Tornado hits France; unprecedented April heat in Europe
A rare EF-1 tornado with 73 - 112 mph winds (117 - 180 kph) hit Toulouse, France on Sunday, causing minor damage that included collapsed walls, uprooted trees, and cars moved out of place. The tornado touched down 15 - 20 km south of Toulouse in Southwest France at 7:10 pm local time, and baseball-sized hail (4 cm) also hit the region. According to the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD), this was the first tornado in France in 2012. French tornadoes are rare; there were just three tornadoes in the country in 2011. The European Severe Weather Database (ESWD) (as summarized by Wikipedia) lists 15 tornadoes for all of Europe so far in 2012. Most of the twisters (nine) were in Turkey. For comparison, an average of 495 tornadoes touched down in the U.S. during the period January - April over the years 2009 - 2011. A key reason for the lack of tornadoes in Europe is that the atmosphere is usually not unstable enough. Tornadoes require warm, moist, low-density air near the surface, and cold, dry, high-density air aloft to provide a lot of instability. The Baltic Sea and North Sea to the north of Europe moderate cold air flowing south from the pole, reducing the amount of instability over Europe.
Video 1. A rare French tornado kicks up dust near Toulouse, France on April 29, 2012.
Unprecedented April heat hits Central and Eastern Europe
A European heat wave of unparalleled intensity for so early in the year smashed all-time April heat records over much of Central and Eastern Europe on Saturday and Sunday. According to wunderground's weather historian Christopher C. Burt, and weather records researcher Maximiliano Herrera, new national April heat records were set in Belarus, Germany, Austria, Lithuania, Moldova, and Poland, and hundreds of stations in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Russia recorded their hottest April temperatures on record. Moscow hit 28.6°C (84°F) on Sunday, the hottest April reading in the city since record keeping began 130 years ago. The culprit for the heat wave and French tornado is a large low pressure system off the coast of France whose counter-clockwise flow has been pumping hot air from the Sahara Desert northwards into Europe. The low is expected to continue to bring unusually hot weather to most of Central and Eastern Europe for the remainder of the week.
New all-time April national heat records set over the past few days:
Poland: 31.7°C (89.18°F) at Tomaszow on 4/29
Germany: 32.2°C (90.0°F) at Munich on 4/28
Austria: 31.8°C (89.2°F) at Ranshoten on 4/28
Belarus: 30.4°C ( 86.7°F) at Zitovici on 4/29
Moldova 32.5°C
Lithuania
Jeff Masters
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TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 218
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
305 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN INDIANA
FAR NORTHERN KENTUCKY
SOUTHWEST OHIO
EFFECTIVE THIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 305 PM UNTIL
1000 PM EDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND
GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 60 STATUTE
MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF
BLOOMINGTON INDIANA TO 60 MILES SOUTH OF COLUMBUS OHIO. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE
UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU8).
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 217...
DISCUSSION...TSTMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND
INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON ALONG AND S OF WARM FRONT LIFTING NWD
THROUGH THE OH VALLEY. THE PRESENCE OF A 30-40 KT LLJ /PER REGIONAL
VWP DATA/ IS ENHANCING THE NWD FLUX OF A MOIST/UNSTABLE BOUNDARY
LAYER...AND ENLARGING LOW-LEVEL HODOGRAPHS. AS SUCH...ENVIRONMENT
IS EXPECTED TO BECOME INCREASINGLY SUPPORTIVE OF SUPERCELLS WITH A
RISK FOR LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND PERHAPS A FEW TORNADOES.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
450. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27030.
...MEAD
Im just saying its early for humidity already ..from our local weather guy here in wilmington
Unofficial start of summer? It'll feel like it this week!
Submitted by Tim Buckley on Tue, 05/01/2012 - 9:54am.
Everybody has been waiting, or fearing, the season's first hot spell after our warm March, and now it seems like we have it! Warmth will surge into the area over the next few days, and even though it wont be as intense as the middle of summer - it may feel like it since it's the first time all year.
Yes, temperatures will have a chance to flirt with 90 degrees. When was the last time we hit 90? Way back on September 15th! We'll see if the city of Wilmington can actually squeek it out, but I'm pretty confident places like Whiteville, Elizabethtown, Lumberton, and the like will do it before the weekend.
