Severe Weather Update

A Moderate Risk of severe weather is still out for the Tri-State through the rest of this afternoon and tonight. Once again, our main threats will damaging wind, a few tornadoes, and some hail. The STP looks to peak here in the Tri-State around 5PM CT. The best timing of severe weather will be afternoon into the evening hours. Anything that forms ahead of the cold front will most likely be supercell  thunderstorms, which are the ones that do form the most tornadoes. Once that squall lines moves through, the severe weather threat will be over then.

Severe Risk

STP

WIND

Tornado Watch is out for Gibson, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick [IN], Henderson, Union, Webster [KY], and Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Saline, Wabash, Wayne, White [IL] until 5PM CT.

A PDS Tornado Watch is out for Daviess, Knox, Martin [IN] and Clay, Lawrence, Richland [IL] until 4PM CT.

ALERT: THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO IN EVANSVILLE IS DOWN AT THIS. NWS IS WORKING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THE RADAR OUTSIDE OWENSVILLE IS DOWN. 

USI Screaming Eagle Weekend Weather for April 13/14

The Screaming Eagles will be busy this weekend with four baseball games at home, four softball games on the road, and the Rugby team at home. 

Baseball at Home Saturday

Baseball at Home Sunday

Softball at U-Indy on Saturday

Softball at St. Joseph's on Sunday 

Rugby at Home Saturday

Palm Sunday Snow Storm

Owensville Radar at 12:34PM CT

Another update this morning from the WxWarn Center on Palm Sunday Snow Storm moving our way. Some of the snow totals in to us so far this morning is what we thought they would be. Reports have come out so far putting down 5-6” to the north and west of St. Louis; Springfield, IL has reported 3.9” of snow so far today.  Who will be seeing the major snowfall? From what I have seen and read, anything major will be in North Central Indiana, just north of I-70. That area could get 7-11” of snow, 12+” cannot be ruled out. And I will say this, winds are forecast to be from 25-30MPH, so we are looking at a possible blizzard for this area, if it holds together.  In the Tri-State, areas of north of US 50 are looking at 3-6”, north of I-64 at 1-3”, along the Ohio at 1”, and if you are in the southern part of the Tri-State, maybe a dusting to 1”. We should start to see some snow fall within the next hour in some of our Tri-State counties, most likely in our Illinois counties. 

March 2: One-year-later

Four miles south of Henryville. Drew LaMaster

At this time one year ago, I was sitting in my apartment looking over data for the next day. When the clock hit Midnight, everyone was waiting for the Storm Predication Center to put out its update forecast for Day 1. When I saw that no High Risk was put out this update, I had this feeling that we would in the morning. And I was right. I woke up a little after 7AM, went to my computer, pulled up radar, and the SPC website. A High Risk had been put out for most of the Louisville area and I just knew that we would see something that day that many of us have not seen since the Super Outbreak of 1974.  Shortly after 8AM, severe thunderstorms in Central Illinois were already towering at over 40,000 feet. That is when I really did know we were going to be in for a long day. The first tornado watch of the day came in right when my 9AM class was getting out. One hour later, the SPC had upgraded the Tri-State to a High Risk of severe weather. Since I was away from radar for a long time, I didn’t know how bad the damage was until the first reports started to come in. When I got home that, that is when I saw it firsthand. WTHR-TV in Indianapolis was showing the small town of Henryville, located in Clark County, looking like a war zone. I remember when I was looking at my Twitter account earlier that day, I saw the words “TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR NORTHERN CLARK COUNTY.” I knew this had to be a monster, but I really did not know how much of monster this was. That day, everything changed for me. I knew that people really could care less what your Doppler is named or who has the best technology: All they care about is their safety.  People do not want hype and they do not want spin. It’s hard for me to watch the videos of that day, because you know when it happens in a place that you love, you really can’t watch it the same way other people can. 

