Watching the Skies » Severe Thunderstorm Warning http://www.watchingtheskies.com an enthusiast website for severe weather... Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:44:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Unexpected overnight severe thunderstorms http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/06/15/unexpected-overnight-severe-thunderstorms/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/06/15/unexpected-overnight-severe-thunderstorms/#comments Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:49:52 +0000 Sean Toner http://www.watchingtheskies.com/?p=2419 [read more...]]]> The National Weather Service indicated a minimal chance of thunderstorm activity around the Red River tonight for the past week, but all the latest model runs showed that to be hardly worth mentioning. Now as of 12:40am CDT, an Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Denton County, just north of the Metroplex. Gotta love that unpredictable weather huh?

There is a large dry slot of air in the mid-atmosphere, so these thunderstorms may be of the low precipitation type. That means plenty of lightning but little rain, so wildfires may be started by lightning.

Due to the dry slot in the mid-atmosphere, these storms would be capable of high straight line winds, and some marginal severe hail.

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/06/15/unexpected-overnight-severe-thunderstorms/feed/ 0 Severe weather threat coming to an end for the DFW Metroplex http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/severe-weather-threat-coming-to-an-end-for-the-dfw-metroplex/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/severe-weather-threat-coming-to-an-end-for-the-dfw-metroplex/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 03:52:35 +0000 Sean Toner http://www.watchingtheskies.com/?p=2397 The last round of severe weather has moved through much of the DFW Metroplex finally, with numerous tornado, wind, and hail reports from the entire region. I will provide more details as they come in.


Radar snap from 10:47 pm CDT

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/severe-weather-threat-coming-to-an-end-for-the-dfw-metroplex/feed/ 0 Round three of severe weather approaching the DFW Metroplex! http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/round-three-of-severe-weather-approaching-the-dfw-metroplex/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/round-three-of-severe-weather-approaching-the-dfw-metroplex/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 02:44:37 +0000 Sean Toner http://www.watchingtheskies.com/?p=2395 Our next and possibly last round of severe thunderstorms is approaching the Metroplex now! These storms are linear in nature and forming directly along the dryline. The tornado risk is still moderate, so please keep a close eye to the skies!


Radar snap from 9:42pm CDT

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/round-three-of-severe-weather-approaching-the-dfw-metroplex/feed/ 2 Developing line of severe storms west of the DFW Metroplex http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/developing-line-of-severe-storms-west-of-the-dfw-metroplex/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/developing-line-of-severe-storms-west-of-the-dfw-metroplex/#comments Tue, 24 May 2011 23:59:11 +0000 Sean Toner http://www.watchingtheskies.com/?p=2384 A line of developing severe thunderstorms is moving ENE towards the DFW Metroplex. These storms will reside in an area primed for tornadic potential, so I urge everyone to keep a keen eye to the weather this evening.


Radar snap from 6:44 pm CDT.

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/developing-line-of-severe-storms-west-of-the-dfw-metroplex/feed/ 0 Radar snap west of DFW Metroplex at 5:02pm CDT http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/radar-snap-west-of-dfw-metroplex-at-502pm-cdt/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/radar-snap-west-of-dfw-metroplex-at-502pm-cdt/#comments Tue, 24 May 2011 22:09:07 +0000 Sean Toner http://www.watchingtheskies.com/?p=2381 DFW, this is the storm to watch today. It is in a favorable environment, isolated from other supercells. If this storm becomes tornadic, it will very likely affect the Metroplex directly. The storm motion is about ENE at 50kts. ETA to northern parts of the metroplex is 6pm to 6:30pm cdt.

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2011/05/24/radar-snap-west-of-dfw-metroplex-at-502pm-cdt/feed/ 0 Severe hail size increased to 1 inch for SVR t-storm warnings http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/12/09/severe-hail-size-increased-to-1-inch-for-svr-t-storm-warnings/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/12/09/severe-hail-size-increased-to-1-inch-for-svr-t-storm-warnings/#comments Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:09:43 +0000 Sean Toner http://watchingtheskies.com/?p=2009 [read more...]]]> The National Weather Service has officially adjusted the severe weather criteria for reporting hail… Previously, hail of 0.75 inches or larger was considered severe and would prompt a severe thunderstorm warning. Now to assist with reducing the amount of severe thunderstorm warnings and more accurately advise of severe weather, severe hail size is now increased to 1.0 inches. The change takes effect on January 5, 2010 for all regions in the USA.

