Storm Discussion #2 5/15/09

Radar at 10:18 PM

A moderate gust front outflow will continue to push out ahead of the storms this evening with winds up to 40 or 50 mph.

Small hail will also be possible from some of the storm cells behind the outflow. Some storms coming out of Oklahoma may be severe in northwest Arkansas or perhaps extreme southern Missouri within the next few hours.

Storm Discussion #1 5/15/09

Radar at 7:24 this evening. A severe thuderstorm watch has been posted from roughly Springfield north this evening. Storms to the north are outflow dominated. Notice the thin line out ahead of the main cells. This suggests a bit of weakening and at radar time none of these storms are warned upon.

A cold front will start giving all of this a push later this evening and overnight. Storms might once again increase their severe potential when this happens. Tornadoes are not thought to be a large threat at this time but as always, bowing segments and intersections with old bounderies will have to be watched.

Severe Storms Update

The latest severe weather outlook for today (which runs until the overnight hours) has a new moderate risk for severe storms which covers areas to the far northwest of Springfield and a slight risk for severe storms dropping down to Springfield. The storms will initiate to the north and northwest out of our viewing area and then drop southward overnight.


The tornado threat is greatest from northeastern Kansas into the Kansas City metro area and then into northern Missouri (yikes, where that large tornado occurred up near Kirksville on Wednesday).

Folks living roughly along and north of a line from Nevada to Hermitage to Lake of the Ozarks should be on the lookout for threatening weather this evening and after dark. Tornadoes are a bit more likely now in this area.