I talk about why the weather is doing what it is, and if this heat will last for good - or if it's temporary. That's all in today's web video. Make sure you logon to Facebook and check it out. Link:http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=369 161696452861&saved
While you're there, go ahead and 'Like' my page! I'm always updating it with little weather tidbits.
I'll leave you with some climate numbers from April... here are the stats:
* Ave Temp: 63.5° (+0.5° warm)
* Precip: 1.46" (-1.36" dry)
* Highest temp: 87 - April 17th
* Coolest temp: 37 - April 7th
* No snow of course :)
Overall it was an average month temperature-wise with some warm spells and some cool spells. We were almost cooler than March was, but didn't quite make it. April was the cooler month until the last three days edged us out by a degree. It's very rare that this is even close! (March's average temp around here is 55.1 and April's average temp is 63.0)
Good luck with the heat! Hope that A/C works!
At least you have a shot at getting a cool sea breeze. Here in the Piedmont, I've always thought of May as the beginning of Summer.
New WW for central NC and Va.
INC005-013-011945-
/O.NEW.KIND.TO.W.0016.120501T1922Z-120501T1945Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
322 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHWESTERN BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY IN CENTRAL INDIANA...
CENTRAL BROWN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA...
* UNTIL 345 PM EDT
* AT 321 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR NASHVILLE...OR 12 MILES EAST OF
BLOOMINGTON...AND MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NASHVILLE...
GNAW BONE...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
&&
LAT...LON 3914 8637 3920 8637 3934 8603 3916 8599
3911 8636
TIME...MOT...LOC 1922Z 252DEG 46KT 3916 8629
$$
PUMA
SEL9
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 219
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
315 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
WESTERN AND NORTHERN NORTH CAROLINA
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
EFFECTIVE THIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 315 PM UNTIL
900 PM EDT.
HAIL TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70
MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 80
STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 50 MILES EAST
NORTHEAST OF LYNCHBURG VIRGINIA TO 30 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF
GREENSBORO NORTH CAROLINA. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH
SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).
REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY
DO PRODUCE TORNADOES.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 217...WW 218...
DISCUSSION...SCATTERED TSTMS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO
INCREASE/SPREAD EAST-SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS SOUTHERN VA/NORTHERN NC
THIS AFTERNOON...WITH OTHER MORE PULSE-TYPE TSTMS ACROSS WESTERN NC.
MODERATE INSTABILITY/VERTICAL SHEAR ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHERN
VA/NORTHERN NC WILL ALLOW FOR SUSTAINED MULTICELLS AND POTENTIALLY A
FEW SUPERCELLS WITH ASSOCIATED RISKS OF SEVERE HAIL/WIND.
AVIATION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT
TO 1.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60
KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM
MOTION VECTOR 29025.
...GUYER/MEAD
INC005-013-011945-
/O.NEW.KIND.TO.W.0016.120501T1922Z-120501T1945Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
322 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHWESTERN BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY IN CENTRAL INDIANA...
CENTRAL BROWN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA...
* UNTIL 345 PM EDT
* AT 321 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR NASHVILLE...OR 12 MILES EAST OF
BLOOMINGTON...AND MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NASHVILLE...
GNAW BONE...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
&&
LAT...LON 3914 8637 3920 8637 3934 8603 3916 8599
3911 8636
TIME...MOT...LOC 1922Z 252DEG 46KT 3916 8629
$$
PUMA
By the way the fire in Hudson was arson related, officials say.
Link
Twin Cities, specifically... but I'll take anywhere in greater Minnesota. eager for stormy weather in the northern plains!!
nothing too crazy though, just eye candy.
Same type nuclear power plant incident in New Jersey today.
Good picnic weather this afternoon, just watch the ants.
Currently, we are monitoring an upper level disturbance west of Houston that is generating a few showers. This disturbance is heading towards Southeast Texas and may enhance our rain chances this afternoon.
Partly sunny skies are expected this afternoon with a 10% possibly a 20% coverage of showers. Temperatures will range from the lower to middle 80s in the Triangle to the middle to upper 80s in the Lakes. High humidity and southeasterly winds are expected.
Thanks for the info. Sky.... getting into it....
History of the plant.....Found this in Wikipedia....