The pictures and names of people I saw and heard have never left me. The school bus that had just returned back to the school just seconds before the tornado hit, in the building across the street from Henryville Jr.-Sr. High School. The high school gym being torn apart like a bomb just hit it. Stephanie Decker, the mother who risked her life by putting herself on top of her children while at the same time losing both of her feet. The number of people who came together for this small Indiana town was something that reminds me how proud I am to live in this state and this nation. Sometimes it takes the worst events to happen to bring the good out of people. When Lady Antebellum announced that they would sing at school prom, the number of schools from across the nation that came together in support of Henryville was like something out of a movie. The one I did see that I cannot watch without crying is when the students of Harrisburg High School, a town hit just two days before Henryville, told Lady A to play for Henryville instead. I now sit here in my apartment at the table I work from. The town is rebuilt, the school is back to normal, Stephanie Decker is now able to walk again, but the town and the people are not the same. That day we lost 11 people in state. The death toll from that day nationwide stands at 40. We have since learned from that day what to do and what not to do during severe weather. But I think we learned more from this small Indiana town. If anything, this town taught us about life. The days will grow, people will get older, and one day, people will only read about Henryville and know it for a test in his or her Indiana History class. But until the day when the good Lord above calls me home, I will never forget this town. They will always be in my heart. Thank you, good night, God bless to you and yours, God bless Indiana, and God bless Henryville. 

Severe Weather Preparedness

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
326 PM CST THU FEB 28 2013

...SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS CAMPAIGNS SOON TO BEGIN...

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS CAMPAIGN DATES
OF EACH STATE WITHIN THE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NWS IN PADUCAH
KY.

STATE     CAMPAIGN DATES
-------------------------
KY         ENTIRE MONTH OF MARCH
IL         MARCH 3-9
MO         MARCH 4-8
IN         MARCH 24-30

STATE     TORNADO DRILL DATE/TIME   DRILL EAS/SAME CODE
-------------------------------------------------------
KY         MARCH 5/ 915 AM           TOR
IL         MARCH 5/ 10 AM            TOR
MO         MARCH 5/ 130 PM           TOR
IN         MARCH 25/ 9-930 AM        TOR
                     630-7 PM        TOR

ALL MARCH 5 TIMES ARE CST AND ALL MARCH 25 TIMES ARE CDT.

THE PURPOSE OF THE CAMPAIGNS IS TO EDUCATE AND PREPARE FOR THE
UPCOMING PEAK SPRING SEVERE WEATHER SEASON. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
WILL BE AVAILABLE DURING THE CAMPAIGNS VIA WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PADUCAH
AND VIA NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

CONTACT...
RICK SHANKLIN
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
NWS PADUCAH KY
PHONE...270.744.6440 EXT. 726
EMAIL...RICKY.SHANKLIN AT NOAA.GOV

Winter Weather Update

Winter Storm Warning from 2/21/2013 3:00 AM to 9:00 PM CST for Wayne County, Hamilton County.

SNOW AND SLEET WILL BEGIN ACCUMULATING OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. THIS WINTRY MIX OF SNOW AND SLEET WILLTHEN SPREAD NORTHEAST INTO PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS LATER IN THE MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO TRANSITION OVER TO FREEZING RAIN ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AROUND NOON. THIS TRANSITION WILL BE SLOWER IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. OVER SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...ONE TO TWO INCHES OF SLEET AND SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED...WITH A MINOR GLAZE OF A TENTH OF AN INCH OR LESS OF ICE ON TOP.

THIS WINTRY MIX WILL LIKELY LEAD TO DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ON ROADWAYS AND ESPECIALLY ON ELEVATED SURFACES. SOME POWER OUTAGES CANNOT BE RULED OUT...ESPECIALLY OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...WHERE THE GREATEST ICING IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR.

Winter Weather Advisory from 2/21/2013 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM CST for Saline County, Edwards County, White County, Gallatin County, Gibson County, Wabash County, Posey County.

A LIGHT WINTRY MIX OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL BEGIN THURSDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE INTO THE AFTERNOON. THE PRECIPITATION WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME ALL RAIN...AS TEMPERATURES CLIMB ABOVE FREEZING DURING THE AFTERNOON. UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE...AND UP TO A HALF INCH OF SLEET WILL BE POSSIBLE BEFORE TEMPERATURES WARM ABOVE FREEZING.

