Tornado affects Indianapolis, Indiana Area

This afternoon brings along with it some very active weather for the Indianapolis, IN area. Not too long ago a confirmed tornado was on the ground in Speedway, IN heading northeast toward Indianapolis. The tornado warning associated with this cell expires in just a few minutes. The radar seems to back this up, with the couplet on this cell weakening significantly in the last few minutes. Here are few radar shots (taken just minutes apart) from earlier when the storm still had a tornado on the ground.

Even after the warnings expire, some heavy rain and possibly a few more strong storms will affect the Indianapolis area, as a line of storms is currently moving northeast. If you live in the area, please keep an eye to the sky and stay safe!

Strong Storms Affecting Central Indiana

A surface boundary in Central Indiana is causing some strong storms and downpours this afternoon. A tornado warning was in effect until 4:15 pm for Henry county. Though the rotation in the storm died out, the line still remains strong as severe thunderstorm warnings are still in effect for Fayette, Union, and Wayne counties. Flash flooding is still possible as some heavy rain is being dumped over the area.  Flash flood warnings are currently in effect for Henry, Randolph, and Wayne counties. Storms are moving NW to SE.

Rare Twin Tornadoes Form in Nebraska

Rare "twin" tornadoes less than a mile from each other on the ground in Nebraska.
Photo provided by www.nbcnews.com.

This radar image provided by www.wunderground.com
shows the "twin" tornadoes in velocity mode.

A good amount of severe weather has been occurring this week, as it seems that conditions are becoming more favorable for the summer time storms to spawn. Yesterday's severe weather provided a very interesting sight for meteorologists and weather enthusiasts alike. This is the picture that many residents of Nebraska was forced to see yesterday.  Every news station in the United States has been talking about these rare "twin" tornadoes that touched down from one isolated supercell that formed. While this is an absolutely stunning portrait of what mother nature is capable of, it is a very sobering one at that. A particularly dangerous situation warning was issued for the storm that spawned these tornadoes and one of those tornadoes demolished the small town of Pilger and claimed 2 lives. Everyone affected by yesterday's storms are in our thoughts here at StormTrackerWx.com.

Moderate Risk for Severe Storms Today

An active weather day is in store for most of Plains states today.  Parts of Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa are in a Moderate Risk area for severe thunderstorms. Focusing on the moderate risk area, low-level moisture is continuing to spread northward into the central plains on the backside of the retreating surface ridge. A south/southwesterly low-level jet stream will persist across the southern and central plains allowing for moisture to continue northwestward into Nebraska and western Iowa. Surface dew points in the upper 60s are likely and when coupled with strong surface heating should support the development of some very strong instability in the atmosphere over these areas today and into this evening. CAPE values are expected to be near 3000 J/Kg over central/eastern Kansas and into much of southern and eastern Nebraska by later today.

Warm sector thunderstorm development should be delayed until late in the day due to subsidence in wake of the lead impulse and an environmental mixed layer cap. The onset of height falls and with the main upper trough and uplift near the surface low that will position itself over western Kansas by this evening will help support strong storm development later on in the day over central/eastern Nebraska and possibly northwestern Kansas. Expect to see damaging winds, very large hail, and isolated tornadoes across much of these areas today and this evening.

Storm Outlook 6/11/14

Today's weather pattern brings with it two separate slight risk areas to discuss. The first is a slight risk area will bring severe thunderstorms to parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic states, while the second slight risk area will likely bring severe storms over portions of the plains states.

In the Upper Ohio valley and Mid-Atlantic regions, thunderstorm development is not expected to be particularly focused today. An upper level low that is over the Mississippi/Ohio/Tennessee valley regions is forecasted to make it's way eastward today. This will result in weak mid-level pressure falls and large scale lift over the upper Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic states. Initial storm development will most likely occur over the mountains of West Virginia and western Pennsylvania and spread northeastward. This will bring the storms into an area of sufficient vertical shear promoting the development of supercell storms. The main threats associated with these storms will be damaging winds and hail, but considering that the conditions will be right for some possible supercell development, the threat of a tornado or two developing should not be ruled out.

