Category: Posts EN

Destructive Winds and Tornadoes Race Across the Plains!

Written by Team Morecast

 

An unusually energetic storm system emerged from the Rockies into the Plains on Wednesday, bringing widespread damaging winds to portions of 14 states. Across the High Plains, these high winds picked up tons of dust and debris to create a blinding dust storm. Later in the afternoon, a squall line of severe storms raced from the Plains into the Upper Midwest, bringing destructive gusts to 100 mph (160 kph) and numerous tornadoes.

 

 

 

 

Anticipating the hurricane-force wind storm, officials in many areas preemptively closed schools and government offices. Winds ramped up in the mid-morning over eastern CO and NM. The winds picked up copious dirt and debris, resulting in a dust storm that rolled towards western KS in the early afternoon. Visibilities dropped to near zero within the dust storm. Traffic was brought to a halt (see video above), forcing the closure of Interstate 70. The satellite image shown above shows the vast area affected by the choking dust (ribbons of brown swirling into the bottom side of the circulation). Dust entrained into the system in Colorado has been deposited as far east as Missouri and Iowa.

 

 

 

By mid-afternoon, severe storms boiled up along a squall line from central Kansas into central Nebraska.  This squall line raced quickly east at speeds up to 100 mph (160 kph), faster than the fastest highway traffic. Brief but lightning-fast tornadoes spun up along the line, knocking down trees and barns and flipping semi trucks. Even away from the tornadoes, widespread straight-line wind gusts of 75-100 mph (120-160 kph) have resulted in thousands of power outages. In fact, more reports of gusts exceeding 75 mph were received by the Storm Prediction Center today than any other day on record. Lead photo courtesy Wikipedia contributor Roxy Lopez.

Deadly Tornado Outbreak Rips Across the Mississippi Valley!

Written by Team Morecast

 

Dozens are feared dead in the wake of severe tornadoes that roared over portions of six states on Friday night. One long-lived tornadic storm alone may have shredded a path of destruction nearly 230 miles (370 km) long. Just weeks ahead of Christmas, thousands are now facing a holiday season mourning the sudden loss of their businesses, homes and even loved ones.

 

 

The outbreak was unique in that it occurred in mid-December, typically a quiet time of year for severe storms. It was also exclusively a nighttime event. Fast-moving, strong tornadoes are particularly dangerous at night due to the lack of visibility and potential to catch people off guard. As of Saturday night, 44 tornado reports had been received by the Storm Prediction Center from the period between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. Friday night. More will probably accumulate as National Weather Service teams continue to survey the catastrophic damage in the coming days.

 

 

 

A tornado rated EF3 on the intensity scale struck Bowling Green, Kentucky just after midnight. Another EF3 tore through Edwardsville, Illinois producing winds up to 155 mph (250 kph). It caused the partial collapse of an Amazon warehouse there, claiming six lives in the process. A candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky was completely leveled with 100 people inside. First responders have rescued 40 workers, but the rest are still missing and feared dead. The damage is still being analyzed, but early speculation suggests the Mayfield tornado could be EF4 or even EF5, the maximum end of the scale with winds over 200 mph (320 kph). It has been eight years since the last EF5 struck anywhere in the United States, and more than 45 years since there was tornado of that intensity in Kentucky.

All told, this outbreak may claim a triple-digit death toll, making it one of the most deadly outbreaks in decades. President Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Kentucky, opening up federal recovery funds. His administration stands ready to approve the same measures for the other states affected as necessary. Lead photo courtesy National Weather Service.

Remnants of Hurricane Ida Bring Severe Flooding and Tornadoes to the Northeast!

Written by Team Morecast

 

Hurricane Ida slammed the central Gulf Coast earlier this week, leaving behind scenes of utter devastation. Ida has weakened since then but continues to wreak havoc as it passes through the Northeast US. Several tornadoes have raked across portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast this afternoon and evening. One powerful twister moved near Annapolis, Maryland, but the strongest tornado may have struck portions of central New Jersey, just south of Philadelphia. Roofs were ripped off of many homes in the town of Mullica Hills with a few totally leveled. Tornado warnings were also in effect at different points for Philadelphia and New York City.

 

 

 

A far more widespread hazard today and tonight has been serious freshwater flooding. Rainfall in excess of five inches (125 mm) has fallen across southeastern Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, the NYC metro, and into southern New England. Some locations have seen well over ten inches (250 mm). Central Park in Manhattan saw 3.15 inches (80 mm) of rain in one hour between 8:51 and 9:51 pm. This shatters the previous hourly rainfall record set just a few weeks ago as Tropical Storm Henri moved through. Newark, New Jersey reported their wettest day on record with heavy rain continuing to fall this evening. Knee-deep water inundated the baggage claim area of Newark International Airport, one of the busiest hubs in the U.S. Hundreds of motorists have had to be rescued from stalled cars across the busy urban corridor. The quickly rising waters prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood emergency for the first time ever in the NYC metro area. Subway service has been suspended across the city tonight due to high water on tracks and platforms.

 

 

 

 

 

Deadly Hurricane Ida Rips Across Southeast Louisiana with Catastrophic Winds and Flooding!

Written by Team Morecast

 

Hurricane Ida slammed into Louisiana on Sunday, a Category Four storm that brought destructive storm surge and slashing high winds. New Orleans, home to nearly a million residents, is totally without power as the city’s main power transmission station was blown into the river. Historic buildings like the Karnofsky Music Store were leveled by the high winds. Closer to the landfall point of Port Fourchon, Louisiana, a storm surge as high as 16 feet (4.9 m) inundated homes and businesses, trapping people in their attics or forcing them onto their roofs. A ship at anchor just offshore reported wind gusts up to 172 mph (277 kph) as Ida made landfall. Numerous other reports of gusts well in excess of 100 mph (160 kph) with major damage were received across the region.

 

 

 

 

Hurricane Ida came ashore exactly on the 16th anniversary of Katrina, a storm of similar intensity that made landfall just a few miles to the east. Katrina’s surge overwhelmed the levee system that protects the low-lying New Orleans metro area. The resultant flooding cost of hundreds of lives and helped make Katrina the costliest hurricane on record. In the wake of this disaster, federal officials spent billions upgrading the levee system. It appears that those efforts have paid off with the Louisiana governor reporting no dam failures or surge flooding in the city.

 

 

Ida has claimed at least one life so far, but the death toll may rise as floodwaters gradually recede and officials start the long cleanup process. Several hospitals sustained extensive damage and are relying on generator power. Power company officials predict that it could be several weeks before the grid is restored. This is a critical situation as Louisiana has been particularly hard hit by the latest COVID surge and hospital ICU’s are already overwhelmed.

 

 

Ida is steadily weakening as it moves north through Mississippi. The remnant storm will accelerate and turn towards the northeast with the main threat now being torrential downpours. Areas of the Urban Corridor from Washington, DC through New York and Boston will see several inches of rain (up to 100-150 mm) from Wednesday into Thursday, leading to localized flooding. Lead photo courtesy National Guard Bureau.