Category: Posts EN

Two Days of Twisters Roll Across the Plains

Written by Team Morecast

 

A series of strong springtime storm systems has moved out of the Rocky Mountains in the past few days. These systems have tapped into warm Gulf moisture, sparking intense supercells from Texas up to Nebraska and Iowa. Tornadoes have ravaged several towns, leveling homes and businesses and claiming at least one life so fart.

 

 

Much of the strongest tornadic activity on Friday struck portions of Nebraska and Iowa. Tornadoes affected densely-populated suburbs of major metropolitan areas like Lincoln and Omaha. The town of Elkhorn (population 6,062) was particularly hard hit by a massive wedge tornado (see video below). This tornado has been rated an EF3 with winds up to 165 mph (265 kph).

 

 

The tornado threat shifted a bit further south on Saturday towards Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. Many of these twisters struck after dark, the most dangerous kind of tornado activity. The town of Sulphur, Oklahoma (population 5,065) was largely demolished by not one but two tornadoes. The second struck just as emergency personnel were starting rescue operations for the first. The startling video clips below show the extent of the devastation. They also reveal the tornado’s power, with winds strong enough to embed small branches into concrete pillars. Lead photo courtesy Flickr user rbeard113.

 

 

Otis Explodes Off the Mexico Coast, Slams Acapulco as a Category Five Monster

Written by Team Morecast

 

Residents of the central Mexican Pacific Coast left for work on Tuesday morning with Tropical Storm Otis meandering offshore. By mid-evening, Otis had strengthened faster than almost any hurricane in history.  Otis roared into the tourist hot spot of Acapulco Tuesday night as a Category Five, wreaking havoc with only hours of warning.

 

 

The tropical cyclone season in the Pacific and Atlantic Basins is typically winding down by late October. However, a pocket of very warm ocean water lingers off the central Pacific coast late into the autumn (see image above). This was precisely the region that Otis moved over as it approached the Mexican coast on Tuesday. Forecasters knew there was a possibility of some intensification leading up to landfall. However, the rapid strengthening Otis experienced was beyond any reasonable prediction (see satellite animation below).

 

 

 

 

Otis slammed Acapulco and nearby communities with sustained winds up to 165 mph (265 kph). It was by far the strongest hurricane to strike that region in recorded history. Photos and videos from the scene show nearly all windows blown out of hotels and residential high-rises. The buildings were subsequently hollowed out by the high winds. Trees were stripped of branches and debris littered area roadways. Landslides closed many roadways, and officials reported that communications had been completely cutoff at one point on Wednesday. Fortunately, the hurricane dissipated as fast as it intensified after hitting the interior mountains of central Mexico.

Severe Flooding Paralyzes Parts of New York City!

Written by Team Morecast

 

A stationary band of heavy rain has been dumping torrential rates over New York City since early this morning. Rainfall of 4-8 inches (100-200 mm) has fallen as of early Friday afternoon, overwhelming urban drainage systems and resulting in widespread flooding. The city’s transit systems have been shut down with several feet of water over roadways leading to stalled cars and buses. Subway tracks and stations are also underwater. Air travelers are also facing delays and disruptions due to water in the terminals at La Guardia Airport. A state of emergency has been declared by the governor of New York.

 

 

 

 

 

A slow moving low originating in the tropics has been drifting off the US East Coast. An upper low moving in from the west has pulled this tropical moisture up into the NYC metro area today. The density of population and the prevalence of paved ground surfaces mean the city is particularly vulnerable to flash flooding. Serious flood reports have been coming in from four of the five boroughs (Staten Island excepted). Poor drainage areas have been overwhelmed on the major highways such as the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE), leading to high water and stalled vehicles. In many areas excess runoff from roads has no where to drain except into the subway system. Many thousands of NYC residents also live in basement apartments, a dire situation that lead to fatalities during the city’s last major flooding episode in 2021.

Major Hurricane Idalia Slams Southeastern US with Severe Flooding, Tornadoes

Written by Team Morecast

 

Idalia rapidly gained strength on Tuesday, becoming a major Category Four storm as it sliced north through the Gulf of Mexico. The hurricane made landfall around 8 a.m. ET Wednesday near Keaton Beach, bringing sustained winds to 125 mph (200 kph) and a storm surge as high as 16 feet (4.9 m). It’s the strongest storm since 1896 to hit Florida’s Big Bend region. The storm moved quickly north through Wednesday evening, bringing serious impacts to Georgia and the Carolinas.

 

 

 

Storm surge resulted in record flooding for a lengthy stretch of the Florida Gulf Coast. The hurricane-induced surge was enhanced by a rare “blue supermoon”. This is the second full moon within the month as well as the closest approach of the moon to the earth. As a result, tides are higher than normal, exacerbating the impact of storm surge. Several tidal stations reported their highest mark ever, including Tampa Bay, more than 100 miles away from the landfall point. Winds gusting over 100 mph (160 kph) helped bring down many trees and powerlines, resulting in hundreds of thousands losing power.

 

 

Significant hazards accompanied the storm long after the Florida landfall. Surge flooding affected the coast of Georgia and South Carolina. Charleston Harbor recorded its fifth-highest water level ever. Isolated tropical tornadoes also raced across portions of the South Carolina lowcountry (see video above). Widespread heavy rainfall of 4-8 inches have led to deadly flash flooding and will eventually raise streams and rivers above flood stage in the coming days.