To:       subscribers:  NWS partners…users and employees

Subject:  National change in minimum hail size criterion
for issuing Severe Thunderstorm Warning /svr/
and severe weather statement /svs/ products
effective January 5 2010

Effective Tuesday January 5 2010 at 0001 coordinated Universal time
/UTC/…all NWS weather forecast offices /wfos/ will operationally
change the minimum hail size criterion used to issue Severe
Thunderstorm Warning /svr/ and severe weather statement /svs/
products from 3/4 inch /penny/ diameter or larger hail to 1 inch
/quarter/ diameter or larger hail.

No change is being made to the svr and svs product wind criterion
of wind gusts equal to or in excess of 50 knots /58 mph/.

A public information statement /pns/ soliciting comments regarding
this change was issued September 23 2009 /use lowercase/:

http://www.Weather.Gov/os/notification/pns09_1_inch_hail.Txt

NWS received 63 comments in response to the pns…54 of which /86
percent/ supported this change. A web Page will be created to
address all comments since some comments indicated a need for
additional outreach. This web Page will be available by December 15
2009 and will be publicized via another pns.

NWS reviewed all comments before deciding to change minimum hail
size criterion for svr and svs products.

Central and western region wfos currently issue svr and svs
products experimentally using the 1 inch /quarter/ diameter or
larger hail size criterion /use lower case/:

http://www.NWS.NOAA.Gov/om/notification/scn09-19hail_change.Txt

and

http://www.NWS.NOAA.Gov/om/notification/scn09-36wr_hail_exp.Txt

These wfos will continue to issue 1 inch /quarter/ hail size
criterion products experimentally through January 4 2010. All NWS
wfos will adopt the new criterion operationally on January 5 2010.

For further information regarding this change please contact:

John T ferree
fire and public weather services branch
120 David l. Boren Blvd suite 2312
Norman OK 73072
John.T.Ferree@noaa.Gov

Or

mark Fox
warning and coordination meteorologist
National Weather Service Fort Worth Texas
3401 northern cross Blvd
Fort Worth Texas 76137
mark.Fox@noaa.Gov
National service change notices are online at /use lowercase/: http://weather.Gov/os/notif.Htm

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/12/09/severe-hail-size-increased-to-1-inch-for-svr-t-storm-warnings/feed/ 0 Tornado Watch for part of the Metroplex http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/29/tornado-watch-for-part-of-the-metroplex/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/29/tornado-watch-for-part-of-the-metroplex/#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:25:05 +0000 Sean Toner http://watchingtheskies.com/?p=1942 [read more...]]]> A Tornado Watch has been issued for Collin, Dallas, Tarrant counties as well as several others across central, east, and north Texas as well as eastern Oklahoma. The SPC has bumped this watch area up to a 10% tornado risk which is certainly worth paying attention to. While most of the metroplex is under a Tornado Watch, the cold front has mostly passed through the metroplex already so the threat is quite low, if not gone. There is currently a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for eastern Dallas county, but that storm has weakened and moved out of the warned area so I would expect this to expire shortly. Areas directly to the east and south of the Metroplex however should absolutely keep an eye on this situation since the severe weather threat and tornado potential is moderate.

Temperatures behind the front are 20 degrees lower, dropping temps from 75 down to 55 immediately behind.

URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 781
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1155 AM CDT THU OCT 29 2009

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
NORTHEAST TEXAS

EFFECTIVE THIS THURSDAY MORNING AND EVENING FROM 1155 AM UNTIL
600 PM CDT.

TORNADOES…HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER…THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 80 MPH…AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 50 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 15 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF
MUSKOGEE OKLAHOMA TO 40 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF TEMPLE TEXAS.
FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH
OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU1).

REMEMBER…A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 780…

DISCUSSION…THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY
ALONG SLOW EWD-MOVING COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. RICH BOUNDARY LAYER
MOISTURE AND STRONG TO INTENSE LOW THROUGH MID-LEVEL WIND FIELDS
WILL SUPPORT INCREASINGLY ORGANIZED STORMS/CELLS. WHILE ACTIVITY MAY
EVENTUALLY CONSOLIDATE INTO A SQUALL LINE WITH DAMAGING
WINDS…INITIAL/DISCRETE STORMS WILL EXISTS WITHIN VERY SUPPORTIVE
ENVIRONMENT FOR PERSISTENT LOW-LEVEL ROTATION AND POSSIBLE
TORNADOES.