ICING WILL BE MOST LIKELY ON ELEVATED OBJECTS...BUT SOME SLICK SPOTS MAY DEVELOP ON UNTREATED ROADWAYS...ESPECIALLY BRIDGES.  MOTORISTS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND BE PREPARED FOR HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS UNTIL TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE FREEZING. ANY PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SHORT-LIVED.

Winter Weather Advisory from 2/21/2013 3:00 PM to 2/22/2013 6:00 AM CST for Richland County, Lawrence County, Clay County.

TIMING...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP AFTER 3 PM THURSDAY...WITH THE HEAVIER PRECIPITATION FROM 7 PM TO 11 PM.

ACCUMULATIONS...MINOR SLEET ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED...WITH AROUND ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICING FROM FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE.

WIND...EAST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 15 AND 25 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH POSSIBLE.

IMPACTS...BRIDGES...OVERPASSES AND SECONDARY ROADS WILL BECOME SLIPPERY FROM ICING BY THURSDAY EVENING...WITH SLEET ADDING TO THE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL.

Wind Reports for 2-11-13

Update at 10:41AM CT

WIND INFORMATION FOR THE PAST 10 HOURS...

LOCATION                  HIGHEST OB TIME WIND   PEAK WIND OR 
                          AND OB TIME            PEAK OB TIME GUST

LAFAYETTE                 25 MPH / 654 AM         46 MPH / 336 AM 
INDIANAPOLIS              26 MPH / 954 AM         45 MPH / 725 AM 
TERRE HAUTE               26 MPH / 553 AM         38 MPH / 603 AM 
MUNCIE                    24 MPH / 1053 AM        41 MPH / 1031 AM
BLOOMINGTON               21 MPH / 1053 AM        40 MPH / 350 AM 
INDIANAPOLIS EAGLE CREEK  20 MPH / 953 AM         39 MPH / 1037 AM

Highest wind reports thus far this morning from the Indianapolis CWA.

WIND INFORMATION FOR THE PAST 10 HOURS...

LOCATION                  HIGHEST OB TIME WIND   PEAK WIND OR 
                          AND OB TIME            PEAK OB TIME GUST

LAFAYETTE                 25 MPH / 654 AM         46 MPH / 336 AM 
INDIANAPOLIS              26 MPH / 654 AM         45 MPH / 725 AM 
TERRE HAUTE               26 MPH / 553 AM         38 MPH / 603 AM 
MUNCIE                    23 MPH / 653 AM         37 MPH / 549 AM 
BLOOMINGTON               20 MPH / 453 AM         40 MPH / 350 AM 
INDIANAPOLIS EAGLE CREEK  20 MPH / 753 AM         36 MPH / 748 AM 

Evansville Forecast for Sunday, February 3, 2013

If you were up early this morning, some of you might have seen some snow around the Tri-State. Totals are looking to be from just about 0.5-2.0”, but that should start to melt this afternoon. 

Looking over the forecast models, this week looking to be better over last week when had the severe weather, well-above normal temps, and the snow at the end. We do look to be above normal once again this week, but not like this past week.

We are looking to be nice today as skies will start to clear, but it will be breezy with those winds coming from the West-Northwest and highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s. Overnight, some clouds do return and we will be cool. The faster those clouds move in, the slower it will take for us to reach our low. One of the models is hinting at lows in the upper teens across our northern counties. If the cloud cover can get here fast enough, I think those counties will only hit the lower 20s.

Today: Clearing skies, breezy, high of 40

Tonight: Partly cloudy skies, cool, low of 23

Clouds do return ahead of a cold front on Monday. Our best chance of rain will be around Midday and lasting into the overnight hours. With lows reaching below freezing, I do believe that we are going to see a rain/snow mix before heading towards a small snow event. Timing for this to end looks to be before daybreak hour. So we will have to be watching both the temps and how fast the precipitation is moving before we do know what will be happing.

