Our subtle pattern change is taking place with east to southeast winds taking over as the upper level low weakens & loses its influence. So scattered afternoon storms will still develop Fri.-Sat. but will primarily be inland -- near & west of Highway 301. The one thing to watch for will be a few overnight & morning coastal showers or thundershowers thanks to the onshore winds & tropical moisture (note the "tropical-looking" cumulus clouds).
By Sun. a weak cool front will approach along with a pretty stout upper level disturbance. The combination should trigger more numerous storms again that will continue into Mon. with the potential for some very heavy rainfall & localized severe storms.
The first photo below is from James Boyle & shows some of the street flooding in Jacksonville (Springfield) Wed. afternoon...the second photo is from Nancy Brown & shows some of the towering cumulus early Thu. morning. We'll likely see these clouds again Fri. & Sat. morning which is when we could see a few showers/t'showers from about I-95 to the coast.
The Midwest just continues to get pounded. The photo below is one my father sent me showing the record flooding in Waterloo, Iowa. In many cases throughout Iowa, rivers will crest at 500-yr. flood levels & higher than the infamous 1993 flooding. Many communities have water where it's never been. This from the Moline N.W.S. forecast discussion:
ONGOING RECORD BREAKING FLOODING EVENT WILL TRY AND MAKE THIS CONCISE. WE ARE IN THE MIDST FOR MUCH IF NOT MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA TO EXPERIENCE A FLOODING EVENT THAT WILL LIKELY SURPASS THE INFAMOUS "FLOOD OF 1993" OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WITH WIDESPREAD SEVERE IMPACTS.............
.HYDROLOGY...
RECORD...HISTORICAL RIVER FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING ONGOING WITH CATASTROPHIC IMPACTS WITH LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS UNFOLDING NEXT 72 TO 96+ HOURS. ADJUSTING MANY RIVER LEVELS AS ADDITIONAL RAINS AND RUNOFF ADD TO RAPIDLY RISING RIVER LEVELS. AGAIN...THIS FLOODING EVENT IS GREATER THAN THE "FLOOD OF 1993" FOR MUCH IF NOT MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA. SEE HYDROLOGIC PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
Click here to see a MODIS satellite imagery comparison -- preflood conditions in mid May vs. now.
And yet another outbreak of deadly tornadoes in the Midwest -- centered on Iowa, Kansas & Nebraska. Couple things stood out to me while listening to the scouts at the camp in Iowa hit by an EF-3 tornado. One scout mentioned the electricity going out right before the tornado hit -- that can be a tell-tale sign of an approaching tornado. Click here to listen to the scout's account....click here for doppler images of the intense tornado....here's the storm survey from the Omaha N.W.S.:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY
205 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008
...LITTLE SIOUX BOY SCOUT CAMP TORNADO CONFIRMED AS AN EF3...
THE NWS SURVEY TEAM IS STILL MAPPING THE DAMAGE FROM THE TORNADO THAT OCCURRED WEDNESDAY EVENING JUNE 11TH ACROSS NORTHWEST IOWA.
THE TEAM HAS CONFIRMED THAT EF3 DAMAGE HAS BEEN NOTED AT THE BOY SCOUT CAMP...WITH AN ESTIMATED WIND SPEED OF 145 MPH BASED ON THE DAMAGE NOTED THUS FAR. THE TEAM WAS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE DAMAGE PATH NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD MOORHEAD.
KTIV MEDIA OUTLET IN SIOUX CITY HAS PERFORMED AN AERIAL SURVEY.
PRELIMINARILY...KTIV REPORTED THAT DAMAGE BEGAN NEAR INTERSTATE 29...MOVED THROUGH THE BOY SCOUT CAMP...THEN INTO MOORHEAD WITH VERY LITTLE DAMAGE BEYOND MOORHEAD. BASED ON REMOTE SENSING METHODS USING AERIAL IMAGERY...THIS WOULD POSSIBLY BE A PATH LENGTH OF ABOUT 14 MILES. PATH WIDTH IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.
