Fierce storm hammers Southeast U.S.
The Southeast U.S. is under the gun today from a combination of severe thunderstorms, high winds, heavy rain, and coastal storm surge flooding. A tornado was reported on the ground near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida this morning, and tornado warnings have been posted for two separate squall lines moving through the Florida Panhandle and neighboring regions of Alabama and Georgia. These squall lines are expected to intensify and generate tornadoes, heavy rain, and strong winds as they push eastwards today. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has put most of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina in their "Slight Risk" category for severe weather today, warning of the possibility of supercell thunderstorms capable of spawning tornadoes. If the air mass in front of these squall lines becomes sufficiently unstable this afternoon due to solar heating of the lower atmosphere and other factors, SPC may need to upgrade their severe weather category to "Moderate Risk", the second highest level of risk.
Figure 1. Satellite image of the December 2 storm. Image credit: NASA/GSFC.
The storm's powerful winds blowing over the Gulf of Mexico have created storm surges of 2 - 3 feet along the coast, from New Orleans to the Florida Panhandle. A storm surge of two feet was recorded in Waveland, Mississippi last night and this morning, which caused flooding of low-lying roads in Hancock County. New Orleans recorded 2.42" of rain yesterday from the storm, breaking their record for the rainiest December 1. Radar-estimated rainfall (Figure 2) shows up to five inches of rain has fallen over some regions of the Florida Panhandle, and additional rainfall amounts of 2 - 5 inches are expected along the track of the storm as it heads north-northeast today. Flash flooding was reported in Charleston, SC this morning, closing several roads.
Figure 2. Radar-estimated rainfall from the December 2 Gulf Coast storm.
Also receiving a pounding from the storm were the Gulf Coast beaches from Dauphin Island, Alabama, to the Florida Panhandle near Pensacola. A storm surge of two feet, topped by battering waves 10 - 12 feet high, probably caused millions of dollars of erosion damage last night and this morning. A 16-mile stretch of man-made beach encompassing the Alabama coastal communities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach suffered $5 million in erosion damage from the pounding delivered by Tropical Storm Ida last month. The two beach communities, along with Gulf State Park, spent about $24.2 million in 2005 to strengthen 16 miles of shoreline by dredging about 6 million cubic yards of sand from the sea floor and dumping it on shore. Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008 did about $9.5 million in erosion damage to the Gulf Shores beach. Because the beach is man-made, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency treated it as they do bridges and highways, paying 85 percent of the tab to repair storm damage.
You can follow today's severe weather outbreak with our Severe Weather and Tornado pages.
Second Annual Portlight Honor Walk this weekend
When:
Saturday, December 5, 2009 or Sunday, December 6, 2009
What:
A nationwide grassroots event to raise funds for and awareness of Portlight's ongoing efforts specifically aimed at providing Christmas presents for kids and families devastated by the recent Atlanta floods, South Carolina wildfires, American Samoa tsunami, and other disasters that may occur.
Why:
Un-served, underserved and forgotten people are depending on us.
How:
We need one hundred people across the country to commit to walking one mile on this day, and to raise at least $300.00 in sponsorship from friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc. Participants can choose where to walk--it can be the park, the mall the neighborhood--anywhere you choose. The first 100 participants to raise at least $300 will receive a commemorative T-Shirt.
To register, simply e-mail your intention to participate at paul@portlight.org
Check the Portlight featured Weather Underground Blog regularly for updates!
The Honor Walk Sponsor Form available here will help you keep track of funds and pledges:
http://www.portlight.org/images/walkerform.pdf
Next post
The embattled director of the Climate Research Unit (CRU) of the UK's University of East Anglia announced that he will be temporarily standing aside as director until an independent review resulting from allegations following the publication of emails illegally hacked from his computers. I'll be posting a response tonight or Thursday morning, assuming that today's storm does not generate a deadly tornado outbreak. I'm also working on a post titled, "Don't Shoot the Messenger", in response to charges by the Wall Street Journal in an editorial yesterday that climate scientists have a vested interest in promoting alarmist views of the climate in order to get research funding.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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I'm pretty confident about it.
