Storm Damage Video

Widespread storm damage yesterday from Moscow, Indiana where a school lost the second floor of the building to Virgina.

Large Hail in NW Indiana

Last night large hail was reported in Pulaski county in Northwestern Indiana. You can see a nice hi res picture here from the National Weather Service radar with the hail core diagramed for you. Usually with large hail we see tornadic activity, but that was not the case last night. I'll also attach the NWS statement along with the picture. Very Large Hail in Pulaski County Wednesday Evening

A rare left-moving anticyclonic supercell developed in eastern Illinois and moved into western Indiana Wednesday night. The storm moved through northwestern White County and a majority of Pulaski County between 8:15 and 9:30 PM EDT. As it moved through, the anticyclonic rotation strengthened and a tornado warning was issued highlighting the tornadic threat along with the threat of very large hail. Though no tornadoes were sighted, large and damaging hail was reported all across Pulaski County. The first severe weather report came from Francesville as tennis ball size hail was indicated at 8:45 PM EDT. Two reports of golf ball size hail and a lime size hail report were also received from southwest of Winamac to just east of Ora. The first warnings issued by National Weather Service in Northern Indiana gave over 30 minutes of lead time before any hail reports were received. This storm was a textbook case of a severe hail producing left-moving supercell with the image below showing three tell-tale radar signs of a severe hail:

Severe Weather South

Well, we didn't see the severe weather here but several rounds for the central part of the state. Rushville seems to be the worst with people feared dead and missing after last nights tornado. Here is some video.

Severe Weather Threat Later Today

PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0540 AM CDT TUE JUN 03 2008

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED FROM MISSOURI EASTWARD INTO OHIO
LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT...

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES OVER PARTS OF
THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN MISSOURI INTO ILLINOIS...INDIANA AND OHIO
LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT.

THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE

MUCH OF ILLINOIS
INDIANA
NORTHERN AND EASTERN MISSOURI
OHIO

ELSEWHERE...SEVERE STORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ACROSS THE CENTRAL
PLAINS AS WELL AS ACROSS THE APPALACHIAN STATES.

SEVERAL CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS WERE ONGOING EARLY THIS MORNING
FROM EASTERN NEBRASKA ACROSS IOWA INTO ILLINOIS...FOCUSING ALONG A
WARM FRONT. THIS FRONT WILL REMAIN OVER THE SAME AREAS TODAY.
MEANWHILE...DAYTIME HEATING AND SOUTHWESTERLY SURFACE WINDS WILL
BRING VERY WARM AND UNSTABLE AIR NORTHWARD ACROSS THIS FRONTAL
ZONE...RESULTING IN ADDITIONAL SEVERE STORM DEVELOPMENT. THE
PRESENCE OF MODERATELY STRONG WINDS ALOFT...AS WELL AS EMBEDDED
UPPER DISTURBANCES...WILL AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MULTIPLE
CLUSTERS AND LINES OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY
RIDE EASTWARD ALONG THE WARM FRONT. A FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE
TORNADOES AND LARGE HAIL...ESPECIALLY LATE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
MISSOURI...ILLINOIS AND INDIANA. AN ISOLATED STRONG TORNADO CANNOT
BE RULED OUT.

THOSE IN THE THREATENED AREA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER
SAFETY RULES AND TO LISTEN TO RADIO...TELEVISION...AND NOAA WEATHER
RADIO FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES...WARNINGS...AND STATEMENTS LATER TODAY.

Some interesting weather especially as we head into this afternoon. Here's my big worry, this complex across Omaha this morning could bring in more heavy rain this afternoon and tonight and with thunderstorms this could mean a couple more inches! I drove across much of the flooded areas along state road 14 over the weekend with ponding in fields and many crops ruined. I'm afraid this same area could be in for more soaking tonight. We'll keep an eye on it!

Why all the severe storms this year?

Janie asked this question Friday:
This really has nothing to do with your post...but I was wondering...what is your take on all of the tornadoes that have been occurring this Spring? Why so many? Is it just a matter of time before we see them in our area? Has there ever been another era when so many have occurred? Or maybe is this part of a cycle that is occurring? Thanks for your blog. You are the most knowledgeable, easy to understand, weather guy.

It certainly has been an active year and we got into it a little later this year but had a rude awakening Friday night. As of today there have been 257 reported tornadoes and 2613 thunderstorm wind events. So why all the severe weather this year.

Here's my theory, I think we are seeing this pattern because of the strong La Nina pattern which brought a very strong northern jet stream. This unusually strong pattern has carried over into spring. Why is the jet stream so important? Well the winds of the jet stream can cause lift and buoyancy in the lower levels of the atmosphere. We've seen this strong jet stream in play most of the spring with early thunderstorms across the northern Rockies and plays.

Usually we don't see La Nina as a summer time pattern, so look for this effect to lesson over the next couple of weeks. As far as a cooler then normal summer, I don't think we can correlate to the cold winter season.

This week should be interesting, as we could see more severe weather as early as tomorrow afternoon and evening.

Final Assessment of Tornado Damage

Link to NWS