Devistation In Moore Oklahoma...Severe Threat Here Tomorrow

Words sometimes cannot even describe what has occurred in Oklahoma this afternoon. Utter devastation ripped though many communities as a large scaled severe weather event unfolded. Rain, hail, and monster tornadoes scared many lives and neighborhoods, especially in Moore, OK. Before this event, the people of Moore are very familiar with severe weather as one of the worst storms to ever occur happened back on May 3, 1999. An F-5 Tornado with winds around 318mph, leveled homes, buildings, and ripped up roads. The only positive to come of the May 3, 1999 tornado were a blossom of storm shelters built all across Oklahoma.

Nonetheless, the images were powerful this afternoon.

Image: Moore Tornado May 20, 2013 from KWTV

 

Above is a snapshot of the tornado from this afternoon in Moore, OK. Storm spotters estimated the width of the tornado around 1 mile wide, with wind speeds equivalent to an EF-4 or EF-5. Following the abatement of the tornado, the aftermath images would just shake you.

 

Image: NBC News, the aftermath of the Moore, OK

 

Homes destroyed, gas leaks creating fires, and many people losing everything they had. As a meteorologist, we wish we could control the weather to steer these type of storms away, but all we can do is report and try to inform as many as possible.

 

An additional thought comes to mind in how this tornado parallels the path of the 1999 storm. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Norman, OK put together a graphic, displaying how close the paths were.

 

Image: NWS Norman, OK. Path of 2013 and 1999 Moore, OK Tornadoes

 

 

The 1999 storm was an F-5 tornado, but the rating on today's storm will wait until the NWS surveys the damage.

 

What we have to be concerned about tomorrow is that the severe weather will shift into the Brazos Valley. Up front, I can tell you that there is a small tornado threat here, but the atmospheric condition does not favor large, long tracking tornadoes. Furthermore, the highest chance for large tornadoes will likely occur from northeast Texas to Arkansas.

 

 

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, OK has placed the entire Brazos Valley under a "Slight Risk" for severe weather tomorrow, with parts of Leon County and points to the northeast under a "Moderate Risk."

 

Our set up for severe weather features a cold front to our north and west, along with a tropical flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.

 

 

We see this all the time, but the true kicker to generating powerful storms lays in the upper levels. The jet stream along with other mid-level features create a strong enough wind to "tilt" individual thunderstorms. In other words, this upper level wind will allow storms to grow stronger and live longer. Therefore, strong winds, large hail, and even tornadoes become a concern when these type of conditions come together.

 

 

As the cold front moves closer and interacts with the daytime heating, clouds will begin to bubble up and severe weather will begin to break out.

 

Here is what we can expect here.

 

-Storms develop late in the afternoon Tuesday.

-Storms will continue into the night.

-Strongest storms will be to our northeast.

-Low threat of flash flooding.

-High threat of strong damaging wind.

-Moderate threat of large hail.

-Low threat of an isolated tornado.

 

Make sure to be weather aware tomorrow, and I will make sure to get as much information out to you on-air and online as well. Just make sure to get indoors if you see a storm approach, or you hear any thunder.

 

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