Photos courtesy of the National Weather Service in Des Moines. They link to the source page.
Well, we are facing yet another slight risk for severe weather within the US for the next three days. This has been a wild, wild year! I was looking at a few of the Weather Service offices, and I spotted the headline (link to report by clicking here) for Des Moines... Parkersburg Tornado Rated EF5
As I have said, I chased storms (well, a storm) in Iowa. The terrain is very hilly... lots of wooded areas... you don't get the same visibility that you do in the central plains. I imagine that thing was upon them before they had a chance to see it. I can't imagine. The map below depicts the approximate path of this beast of a tornado, which ranged from 3/4 to 1.2 miles as it tore its way through Iowa.
Last updated at 5:30 p.m. Tues. May 27, 2008
Summary
NWS personnel have rated the Parkersburg-New Hartford-Dunkerton tornado as EF 5 (correlated to wind speeds up to 205 MPH) on the Enhanced Fujita Scale at the locations of maximum damage. Additional details on path length, width, etc. will be posted on this webpage Wednesday, May 28. This is the first EF5 tornado in Iowa since the Jordan tornado of June 13, 1976.
I can't imagine the level of destruction, and my heart-felt prayers go out on behalf of everyone there, who was impacted in any way.
Looking at the Goodland, KS report of severe outbreak, it looks like they rated the Quinter, KS tornado an EF-4, which is the first since 1990...Over the two day period from May 22 to 23, there were 15 tornadoes, 35 reports of hail one inch or larger, and several reports of flooding and flash flooding. There were more tornadoes over this two day period that the region normally has in an entire year (the average annual tornado count for the Goodland County Warning Area is 13).
There was still no report up for the Windsor, CO tornado, which I imagine was also a strong tornado.
That tornado graphic that I am always referencing hasn't been updated yet... but once it is, I will post it to demonstrate graphically this historic year.
For now, I am off to the dentist.
I've been meaning to post a list of the Most Interesting Searches that have resulted in hits to my blog... (these are google searches that led folks to my blog)
1.) Watch Reckless Storms (reckless storms...?)
2.) Why do they launch weather balloons to tornadoes (news to me...)
3.) How many tornadoes happen per year in Georgia? (no more than... what happens, I suppose)
4.) What kind of clouds do fire tornadoes come from? (huh?) FYI Most of the largest fire whirls are spawned from wildfires. They form when a warm updraft and convergence from the wildfire are present
5.) How to go to south Georgia (drive south in Georgia)
6.) Is there going to be a tornado in South Georgia for April 10 or 11 of 2008? (This was before that date... but uh, let me consult my crystal ball... seriously people!)
7.) What is like about tornadoes and hurricanes (what is like, oh my gosh)
8.) Amazing funnel clouds look like Jesus (WHAT?!)
9.) Female storm chasers (Wahoo! It's official! I'm a female)
10.) What does it take to be a storm chaser? (Now, I have really hit the big leagues... You're asking me?!)
People crack me up...
Toodles,
~Dewdrop
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Parkersburg tornado rated EF-5!!
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I love that search list! That was me searching for female storm chasers - j/k! People are strange!
ReplyDeleteWhy are we having so many tornadoes this year? Does this compare to years past as being much more abundant? I have never really paid attention to these things until you went all psycho about weather...
ReplyDeleteMike, It is a crazy list. It always cracks me up to see the weird ones. People are out there.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, the tornado season is historic this year, way more than what is normal. As for why... you can thank La Nina for creating an environment of richly warm moist air for generating this insanity. Where El Nino killed the storms, La Nina has been like fuel for the fire.
The idea of tornadoes really scare me. My mother told me there was tornado in Hawaii a few years back... I don't know. I've never heard of that.
ReplyDeleteTornados scare me. They cause such devastation. Tornados and hurricanes. I enjoy watching to see where they are heading though and then I pray for those in it's path. Good post Dewdrop.
ReplyDeleteTornadoes warrant a healthy respect and fear. They have an amazing potential for causing destruction and taking lives. A tornado in Hawaii... wow... here is a link to some data about history of tornadoes there.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, Tornadoes and hurricanes both have amazing power, and I pray for those in their paths. Mini-Dew asked me the other day... how I can be so interested in chasing, but then be so sad when they happen. I explained that I love the science, love the unbridled power... but I hate the death and destruction. They are going to occur whether I chase them or not, but I am so sad when they devastate people.
Oh my gosh! Thanks Dewdrop. That's amazing. Who would have thunk it?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you inspired me to check into it. I have learned something new today... do I get to go home now? Or perhaps storm chasing in HAWAII... ( big grin )
ReplyDelete