AVIATION…TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1 INCH. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 21045.

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/29/tornado-watch-for-part-of-the-metroplex/feed/ 0 33.1506744 -96.823611633.1506744-96.8236116 Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Denton County http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/06/severe-thunderstorm-warning-for-denton-county-4/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/06/severe-thunderstorm-warning-for-denton-county-4/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:04:54 +0000 Sean Toner http://watchingtheskies.com/?p=1877 [read more...]]]> Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Denton County. Currently the storm is over far western Denton County, but moving east at about 35 knots. If the storm holds its severity, it will reach Frisco within 45-55 minutes, or around 1:45pm. Currently the storm looks marginally severe due to hail, along with strong winds but they dont appear to be severe. I will send updates as needed.

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1254 PM CDT TUE OCT 6 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
DENTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS…

* UNTIL 200 PM CDT

* AT 1254 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL…AND
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 9 MILES
WEST OF JUSTIN…AND MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR…
JUSTIN BY 105 PM
CORRAL CITY…NORTHLAKE…ROANOKE AND KRUM BY 110 PM
BARTONVILLE…ARGYLE AND SANGER BY 115 PM
COPPER CANYON AND DOUBLE OAK BY 120 PM

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO A STURDY SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE…SEEK SHELTER IN A STRONG BUILDING AND
STAY INSIDE…AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/06/severe-thunderstorm-warning-for-denton-county-4/feed/ 0 33.2148412 -97.133068333.2148412-97.1330683 Severe storm pictures from October 1 http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/02/severe-storm-pictures-from-october-1/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/02/severe-storm-pictures-from-october-1/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:10:43 +0000 Sean Toner http://watchingtheskies.com/?p=1864 Took these using my G1… not the best camera, but with beautiful shots like these its hard not to see the beauty. The first three are about 40 minutes before the store arrived, the last one is 30 minutes after the storm passed by.

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/02/severe-storm-pictures-from-october-1/feed/ 0 33.152866 -96.78764733.152866-96.787647 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for Denton County http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/01/severe-thunderstorm-warnings-for-denton-county/ http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/01/severe-thunderstorm-warnings-for-denton-county/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:57:38 +0000 Sean Toner http://watchingtheskies.com/?p=1862 [read more...]]]> This likely affects very few of us, but probably set off the weather radios for those who have them. While composing this email, a second Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Denton County, covering the southern half including The Colony and the Denton county portion of Frisco. These storms are warned mainly due to severe hail. The angle and direction these storms are traveling make it difficult to properly see wind velocities but there is a good chance of severe winds in these storms as well. Now is a good time to bring in any lightweight patio furnature.

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
436 PM CDT THU OCT 1 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
NORTHERN DENTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS…

* UNTIL 515 PM CDT

* AT 436 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL…AND
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES
NORTHWEST OF SANGER…AND MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR…
SANGER AND KRUM BY 455 PM
RAY ROBERTS PARK JOHNSON BRANCH AND DENTON BY 510 PM
RAY ROBERTS PARK ISLE DU BOIS…AUBREY…PILOT POINT AND
KRUGERVILLE BY 515 PM

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO A STURDY SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE…SEEK SHELTER IN A STRONG BUILDING AND
STAY INSIDE…AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
452 PM CDT THU OCT 1 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
SOUTHERN DENTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS…
SOUTHEASTERN WISE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS…

* UNTIL 545 PM CDT

* AT 452 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL…AND
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 10
MILES NORTHWEST OF JUSTIN…AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THIS STORM
WAS PART OF A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS
EAST ACROSS THE COUNTIES.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR…
JUSTIN BY 510 PM
NORTHLAKE BY 515 PM
ARGYLE…CORRAL CITY AND ROANOKE BY 520 PM
BARTONVILLE BY 525 PM
DOUBLE OAK BY 530 PM
COPPER CANYON…CORINTH AND FLOWER MOUND BY 535 PM

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO A STURDY SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE…SEEK SHELTER IN A STRONG BUILDING AND
STAY INSIDE…AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

]]> http://www.watchingtheskies.com/2009/10/01/severe-thunderstorm-warnings-for-denton-county/feed/ 0 33.152866 -96.78764733.152866-96.787647