Kansas and Oklahoma should see some storm development today as well. Strong afternoon instability over central/western Kansas is expected to result due to cool temperatures aloft and steep mid-level lapse rates. Scattered thunderstorm development is expected to start occurring by 12z in these areas. Minnesota will also see some rotating storms capable of producing hail, damaging winds, and possibly a tornado. This is owed mostly to a cold front that is making its way into central Minnesota. Southerly low-level winds in the warm sector of the low creating a favorable shear environment for these storms to form.

Afternoon Weather Update 6/10/14

Here is a quick look at today's convective outlook and the current radar image. It looks like summer afternoon storms are getting started in the Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama regions. A very moist inflow air mass is in place and afternoon CAPE values are expected to be around 1500-3000 J/Kg, which should help lead to the development of some strong storms this afternoon.

Currently, a large MCS is moving through these regions and is expected to keep moving east/northeast. The MCS is expected to evolve into a large-scale bowing configuration as the day progresses. These storms will make their way into northern Georgia and possibly even the Carolinas by this afternoon or evening.

The main threat that is expected with this line of storms is damaging winds, but don't rule out the possibility to see a tornado or two develop as well.

Sunset/Sunrise Spikes

Screen-shot captured from Ashley's
RadarScope iPhone app

This evening I was sitting on my front porch and felt like I should look at the radar for my area. To my surprise I noticed that there appeared to be this little spike of reflectivity. It started in the center of the radar area and headed up to the northwest. I knew what this was, of course, maybe some of our readers don't.  Now, I've never actually seen one in person... it's not too often one comes across a sunset spike on radar. So, I felt the need to share my screen-shot and maybe a little bit of information on these interesting little radar quirks we come across every once in a while.

There are two times a day that seeing a "sunspike" is possible. Once is at sunrise and the other is at sunset. This one is a sunset spike, a sunrise spike would be opposite the sunset spike - coming from the east instead of west. Think of it as the sun rises in the east, so it would be seen coming from the east and the sun sets in the west. Therefore, it make sense why this one is coming from a westerly direction. These little spikes are caused by the radar experiencing interference from the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun. At a certain point during sunrise and sunset, the radar dish points directly at the sun and experiences this electromagnetic energy. It then emits this returned energy as the spike pictured to the left on the radar scan. The reason why these aren't seen so often is because it only lasts for a very brief amount of time. One must look at the radar at the perfect time to see it.

Storm Outlook for 6/9/2014

After a pretty decent dry spell, it looks like things are finally starting to get interesting weather-wise. Today brings with it a slight risk for severe thunderstorms from Texas into the mid/lower Mississippi Valley.

During the day, it's likely that some areas across central and eastern Texas and into the lower Mississippi Valley will see some hail and severe wind. There is a chance for more isolated activity to occur around Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and in some parts of Kansas and Oklahoma.

Daytime heating and some breaks in cloud cover will occur over parts of Kansas and Oklahoma. This will allow for some scattered afternoon thunderstorms to fire-up. A few of those storms have the chance to become strong enough to possibly have some rotation, hail, and gusty winds associated with them. It's a similar scenario for Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. During the peak heating hours of the day the atmosphere will become unstable enough to allow a few multi-cell storms to form, bringing with them locally damaging winds and hail.

The main threat of the day lies in the Texas region though. A well-defined shortwave trough is currently moving east-southeastward across Kansas. There is a MCS that is sitting over Oklahoma and Northern Texas and as the day progresses from the morning into the early afternoon, daytime heating is expected to occur. This is going to help destabilize the atmosphere and possibly allow for the squall line to intensify over parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Eastern Texas. The main threats will be damaging winds and hail, much like the other areas of interest for today. Southwestern Texas will not escape the chance to see some strong storms today, either. Steep mid-level lapse rates and vertical shear will be present, leading to a strong instability over this area. Keep an eye out for the development of some supercells capable of producing very large hail.

All-in-all, a pretty active weather day today for the above mentioned areas. Residents in these areas should keep their eyes open for a chance to see some strong storms move in throughout the day. Keep your eyes to the sky!