Whatever you sayyyy (rolls eyes)
Amen to that!
81.7 °F
Scattered Clouds
I can see Tampa escaping the brunt, don't get me wrong, but to say no thunderstorms? I can't agree with that. Here in Palm Coast, we have a bigger threat for severe weather, even shows Severe Storms on the NWS forecast.
Today: A slight chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Some of the storms could be severe and produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Breezy, with a south wind around 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Some of the storms could be severe. Low around 62. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 10 and 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
943 AM EST WED DEC 2 2009
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...
...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS POSSIBLE OVER W AREAS THRU THIS AFTERNOON...
.UPDATE...RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGERY SQUALL LINE FROM AL/GA SWD
INTO THE FL PANHANDLE TO THE GULF OF MEXICO IN ASSOCIATION WITH A
STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHING THROUGH THE SE U.S. UPPER LEVELS SHOWED
STRONG LOW PRESSURE OVER ERN TX SHIFTING NEWD INTO AR AND LA.
STRONG DIVERGENCE NOTED OVER THE FL PANHANDLE ATTM AND A LOW LEVEL
JET UPWARDS OF 60-75 KT POINTED INTO THE FL PANHANDLE. MODELS
SUGGEST A POTENTIAL OF SLIGHT WEAKENING AS THE LINE BECOMES
FURTHER REMOVED FROM THE MID/UPPER LEVEL LOW. EVEN IF THE LINE
DOES WEAKEN SOME...THE COMBINATION OF A STRONG LLVL JET UPWARDS OF
ABOUT 65 KT OVER SE GA THIS AFTERNOON AND WEAK INSTABILITY WILL
SUPPORT A RISK OF SEVERE STORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN
AFFECTS. MODIFIED 12Z JAX SOUNDING YIELDS SBCAPE VALUE OF NEAR 800
J/KG AND LI OF -3. TORNADO THREAT STILL THERE BUT THE STRONGER
HELICITIES VALUES OF ABOUT 300-500 ARE EXPECTED OVER INLAND SE GA
INTO THE SUWANNEE VALLEY AREA OF NRN FL. MAIN CHANGES TO THE ZONES
AT THIS TIME WAS TO TWEAK TEMPS SLIGHTLY HIGHER AND BUMP UP POPS
ABOUT 10%. WIND FIELDS ARE INCREASING AND DON`T ANTICIPATE ANY
CHANGES WITH THE LAKE WIND ADVISORIES.
I'm not surprised
junky junky
bo bunky
banana fana fo funky
me my mo munky
junky!
:)
With some warming at the surface to get past that inversion at 800...well...could be a bit rough.
To all my friends in the FL Panhandle, TORNADO WATCH 788 is OUT! Keep an EYE ON THE SKIES.
Not exactly what you're asking for, but just in case you want to review procedures for before, during and after a flood:
www.redcross.org
www.ready.gov
www.floodsmart.gov
nice sse rtn flow movin nw over fla with strong dynamical front pushing e ne and sweeping out gulf forced daytime enhancement with strong developement till after sunset then waning into mid evening
Florida is going to get CREAMED later today. EVERYONE in the Florida Peninsula needs to watch this VERY CLOSELY!
Thanks Pat. Having been through this several times (as you can imagine, being only 3 feet above sea level) we have a pretty good evacuation plan in place. Not like we have any choice, since they close down the bridges to the island so that nobody can get on once flooding begins. Thanks, though.
Yeah, just like you said Ida would be this massive storm system... (rolls eyes)
I didn't say no thunderstorms, I just said I don't expect widespread severe weather for Tampa. There is a difference.
Yeah and eventually, it did become a massive Noreaster. I was wrong on the time of the merging lows.
