Tornadoes, severe thunderstorms kill nine in OK, AR; more severe weather today
Tornadoes and deadly severe thunderstorms tore through Oklahoma and Arkansas last night, killing at least nine people. The action began Thursday afternoon, when a powerful spring low pressure system intensified over western Kansas. The intensifying storm pulled in frigid Canadian air behind it and warm, moist Gulf of Mexico air in front of it, and where two air masses collided over eastern Oklahoma, a powerful cold front spawned a dangerous squall line of severe thunderstorms late Thursday afternoon. Doppler radar indicated the spinning signatures of mesocyclones inside numerous thunderstorms, and the National Weather Service began issuing multiple tornado warnings. At 6:22pm CDT, storm spotters reported a wide "stovepipe" shaped tornado had touched down in south-central Oklahoma four miles south of Milburn in Johnson County. Huge hailstones up to 4 1/2 inches in diameter--the size of softballs--began pelting the ground. The tornado roared to the northeast, ripping through the small town of Tushka, population 350, at 7:23pm. The powerful twister ripped off the roof of the local high school and destroyed dozens of buildings in Tushka, killing two people and injuring 25. The tornado moved over farmland and dissipated a short time later, but the squall line that spawned the tornado moved into Arkansas overnight, spawning severe thunderstorm winds that killed seven more people. The nine deaths made yesterday the deadliest severe weather outbreak of 2011.

Figure 1. Radar reflectivity image of the Tushka, Oklahoma tornado at 7:16pm CDT in Atoka County, seven minutes before the twister hit the town. Note the classic hook-shaped echo of the parent mesocyclone in the rotating severe thunderstorms that spawned the tornado.

Figure 2. Doppler radar velocity image of the Tushka, Oklahoma tornado at 7:16pm CDT in Atoka County, seven minutes before the twister hit the town.
The Tushka tornado brings this year's tornado death tally to five people, which is low for mid-April. In total, yesterday's severe weather outbreak had 10 tornado reports, 122 instances of large hail greater than 2" in diameter, and 91 reports of damaging winds. The action shifts eastwards to Mississippi and Alabama today, which NOAA's Storm Prediction Center have placed under its "moderate risk" region for severe weather. This is the same risk Oklahoma had during yesterday's tornado outbreak. You can follow today's outbreak using our severe weather page and interactive tornado map. This map now shows links to Youtube storm chaser videos of tornadoes, plus any wunderphotos taken of the storm. Tornado warnings have already been posted in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi today. A report visible on our tornado page indicates that a tornado touched down just west of Jackson, Mississippi near noon EDT today, crossing Interstate 20 and ripping the roof off of a bank in Clinton, MS.