Safety issues
The New York Times has reported that, in the 1990s, the Salem reactors were shut down for two years because of maintenance problems.[8] Consultants found several difficulties, including a leaky generator, unreliable controls on a reactor, and workers who feared that reporting problems would lead to retaliation. In 2004, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission took on additional oversight of the Salem plants and increased the monitoring of them.[8]
An extensive investigation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the subsequent review by hired consultants have found many minor problems, such as lack of routine maintenance and low morale among personnel, but declared the plant safe.[9]
Location of Salem Nuclear Power Plant
Country United States
Location Lower Alloways Creek New Jersey
Status Operational
Commission date Unit 1: June 30, 1977
Unit 2: October 31, 1981
Licence expiration Unit 1: August 13, 2036
Unit 2: April 18, 2040
Owner(s) Exelon (43%)
PSE&G (57%)
Reactor information
Reactor type(s) PWR
Reactor supplier(s) Westinghouse
Power station information
Generation units 2 - GE 25kV
Power generation information
Installed capacity Unit 1: 1,174 MW
Unit 2: 1,130
Annual generation Unit 1: 9,158 GWh
Unit 2: 9,669
That makes no sense ...how can they NOT know when it will return to service? If it went off line all on its own surely they can bring it back on line?
Stay safe up there.
That explains A LOT. Thanks Skye and sunlinepr
It's been unusually humid.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. West wind between 5 and 9 mph.
SEL0
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 220
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
300 PM CDT TUE MAY 1 2012
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHWEST IOWA
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
FAR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA
EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA
EFFECTIVE THIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 300 PM UNTIL
1000 PM CDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND
GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 70 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES EAST OF YANKTON SOUTH
DAKOTA TO 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF ALEXANDRIA MINNESOTA. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE
UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU0).
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 217...WW 218...WW 219...
DISCUSSION...TSTMS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING ACROSS WARM SECTOR WITHIN
CONFLUENT LOW-LEVEL FLOW SHOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND
INTENSITY AS REGION IS GLANCED BY MIDLEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH AND JET
STREAK MOVING THROUGH THE RED RIVER VALLEY. THE COMBINATION OF
STEEP LAPSE RATES AND MODEST BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE ARE RESULTING
IN A MODERATELY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT THIS AFTERNOON WITH MLCAPE OF
1000-1500 J/KG. WHEN COUPLED WITH STEADILY STRENGTHENING LOW AND
DEEP-LAYER SHEAR...SETUP WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY FAVORABLE FOR
SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND A FEW
TORNADOES.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 25030.
...MEAD
Gulf Of Mexico - Rainbow Loop
..click image for Loop
and there it is :)
WFUS53 KLMK 012044
TORLMK
KYC223-012115-
/O.NEW.KLMK.TO.W.0089.120501T2044Z-120501T2115Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
444 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
CENTRAL TRIMBLE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY...
* UNTIL 515 PM EDT...
* AT 441 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR WISES LANDING...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
* THIS TORNADIC STORM WILL ALSO IMPACT...
BEDFORD...
MONITOR AND PROVIDENCE...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS TORNADO WARNING REPLACES THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING THAT
WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAME AREA. GO TO A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR
ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR!
TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO
THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING
DEBRIS.
TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN LOUISVILLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3863 8522 3857 8521 3855 8541 3858 8543
3861 8544 3863 8544 3869 8528
TIME...MOT...LOC 2045Z 254DEG 26KT 3860 8537
$$
Research yields new tool to achieve a Weather-Ready Nation
They cut funding for the NWS and NASA, but the congress and president just pledged another 600 billion to Afghanistan over the next 10 to 12 years.
Anyone else detect a TAD of lack of priorities here?
War on Terror?
Heck, we're practically being blackmailed...again.
I wonder how much of this money will get funneled to Bin Laden's replacement by the Afghan people?
Oh yeah, it's weather related because they cut funding to NWS and army corps of engineers, not to mention everything else, so they could keep funding a war with unrealistic goals.
You could pay a million Americans $60,000 per year for 10 years for that amount of money, to do some sort of domestic work.
It's insanity, I swear.
Parts of Trinidad experienced record rainfall today,2.5 inches inches of rain fell within a 5 hour period,with an additional 4-6 inches forcasted for this week.
I wouldn't know...I can't even read Canadian...
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