Link
Link button not working so - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091202/ap_on_re_as/climate_australia
Disappointing. No Crow Gumbo.
I'm holding Orca's people responsible for lack of that certain flair:
(crow recipes)
Collected by Bert Christensen
Toronto, Ontario
Well that's Tampa anyways.. Here in Palm Coast is a different story, near Jacksonville. The storm will be stronger here then Central Floirida. Not expecting, but won't be surprised if I'm in a moderate risk area when the update comes out in 15 minutes.
Yeah, we are all here learning.
:)
I'm expecting strong storms in Tampa, and maybe even a severe storm, but nothing widespread like areas to our north will see.
Whaddayamean? I think we agree plenty...
And, yeah, there is a reason that some locales don't have the beaches naturally and it should be left that way.
high resolution past
I'm ready for the line to show up on Tampa radar.
Oops, Good Mornin' Amy!
I'm feeling left out of interesting weather, howzabout you? Any new fires, Santa Ana winds, ANYTHING?
T-Dude, jealous of the snow in Texas or have you seen some?
National Weather Service New Orleans la
413 am CST Wednesday Dec 2 2009
Long term...
biggest change made in the extended forecast pertains to wintry
precipitation. GFS has continued to indicate the development of a surface low
that tracks eastward across the northern Gulf. The European model (ecmwf) still has
not come around to this solution but models do agree that a deep
trough will swing through...providing enough lift for precipitation to
develop. Model soundings at btr and mcb show saturation in the -10
to -20c dendritic growth zone as well as column temperatures below freezing
from around 1500kft and upwards after 06z Sat. This type of sounding
would produce strictly snow. For these reasons...have decided to add
-sn to the forecast from btr to Poplarville and northward. Latest
mex came in at 70pct and previous run had middle 40s. B/c of such a big
change...decided to stay on the low sided of guidance at 40pct with
possible accumulations up to 1 inch. Still plenty of uncertainty
with this event. Last year/S snow on Dec 11th was the earliest on
record...so climatology suggests the a low probability of snow
developing. Will have to continue to closely monitor.
I concur..Im writing a Blog for another local site so Im kinda back and forth right now..Be safe everyone east of this system.
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1035 AM EST WED DEC 2 2009
TORNADO WATCH 788 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM EST FOR THE
FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
GAC001-003-005-007-017-019-023-027-037-053-061-065-069-071-075-
081-087-091-093-095-099-101-131-153-155-161-173-175-177-185-193-
197-201-205-209-229-235-239-243-249-253-259-261-271-273-275-277-
279-283-287-299-307-309-315-321-022200-
/O.NEW.KWNS.TO.A.0788.091202T1535Z-091202T2200Z/
GA
. GEORGIA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
APPLING ATKINSON BACON
BAKER BEN HILL BERRIEN
BLECKLEY BROOKS CALHOUN
CHATTAHOOCHEE CLAY CLINCH
COFFEE COLQUITT COOK
CRISP DECATUR DODGE
DOOLY DOUGHERTY EARLY
ECHOLS GRADY HOUSTON
IRWIN JEFF DAVIS LANIER
LAURENS LEE LOWNDES
MACON MARION MILLER
MITCHELL MONTGOMERY PIERCE
PULASKI QUITMAN RANDOLPH
SCHLEY SEMINOLE STEWART
SUMTER TELFAIR TERRELL
THOMAS TIFT TOOMBS
TREUTLEN TURNER WARE
WEBSTER WHEELER WILCOX
WORTH
$$
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TORNADO WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WT 788
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1035 AM EST WED DEC 2 2009
TORNADO WATCH 788 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM EST FOR THE
FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
GMZ730-755-765-022200-
/O.NEW.KWNS.TO.A.0788.091202T1535Z-091202T2200Z/
CW
. ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS INCLUDED ARE
APALACHEE BAY OR COASTAL WATERS FROM KEATON BEACH TO OCHLOCKONEE
RIVER FL OUT TO 20 NM
COASTAL WATERS FROM OCHLOCKONEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT TO
20 NM
COASTAL WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO KEATON BEACH OUT 20 NM
$$
ATTN...WFO...JAX...TAE...FFC...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TORNADO WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WT 788
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1035 AM EST WED DEC 2 2009
TORNADO WATCH 788 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM EST FOR THE
FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
FLC023-029-037-039-041-047-065-067-073-077-079-121-123-129-
022200-
/O.NEW.KWNS.TO.A.0788.091202T1535Z-091202T2200Z/
FL
. FLORIDA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
COLUMBIA DIXIE FRANKLIN
GADSDEN GILCHRIST HAMILTON
JEFFERSON LAFAYETTE LEON
LIBERTY MADISON SUWANNEE
TAYLOR WAKULLA
$$
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm feeling left out of interesting weather, howzabout you? Any new fires, Santa Ana winds, ANYTHING?