Monday: 45% chance of showers, mostly cloudy, high of 41

Monday Night: 15% chance of rain/snow mix, mostly cloudy, low of 26

High pressure starts to take control on Tuesday and Wednesday starting out with temps at normal highs and then getting us to above normal highs. But it will be on Thursday that we see that warm air really being back. Highs will be near 50, lower-to-mid 50s across our southern counties before a cold front moves back in and bring with it another rain chance for Thursday Night. Good news is, that rain looks to be only an overnight event and high pressure moves back in for Friday. We should be clear on Friday afternoon and highs will be like they will be on Friday. We are watching Saturday really close right now. Right now we are looking at showers for the day on Saturday. However, a nice low pressure will form off to our west. We might be looking at a 995-998mb low, which might indicate some thunderstorms with this. Some of the stuff we look at for forecasting severe weather is showing maybe a strong thunderstorm event at times on Saturday. But right now, we are seven days out on that and we all know that Tri-State weather can change from now until then.

Tuesday: Clearing skies, high of 41; overnight low of 27

Wednesday: Sunny, high of 45; overnight low of 31

Thursday: Mostly sunny, warm, 20% chance of showers late, high of 50; overnight low of 34

Friday:  Mostly sunny, warm, high of 49; overnight low of 33

Saturday: 20% chance of showers, mostly cloudy, high of 53

Climate Prediction Center

Looking at the 6-10 Day Forecast and 8-14 Day Forecast from the Climate Prediction Center, temps are looking to be above normal for both time frames with days 6-10 to have the highest chance and precipitation to be above normal also, with days 6-10 to also have the highest chance. 

That is it for today, updates as they come in. My next forecast will be Monday morning. Have a great Super Bowl Sunday, go Ravens, and God Bless.

Evansville Weather for Monday, January 21st, 2013

Arctic Air has started to return this morning in the Tri-State and the Midwest following a cold front passage on Sunday. As I write this at 5AM, temps in the Tri-State are in the mid-20s, with wind chills ranging from the signal digits to lower 20s.

Cold air will be sweeping in the Tri-State starting today and lasting until Tuesday Night. Temps for today will only reach the upper 20s in some locations. Overnight, however, we will see temps reach the signal digits with wind chill reading at or below zero. High pressure will move in late on Tuesday, but our temps will stay in the upper teens to lower 20s. We start to see a warm up on Wednesday as winds turn from the south, causing our temps to be or just above the freezing line. We will be watching the development of a warm front heading our way that looks to give us a chance of precipitation late Wednesday.

That warm front will push our temps for Thursday into the mid-40s with a chance of rain. Low pressure and a cold front will push through during the overnight hours, putting temps below freezing, and possible cause snow in some locations. Too early at this time to see just how much snow we could get. Possible rain/snow mix for Friday and turning breezy and cold with winds turning back from the northwest and temps in the mid-30s. High pressure just west of the Mississippi will give way to cold and breezy conditions on Saturday, before moving towards the South East States on Sunday to bring way to more mild conditions.

Evansville Climate Data for Monday, January 21^st, 2013

Evansville Climate Data for Sunday, January 20^th, 2013

Detailed Forecast

Today: Skies turning mostly sunny, cold, high of 27. Winds will be WNW at 10-15MPH.

Tonight: Partly to mostly cloudy skies, harsh cold air, low of 10; more rural areas will see temps in the signal digits. Winds will be NNW at 8-12MPH.

Full Seven Day

Tuesday: Partly to mostly sunny, cold, 22

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, somewhat warmer, 35

Thursday: 35% chance of showers, mostly cloudy, 44

Friday: 20% chance of a rain/snow mix, mostly cloudy, breezy, 33

Saturday: Mostly sunny, breezy, 33

Sunday:  Mostly sunny, warmer, 43

Remember to dress warm today if you have to go outside for any period of time. I will have updates during the rest of today. Have a great day and God Bless.