Monday, February 20, 2012

Personal Spring 2012 Severe Weather Forecasts

Galena, Illinois
Tornado Risk: 20%
Hail Risk: 65%
Damaging Wind Risk: 75%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 35%

Maple Park, Illinois
Tornado Risk: 20%
Hail Risk: 65%
Damaging Wind Risk: 70%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 35%

Hamilton, Ontario
Tornado Risk: 10%
Hail Risk: 45%
Damaging Wind Risk: 65%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 25%

Belvidere, Illinois
Tornado Risk: 20%
Hail Risk: 65%
Damaging Wind Risk: 75%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 35%

Des Moines, Iowa
Tornado Risk: 30%
Hail Risk: 70%
Damaging Wind Risk: 75%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 40%

Milan, Tennessee
Tornado Risk: 40%
Hail Risk: 80%
Damaging Wind Risk: 80%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: Up to 50%

Linden, Virginia
Tornado Risk: 15%
Hail Risk: 55%
Damaging Wind Risk: 70%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 30%

Shady Spring, West Virginia
Tornado Risk: 15%
Hail Risk: 60%
Damaging Wind Risk: 70%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 30%

Holmesville, Ohio
Tornado Risk: 35%
Hail Risk: 70%
Damaging Wind Risk: 75%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 35%

Wappingers Falls, New York
Tornado Risk: 25%
Hail Risk: 65%
Damaging Wind Risk: 70%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: Up to 30%

Cincinnati, Ohio
Tornado Risk: 30%
Hail Risk: 70%
Damaging Wind Risk: About 75%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: Up to 35%

Toledo, Ohio
Tornado Risk: 30%
Hail Risk: 70%
Damaging Wind Risk: 75%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: Up to 35%

Homer, Michigan
Tornado Risk: Up to 30%
Hail Risk: 70%
Damaging Wind Risk: Up to 80%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 30%

Valparaiso, Indiana
Tornado Risk: 30%
Hail Risk: 75%
Damaging Wind Risk: 75%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: Up to 35%

Senatobia, Mississippi
Tornado Risk: 50%
Hail Risk: 85%
Damaging Wind Risk: 90%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 50%

Grand Rapids, Michigan
Tornado Risk: 30%
Hail Risk: 75%
Damaging Wind Risk: 80%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 30%

Kansas City, Missouri
Tornado Risk: 40%
Hail Risk: 80%
Damaging Wind Risk: 80%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: Up to 40%

Atlanta, Georgia
Tornado Risk: 45%
Hail Risk: 85%
Damaging Wind Risk: Up to 90%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 45%

Detroit, Michigan
Tornado Risk: 35%
Hail Risk: 70%
Damaging Wind Risk: 70%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 35%

Fort Wayne, Indiana
Tornado Risk: Up to 40%
Hail Risk: 75%
Damaging Wind Risk: 80%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 40%

Antwerp, Ohio
Tornado Risk: 40%
Hail Risk: 75%
Damaging Wind Risk: 80%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 40%

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tornado Risk: 35%
Hail Risk: 65%
Damaging Wind Risk: 65%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 30%

Sterling, Illinois
Tornado Risk: 40%
Hail Risk: Up to 75%
Damaging Wind Risk: 75%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 35%

Brighton, Michigan
Tornado Risk: 35%
Hail Risk: 70%
Damaging Wind Risk: 70%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 35%

Mt. Shasta, California*
Tornado Risk: 10%
Hail Risk: 55%
Damaging Wind Risk: 65%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 10%
*Mountain severe weather is much harder to predict, so take this with a grain of salt.

Manhattan, Kansas
Tornado Risk: 55%
Hail Risk: 90%
Damaging Wind Risk: 95%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: Up to 60%

Bethel, Connecticut
Tornado Risk: 25%
Hail Risk: 50%
Damaging Wind Risk: Up to 60%
Severe Weather Outbreak Risk: 20%

These are all estimates based on historical severe weather and ENSO conditions.

GFS Depicting Strong Early March Storm System

http://clients.customweather.com/plot_images/client_sites/WEATHERBELL/
GFS/final_WB013/WB013_MSLP_RADAR_HOUR_M_82.png
The GFS is showing the potential for a major snow maker for the upper Midwest as well as a possible severe weather event in the Southeast to kick off March. It appears that the GFS is indicating this system will strengthen to 992mb in Colorado before sliding eastward and strengthening even more, this time with warm Gulf of Mexico air feeding in. This Gulf of Mexico air feeding in would enhance the potential for severe weather in the South, which already seems likely given the initial strength of the storm itself.

Because this storm is next month, don't bank on it. The GFS is notorious for showing long range storms that never come to fruition. Additionally, any forecast beyond 7 days should not be trusted. This is throwing out the idea that something could happen. It has been shown that, while this solution may not work out like shown, the model may be onto the general idea of a storm system in this timeframe.

Snowfall accumulations, if this did happen, would be pretty substantial, to say the least. A strong storm system combined with an open Gulf of Mexico makes for very ample conditions for dynamic weather events like thundersnow or tornadoes in severe weather. I cannot predict tornadoes or thundersnow, but that's just an idea of how a strong system and warm Gulf air can pair up.

-Andrew