Figure 3. Satellite image from 23:03 UTC (5:03pm CDT) April 14, 2011, showing the strong low pressure system over the Plains that brought yesterday's severe weather outbreak. Image credit: NASA/GSFC.
Figure 4. Storm chaser video of the Tushka tornado.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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But on the other hand....
Nature could have had in store a bunch of little quakes for the given area.
And the un natural human disruption pushed things too far over the threshold.
And kabam the big one!
for every action there is an equal or greater reaction
;0 I choose Spathy Theory #1......lol
Forecast reasoning.
Wisconsin River - Accumulations of snow from strong spring storms are expected in northern and central Wisconsin with mild temperatures and rain following afterwards. Several inches of snow accumulation in 12 hours could occur while already-crested floodwaters continue to move downstream.
Illinois River - A series of storms carrying squall lines are likely to dump significant amounts of rain over the valley. Warnings are already issued for the area and climatology-based forecasts show a very high risk of flooding in the area.
Missouri River - Significant snow cover still remains near the headwaters and likely to both melt and recieve additional precipitation. Nearby source of Red River have seen sufficient snowmelt for the second-worst floods on recorded being predicted in areas while some tributaries of this river have already seen Major flooding.
From Safe To A Flood Zone, Without Moving An Inch
Wisconsin River recedes; flooding concerns diminish
Flooding Still Bad on Northern Plains
Well now you may be on to something there Pot
Of course I think it was the added pressure to the Earths crust created by Chinas Great Dam.
Good!
Then the theory that man-made quakes setting off quakes would not hold water.
The opposite and equal reaction to a man-made quake escapes me though...
What could it be?
WOW
Very true, Each fault has its on dynamics, one might be strike-slip and another might be subduction. Some fault are only found after a quake has occurred.
MODERATE FLOODING
MINOR FLOODING
NEAR FLOOD STAGE
NO FLOODING
Yes, there were.
And people were all over it here a while ago.
I am sure that some are still following it, and will give updates as they come to hand.
Another plossibility LOL.
But in truth, it will be very difficult to pin any action to a reaction like an earthquake. We dont know squat about quakes as yet really.
State or federal?
True. Very bad situations.
Looks like a few more days of that too.
What a huge storm system....
Stay safe all.
You too, pot. Take care!
yep hopefully it won't be as bad as it has been though. Here in Florida the severe threat and just rain and general is gone till the wet season gets cranking. Cold fronts have now been pretty much cut off from Central Florida for all practical purposes. That usually means the wet season may be approaching in a couple more weeks. My experience with May is that it is either very dry or wet around here. Depending on the year if we get a longer wet season its gets active in May, but if its a typical start in June May is very dry.
This year I believe it will be early, cause weather and wild life is weeks ahead of schedule this year. However its just likely natures way of counteracting the unusually cold 2010 winter and how we had an unusually low amount of severe weather and just lack rain in general
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1032 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
CENTRAL BALDWIN COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...
NORTHERN MOBILE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF CITRONELLE...
* UNTIL 1115 PM CDT
* AT 1031 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 10 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CITRONELLE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
Of course, since China is gaining on America economically then Americans must be told that China is the root of all the worlds problems and evil including natural disasters.
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1044 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHEASTERN AUTAUGA COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
SOUTHEASTERN COOSA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
ELMORE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
* UNTIL 1130 PM CDT
* AT 1040 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM
WAS LOCATED NEAR VIDA JUNCTION...OR 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF
PRATTVILLE...AND MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WETUMPKA...EQUALITY...MARBURY...DEATSVILLE...COOSA DA...ELMORE...
TITUS...WEOKA MILLS...TEN CEDAR ESTATES AND SPEED.
THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 181 THROUGH 193...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING.
SERIOUS TORNADO HERE VERY VISIBLE.....OMG
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1059 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
SOUTHWESTERN CONECUH COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
WESTERN ESCAMBIA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
SOUTH CENTRAL MONROE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
NORTH CENTRAL BALDWIN COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...
* UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT
* AT 1054 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 16 MILES
NORTHWEST OF ATMORE...OR 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF I65 AND CR 47...
MOVING EAST AT 40 TO 45 MPH.
* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
HOLMAN PRISON AROUND 1115 PM CDT...
VOCATION AROUND 1120 PM CDT...
I65 AND AL 113 AROUND 1130 PM CDT...
I65 AND AL 41 AROUND 1140 PM CDT...
I65 AND CR 6 AROUND 1150 PM CDT...
CASTLEBERRY AROUND 1155 PM CDT...
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 65 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 50 AND 92.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
No, I must have missed it? any idea what number it was, I will go back and check.
wow
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1110 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHEASTERN BUTLER COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
NORTHERN CRENSHAW COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
* UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT
* AT 1107 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES
NORTHWEST OF GREENVILLE...OR NEAR I65 AND AL 185...MOVING EAST AT
40 MPH.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
ROFLMAO, White Rock (mainlanders) they are a funny lot. City folks confuse easily :)
Tropical Cyclone Advisory #1
TROPICAL DEPRESSION 15F
12:00 PM FST April 16 2011
===================================
At 0:00 AM UTC, Tropical Depression 15F (1000 hPa) located at 23.0S 160.6E has 10 minute sustained winds of 30 knots. The depression is reported as moving south southeast at 13 knots. Position poor based on visible/infrared imagery.
Organization and convection has slightly improved in past 24 hours. System lies in a moderately sheared environment. Sea surface temperature is around 28C. System steered south southeast by northwest deep layer mean flow.
Dvorak analysis based on 0.4 LOG10 spiral yielding DT=2.0 MET=PT.
Dvorak Intensity: T2.0/2.0/D0.5/24 HRS.
Global models agree on a south southeast track with little intensification.
Forecast and Intensity
=========================
12 HRS: 25.1S 163.0E - 30 knots (Tropical Depression)
24 HRS: 27.2S 166.7E - 30 knots (Tropical Depression)
The next tropical cyclone advisory from Fiji Meteorological Services will be issued at 8:30 AM UTC..
refer to post 495, you are no better than he is with a post like that.
Sorry Tim. I love ya buddy, but what skook says is right. You are stooping to his level by retaliating with such asininely immature comments. Be the better man and walk away.
Just really tired of his continued abuse of some on here and getting away with it without nothing being done. I don't think you all realize how many people have left this blog because of him and one other. just stating the truth. But, you are both correct. Sorry to post my feelings!
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