OFFICIAL DETAILS WILL BE PROVIDED ONCE THE NWS DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM COMPLETES THEIR SURVEY LATER TODAY.
THE TORNADO RESULTED IN 48 CONFIRMED INJURIES AND UNFORTUNATELY 4 FATALITIES.
ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE
EF0...65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...201+ MPH
Secondly, looking at the video from the Northeast Kansas killer tornadoes, notice that many of the homes still had some of their interior walls at least partially intact...bathrooms fared better too. Keep in mind to go to a closet in the middle of your home or the tub in your bathroom if a tornado is approaching. Click here for storm surveys from the Topeka N.W.S.
This from the American Optometric Association:
An Eye Opening Reality: UV Protection for Eyes
Especially Important During Summer Months
Young people particularly susceptible to harmful UV rays that may affect vision
ST. LOUIS, MO, June 12, 2008 – Ultraviolet (UV) protection is a concern for many Americans, particularly in the spring and summer months, but most people are thinking about their skin, not their eyes. The American Optometric Association (AOA) warns that prolonged exposure to the sun's UV rays and short wavelength light (violet and blue light) without proper protection may cause eye conditions that can lead to a variety of vision disorders.
According to the AOA’s 2007 American Eye-Q® survey, which identified Americans’ attitudes and behaviors regarding eye care and related issues, 40 percent of Americans do not think UV protection is an important factor to consider when purchasing sunglasses.
“Just as skin is ‘burned’ by UV radiation the eye can also suffer damage,” said Gregory Good, OD, Ph.D., member of AOA’s Commission on Ophthalmic Standards. “The lesson—especially for young people—is that eyes need protection, too. Protection can be achieved by simple, safe, and inexpensive methods such as wearing a brimmed hat and using eyewear that properly absorbs UV radiation.”
Overexposure to UV rays has been linked to age-related cataracts, pterygium, photokeratitis and corneal degenerative changes, the AOA said. These conditions can cause blurred vision, irritation, redness, tearing, temporary vision loss and, in some instances, blindness. And, while the correlation is still unclear, there appears to be a link between excessive summer sun exposure and retinal pigmentation.
The AOA cautions that the effects of sunlight exposure are cumulative; therefore, individuals whose work or recreational activities involve lengthy exposure to sunlight are at the greatest risk. UV radiation reflects off surfaces such as snow, water and white sand, so the risk is particularly high for people on beaches, boats or ski slopes. The risk for serious damage is greatest during the mid-day hours, generally from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and during summer months.
Children and teenagers are particularly susceptible to the sun’s damaging rays because they typically spend more time outdoors than adults, and the lenses of their eyes are more transparent than those of adults. The transparent lenses allow more short wavelength light to reach the retina of the eye.
The effects of UV radiation are cumulative, so it’s important to develop good protection habits early in life, such as wearing sunglasses with UV protection. The American Eye-Q® survey showed that 61 percent of Americans buy sunglasses for their children, but 23 percent do not check that the lenses provide protection against UV rays.
By educating Americans about the dangers of UV rays on the eyes and the importance of choosing proper eyewear that provides the best UV protection, doctors of optometry are helping patients protect their long-term eye health.
The following top five tips from the American Optometric Association can help prevent further eye damage from exposure to UV radiation:
Wear protective eyewear any time your eyes are exposed to UV radiation, even on cloudy days and during the winter.
Look for quality sunglasses that offer good protection. Sunglasses should block out 99 to 100 percent of UV-A and UV-B radiation and screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light.
Check to make sure sunglass lenses are perfectly matched in color and free of distortions or imperfections.
Purchase gray-colored lenses because they reduce light intensity without altering the color of objects, providing the most natural color vision.
Don’t forget protection for children and teenagers. They typically spend more time in the sun than adults and are at greater risk of damaging their retinas from short wavelength light.
Additionally, be sure to receive routine comprehensive eye exams from an eye doctor. It’s a good way to monitor eye health, maintain good vision, and keep up-to-date on the latest in UV radiation protection.