nada....zilch...zippo....
rying Pan Tower
NDBC - Station 41013 - Frying Pan Shoals, NC Buoy Observations
Station 41013 - Frying Pan Shoals, NC Buoy
December 2, 2009 10:50 am EST
Location: 33.436N 77.743W
Wind Direction: SE (130°)
Wind Speed: 29.2 knots
Wind Gust: 35.0 knots
Significant Wave Height: 10.8 ft
Dominant Wave Period: 8 sec
Average Period: 6.2 sec
Mean Wave Direction: SE (124°)
Atmospheric Pressure: 29.87 in (1011.4 mb)
Pressure Tendency: -0.07 in (-2.4 mb)
Air Temperature: 69.6°F (20.9°C)
Dew Point: 66.0°F (18.9°C)
Water Temperature: 71.6°F (22.0°C)
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I haven't heard one of those in a while! And in my honor on top of that. My day is going great!
Mornin' to you too Amy! Weather still dead out there?
WOUS20 KWNS 021344
WWASPC
SPC WW-A 021345
ALZ000-FLZ000-GAZ000-CWZ000-021440-
STATUS REPORT ON WW 787
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES RIGHT OF A LINE FROM 70 SSW PNS
TO 25 W GZH.
..SPC..12/02/09
ATTN...WFO...MOB...TAE...
&&
STATUS REPORT FOR WT 787
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
ALC031-035-039-045-053-061-067-069-021440-
AL
. ALABAMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
COFFEE CONECUH COVINGTON
DALE ESCAMBIA GENEVA
HENRY HOUSTON
$$
FLC005-013-033-037-039-045-059-063-073-077-091-113-129-131-133-
021440-
FL
. FLORIDA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
BAY CALHOUN ESCAMBIA
FRANKLIN GADSDEN GULF
HOLMES JACKSON LEON
LIBERTY OKALOOSA SANTA ROSA
WAKULLA WALTON WASHINGTON
$$
GAC007-037-061-087-095-099-131-177-201-205-239-243-253-273-
021440-
GA
. GEORGIA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
BAKER CALHOUN CLAY
DECATUR DOUGHERTY EARLY
GRADY LEE MILLER
MITCHELL QUITMAN RANDOLPH
SEMINOLE TERRELL
$$
GMZ655-730-750-755-021440-
CW
. ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS INCLUDED ARE
COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM
APALACHEE BAY OR COASTAL WATERS FROM KEATON BEACH TO OCHLOCKONEE
RIVER FL OUT TO 20 NM
COASTAL WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 20 NM
COASTAL WATERS FROM OCHLOCKONEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT TO
20 NM
$$
THE WATCH STATUS MESSAGE IS FOR GUIDANCE PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE
REFER TO WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION STATEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL
INFORMATION ON COUNTIES...INDEPENDENT CITIES AND MARINE ZONES
CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCHES.
$$
John Wayne-Orange County, California
57 °F
Mostly Cloudy
Viewing: 51 - 101
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