Moderate risk and the importance of SKYWARN spotting

Well, folks, as suspected, as damage assessment takes place, the confirmed count of tornadoes from Monday's tornado outbreak in Virginia and surrounding areas has increased. The number of confirmed tornadoes in Virginia has been increased to a confirmed 9 tornadoes according to TWC, with two more suspected to have occurred, but according to the NWS-Wakefield, VA, there are only 8 confirmed, so far. The tornado reports figure has been increased from 13 to 26!!! The report for the Suffolk tornado has been altered to read...

DOWNTOWN SUFFOLK VA *** 200 INJ *** TORNADO INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN AROUND 405 PM...WITH DAMAGE FIRST NOTED ABOUT 2 MILES NORTHEAST OF LUMMIS. THE TORNADO HAD A PATH LENGTH OF ABOUT 10 MILE

Today, we are facing yet another moderate risk for severe weather, with a 10% probability of tornadoes occurring within that moderate risk area, which covers eastern Kansas, western Missouri, and the southeastern tip of Nebraska. Unfortunately, at best it will start firing during evening hours. The forecast calls for an overnight event. I HATE night-time events! They are so much more dangerous because people aren't as aware of what's happening around them. They aren't watching television to get the emergency broadcast messages. They aren't listening to the radio. It is these situations that make weather radios so critical. I really think that life and safety code should be revised to include weather radios built into every home, just like smoke detectors. I think they are as important, and would be a valuable tool for disseminating information to people about every type of emergency... oops, soap boxing again. Anyways, things should be firing up tonight in the central plains. May is statistically the month for the most occurrences of tornadoes, with June following in behind that. People in the area of moderate risk for severe weather should be vigilant... and have their weather radios ready!

Now, yesterday, I spoke to the issue of the ridiculous overabundance of "home videos" of large and destructive tornadoes heading toward the untrained videographers. Thank God, with all the morons (sorry, my opinion... perhaps you prefer yahoos as Ken referred to them...) out there trying to capture video footage of a very dangerous storm that they knew very little about, there were still no reported fatalities, but it could have been quite different. I am, by no means, elite in my weather knowledge. There is a large group of meteorologists and cool weather geeks out there with even more weather knowledge that I have. I am encouraging everyone out there to expand your climatological horizons and learn more about what is going on around you. One way of doing this is to become a trained SKYWARN Spotter. SKYWARN Spotters are the eyes in the field of the National Weather Service. Spotters fill in the holes that limitations of radar leave, being able to offer eye witness accounts of actual, real-time weather activity, which gives the meteorologists a better understanding of the conditions to offer better opportunities for warnings in an effort to protect life and property. The National Weather Service offers training through its local Weather Service offices. Click on the map to link to contact information for your area. There is both basic and advanced SKYWARN Spotter training available. David Drummond has put together a great comprehensive site for anyone interested in learning about becoming a spotter or just expanding their weatherwiseness. I encourage everyone to take at least a basic course in spotting which is available online through many local Weather Service websites. For example, you can access Tallahassee's online training by clicking this link.

Important note - This spotter training course is intended for volunteers within the NWS Tallahassee's area of responsibility. Each NWS Forecast Office designs and administers the Skywarn Spotter program to best serve their area. Please contact your local NWS Forecast office to become part of Skywarn in your area.

Have a bright, bright, bright sunshiny day!
~Dewdrop