHING...PULL OFF THE ROAD AS FAR AS
POSSIBLE AND PUT YOUR VEHICLE IN PARK. TURN THE LIGHTS ALL THE
WAY OFF AND KEEP YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL.

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August 6 Severe Weather Discussion

Discussion... Slight Risk of severe weather over North Plains into the Central Plains, with lesser threat in Ohio Valley into Oklahoma region.
Wind shearing in Slight Risk area will not be impressive, with jet stream putting out 50 kts at max. However, this can be enough for a 'weak' tornado to form, thus the low but still present tornado threat. The main threats will be damaging winds and hail. Before we get into that, look at how the slight risk area is laid out. When you see that type of shape in a slight risk area, that is a good sign that A) A squall line will form, or B) There is a cold front. In this scenario, there is indeed a cold front, and it appears that option B is what we will go with. The SPC mentions 'organized strong storms', which would indicate a squall line, or a cluster of storms out ahead of the cold front. At this time, it looks like the GFS favors a storm cluster in the northern severe risk area, with a squall line forming in southern portions. Sketchy CAPE forecast indicates levels will struggle to reach 2000 j/kg in northern regions, but surpass 3000 j/kg in southern sections. Some shearing in the atmosphere could lead to stronger and more intense storms.

August 5: Flood Warning (Evacuations and Rescues Underway)- Charlotte, NC

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WARNING FOR RAPID RIVER RISES IN...
  CENTRAL MECKLENBURG COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...
  SOUTHWESTERN CABARRUS COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 630 PM EDT

* AT 319 PM EDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED FLOODING ACROSS THE
WARNED AREA. OVER 6 INCHES OF RAIN FELL OVER PARTS OF THE WARNED
AREA DURING THE PAST 6 HOURS.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...CENTER CITY
  CHARLOTTE...UNC CHARLOTTE...CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY...EASTLAND
  MALL...HARRISBURG...I-77 AT I-85...MINT HILL...PAW CREEK AND
  SOUTHPARK MALL.

CREEKS SUCH AS STEWART...LITTLE SUGAR...SUGAR...BRIAR...MCMULLEN AND
BACK CREEK ARE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE AND CONTINUE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE FOR
SEVERAL MORE HOURS.

THIS AREAL FLOOD WARNING WILL REPLACE FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS 18 AND 19.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...
COUNTRY ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND
OTHER LOW LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.