Monday, June 25, 2012

Tornado Warning- Richmond, VA


BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
244 PM EDT MON JUN 25 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTH CENTRAL CHESTERFIELD COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
  SOUTHEASTERN GOOCHLAND COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL HANOVER COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
  WESTERN HENRICO COUNTY IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
  CITY OF RICHMOND IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA...

* UNTIL 315 PM EDT

* AT 241 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR MANAKIN...OR NEAR
  TUCKAHOE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  TUCKAHOE...LAUREL...GLEN ALLEN AND BON AIR AROUND 250 PM EDT.
  LAKESIDE AROUND 255 PM EDT.
  DOWNTOWN RICHMOND AROUND 300 PM EDT.
  EAST HIGHLAND PARK AROUND 305 PM EDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS DANGEROUS STORM INCLUDE ROSLYN
HILLS...GREENDALE...LONGDALE...DUMBARTON...SOLOMONS STORE...
CHAMBERLAYNE AND MONTROSE.

Potentially Deadly Heat Wave Strikes Thursday

This image, from the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC), projects maximum temperatures for Thursday, where many cities are widely expected to break triple digits. While it says maximum temperatures, these could very well turn out to be the temperatures on Thursday. Among cities that could experience unusually intense heat are:

-Chicago, IL (100)
-Indianapolis, IN (100)

Those are just the cities that almost never reach 100. There are many cities that could flirt with 110, especially in Kansas.

In situations like this, ALWAYS carry a water bottle and do not perform high energy activities for an extended period of time (or at all, if possible), because the scope and intensity of this heat is not as frequent as you think.

Andrew

All Eyes on Florida as Debby Preps for Landfall

The weather world is focused on Florida today as tropical storm warnings fly in advance of the landfall of Tropical Storm Debby later this week. The NHC projects Debby to remain nearly stationary over the next few days, before making its move Thursday morning and striking Florida. The main rain shield has already been torn off of the system, and it is very possible that the exposed center of circulation could bring Debby down to a tropical depression before landfall happens. Additionally, some dry air in the western Gulf of Mexico could pose an issue for development on that side of the circulation center.

The top half of the picture is cut off for a reason.
This image from the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC) of 5 day rainfall illustrates the potentially deadly threat that Florida faces from Debby despite recent weakening, with the HPC suggesting nearly a foot and a half of solid rain could fall in isolated portions of Florida, especially on the Gulf Coast side. Already, flash flooding is an issue in Florida from Debby, and if this forecast verifies, travel by boat (or ark) would be the preferred mode of transportation.

Andrew

Buoys Record Tropical Storm Debby's Strength

Buoy 42046 in the Gulf of Mexico, west northwest of Tampa Bay, FL, recorded a minimum pressure reading of roughly 29.42 inches as Debby moved over the region. You can clearly see the time when Debby actually entered the immediate vicinity of the buoy, which was around 7:00 PM CDT 2 nights ago. Overnight, and throughout yesterday and last night, pressures have dropped by nearly half an inch.


An observation station in Clearwater Beach, Florida recorded a wind gust at 50 knots (roughly 57 MPH) in the evening hours last night as the intense part of Debby moved over the area. Since then, wind gusts have been restricted to the 25-35 knot mark, and have been stabilizing throughout the morning into the 25-30 knot range.

Something also pretty interesting, from buoy 42036, was the significant wave height, which topped out at nearly 18 feet. Think about that- 18 feet wave heights. That's like something that the crab fishers in 'Deadliest Catch' would experience, out in the Bering Sea.

Updates will continue throughout the day.

Andrew

Rain Shield of Debby is Torn Away; Weakening Begins

Imagery shown above indicates that the strongest part of Debby, AKA the rain shield, has been torn away from the center of circulation. The circulation is currently just south of the Florida Panhandle, while the rain is southeast of Georgia at this time. Because the protection of rain and storms around the center are gone, weakening appears likely and has been happening overnight, from 60 MPH to 50 MPH wind speeds.
Debby's center of circulation is also large for a tropical storm and loosely defined. Considering all of what I typed above, it seems more than likely that some additional weakening should occur.

Andrew