A tornado watch is now in effect for portions of Oklahoma and Texas until 8pm Central time this evening.  Looks as if the main threats from these storms will be wind and hail, but an isolated tornado will be possible as low level shear increases this afternoon into the evening hours.  We will continue to monitor the threats and will update you if any of our teams end up hitting the field in this region.

Tornado Watch #1 has been issued this evening across portions of Missouri and Illinois for a strong cold front that has sparked some severe/tornado warned storms across the region this evening.  It looks like no confirmed reports of tornadoes are out at this time, but several reports of hail greater than .75” in diameter have been.  The tornado watch runs for the next several hours until 7AM central time.

On another note….a SLGT risk of severe weather was issued by the Storm Prediction Center around midnight for today across portions of Central Mississippi into Central/Northern Alabama.  The primary threats remain to be wind/hail but an isolated tornado occurrence is possible as well.  We will have to watch this potential through the afternoon and evening hours tomorrow and we may have teams in the field if conditions warrant. 

There is the potential for touring to take place as well.  Inquire about tours to brett@livestormsnow.com ASAP to make reservations! 

Some warnings have been required this afternoon across portions of Mississippi where stronger storms have developed some hail cores that are reaching the surface.  Most of the warnings have been for hail occurrences and will likely start to diminish with the setting sun this evening.  More storms can be expected all the way through early Wednesday.  Strong to severe storms may be more common on Tuesday.  More on that later…

Most of the active storms this afternoon are over East Mississippi and far west/south Alabama where a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until later this evening.  Several reports of wind and hail have already been received.  No major damage, but another day of the pulse severe storms in the south.  More storms are forming over portions of eastern Tuscaloosa, central Winston, and northern Cullman counties with some heavy rain and lightning involved.  Any storms will have deadly lightning potential yet again this afternoon.  Most storms will sag SSE at around 15-20 mph.  Some additional development is possible.

Showing hail here on our in house radar.  This cell is moving toward the ESE and will affect areas like Goldville and New Site soon.  Isolated large hail to quarter size and damaging wind gusts are possible.  Again, lightning and heavy rain are the main threats from these storms today.

Tornado warnings are being required across portions of PA this afternoon due to some rotating thunderstorms across the region.  Just wanted to post this to emphasize these warnings are nothing like the situations we have dealt with or even the storms the northeast dealt with just two weeks ago.  An isolated, spin up tornado is possible though.

Some storms this afternoon have become quite strong dropping some heavy rain, hail, and gusty winds in there wake.  The strongest storms will remain west of I-65 this afternoon and will begin to die off in a matter of an hour or two.  Remember, we are in the summer like pattern which means we won’t deal with the threat of tornadic activity due to weak upper level winds for several months unless we are impacted with a landfalling tropical system….which doesn’t seem likely any time soon.  Have a great Friday and enjoy some rainfall.

Nasty storm around Fulton, AL: loaded with lightning and some hail it looks like.  This cell is moving off to the east at a good clip. 

…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1030 PM CST
FOR SOUTHWESTERN WILCOX AND NORTHEASTERN CLARKE COUNTIES…

AT 955 PM CST…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE
A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS
OVER 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES
WEST OF THOMASVILLE TO JACKSON…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR…
  GLOVER…BASHI…UNION AND SPRINGFIELD AROUND 1000 PM CST…
  ASBURY…WHATELY…WHATLEY AND THOMASVILLE AROUND 1005 PM CST…
  FINLEY CROSSING AND ATKEISON AROUND 1010 PM CST…

Heavy rains are beginning to spread northeastward across portions of Central Alabama with the heaviest over southwestern sections of our viewing area in the Sumter, Greene, Perry, Hale, Pickens, and Dallas County areas.  Some areas of localized flooding have already been reported with the rainfall during the afternoon with earlier storms due to swollen creeks and streams from the last widespread rain event a few days ago.

Rain is expected to spread and intensify across the entire area with some of the rainfall being convective in nature.  Most of the region will see a good 2”+ rainfall event from this with more coming tomorrow.  Flash flood watches are already in effect and warnings are quite possible if this event becomes prolonged.  Rainfall will be moderate to heavy for most areas during the night tonight.

There could be a break in the action ahead of the cold front tomorrow before more showers and storms impact the area.  This will be key in terms of how much instability develops across the area and we will be monitoring this frontal progression throughout the night time hours.  CAPE values are climbing to our south in a hurry just south of the front…..on the order of 2000 joules of MLCAPE.  If these kind of values end up progressive into Alabama….we will have a definite severe storm and tornado threat.  We will keep you updated…

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
823 PM CST TUE MAR 8 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
  EASTERN GREENE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF LEAKESVILLE…
  SOUTHEASTERN WAYNE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI…
  WASHINGTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF CHATOM…

* UNTIL 900 PM CST

* AT 822 PM CST…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
  HAIL…AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE
  LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES WEST OF CHATOM TO
  LEAKESVILLE…AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.  THE GREENE COUNTY
  MISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY MANAGER RECEIVED A REPORT OF QUARTER SIZE
  HAIL WITH THIS STORM 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF AVERA MISSISSIPPI.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR…
  CHATOM AROUND 840 PM CST…
  SAINT STEPHRNS AND SAINT STEPHENS AROUND 855 PM CST…
  CORTELUOU AND MCINTOSH AROUND 900 PM CST…