Bad weather expected in the heartlands

Go to NOAA for details.

PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

0523 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

 

…AN OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES IS EXPECTED

OVER PARTS OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT…

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE

DEVELOPMENT OF A FEW STRONG…LONG-TRACK TORNADOES OVER PARTS OF THE

CENTRAL PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

 

THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE

 

CENTRAL AND EASTERN KANSAS

CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEBRASKA

CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

 

ELSEWHERE…SEVERE STORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FROM…NORTH TEXAS TO

IOWA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA/SOUTHERN MINNESOTA.

 

A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD FROM

OKLAHOMA TO KANSAS AND NEBRASKA TODAY…IN ADVANCE OF A STRONG

UPPER-LEVEL STORM SYSTEM AND STRENGTHENING SURFACE LOW PRESSURE

SYSTEM. AFTER SOME MORNING-EARLY AFTERNOON STORMS FROM NORTHEAST

OKLAHOMA TO EASTERN NEBRASKA…MORE INTENSE STORM DEVELOPMENT IS

EXPECTED NEAR THE SURFACE LOW IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA THIS

AFTERNOON…AND SOUTHWARD ALONG THE WEST EDGE OF THE MOIST/UNSTABLE

AIR MASS IN CENTRAL KANSAS AND WESTERN/CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. THE STORM

ENVIRONMENT APPEARS TO BE VERY FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS

CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING TORNADOES FOR LONG

PATHS FROM LATE AFTERNOON UNTIL AT LEAST MIDNIGHT. EVEN THOUGH THE

STORMS COULD REMAIN WIDELY SEPARATED…FAST-MOVING TORNADOES

CONTINUING AFTER DARK WILL HEIGHTEN THE RISK TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

SOME OF THE LARGER CITIES THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE OMAHA AND

LINCOLN NEBRASKA…TOPEKA AND WICHITA KANSAS…AS WELL AS OKLAHOMA

CITY AND TULSA OKLAHOMA.

 

STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE MONITORING THIS POTENTIALLY

VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THOSE IN THE THREATENED AREA ARE URGED TO

REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES AND TO LISTEN TO

RADIO…TELEVISION…AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR POSSIBLE

WATCHES…WARNINGS…AND STATEMENTS LATER TODAY.

 

..THOMPSON.. 04/14/2012