For the past few days we’ve been closely watching a potent storm system to our west that first affected us by kicking up some strong winds, and now is producing showers and thunderstorms in the area.  The severe weather from this storm system last night was just to our north and west and today it looks like the severe weather potential will be centered on the heart of our area.  In fact, the Storm Prediction Center has upgraded the risk of severe weather today from “Slight Risk” to “Moderate Risk” meaning there’s a higher probability of a sizable outbreak of severe weather, possibly involving some tornadoes.  The best chance for this to occur locally is between 2:00 and 6:00 this afternoon as the cold associated with the upcoming storm system pushes through the area.  We’ll have gusty south winds ahead of the front that will occasionally reach 40 miles per hour, especially in the eastern portion of our local area and then those winds will turn to the west behind the front later today, diminishing only after sunset this evening and later tonight.  Here’s the SPC outlook:

Southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and a large portion of Wisconsin have been placed in the Moderate Risk for severe weather. Large hail, damaging winds, and some tornadoes will be possible this afternoon and evening.

Posted under severe weather

We’ll be feeling quite a bit warmer this week and why not, it is the first week of May after all!  After a quiet, and in most cases, fairly bright Monday, we’re expecting warmer, more unstable air to move back into the region for the middle part of the week.  A storm system will slide in for the mid week, likely setting off some thunderstorms later Tuesday to our west.  Those storms are expected to move into our local area in the late evening and overnight period Tuesday into Wednesday, some possibly becoming severe.  The biggest threats from those storms looks to be large hail and damaging wind gusts as a line or two of intense thunderstorm activity is likely to develop and rumble in from the west.  Another round of storms is expected to develop Wednesday afternoon and evening, some again likely severe with large hail, damaging winds, and possibly a tornado or two in the area.  There will also be some more thunderstorm potential Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but at this point we’re too far away from that time frame to get a clear idea of the severe weather threat or potential.  In the meantime, be on the lookout for severe weather tomorrow and Wednesday and keep it tuned to the NewsCenter for more on this upcoming storm system.

The Storm Prediction Center's outlook for Tuesday shows the potential for severe storms in our area.

The Storm Prediction Center's outlook for Wednesday is calling for severe storm potential in our area in the afternoon and evening.

Posted under severe weather

This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week for Minnesota and Wisconsin and as in years past, each day will feature a severe weather topic and some tips that can help you prepare for dangerous weather this season.  The National Weather Service has a special website that covers the entire week’s agenda and has links to other sources of thunderstorm and tornado information.  Thursday the 19th will be Tornado Drill Day where both states involved will have statewide tornado drills with an additional evening session for some counties that elect to have an extra round of practice to give families a chance to run through their severe weather action plans.  Here’s some more information from the NWS’s Severe Weather Awareness Week website:

Severe Weather Awareness Weeks

Follow the links below for safety and preparedness information on each topic:

Posted under severe weather

We’re experiencing a one-two punch in our local weather as we approach the weekend.  The first of two storm systems to affect the viewing area is swinging through the Upper Midwest today, spreading clouds and some light rain across the Upper Mississippi Valley.  We won’t see any severe weather from this one, but rather just light rainfall in a couple of showers through the afternoon and early evening.  The second storm system is going to be a much stronger one, having a huge impact on our nation’s weather and our local weekend plans.  Ahead of the second low pressure system tomorrow, we’ll have some breaks in the clouds and a slight south breeze, warming things up and destabilizing the atmosphere.  That will set the stage for a few late day and especially evening showers and thunderstorms, some of which may become severe with large hail and damaging winds and then some locally heavy rainfall in some of the stronger storms.  The best chance for severe weather locally will be after 6:00 PM or so tomorrow and in northern Iowa.  Another round of severe weather is possible Sunday, especially for southeastern Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin locally during the afternoon hours.  Large hail, gusty winds, and tornadoes will be possible Sunday until the storm system’s center and cold front associated with it swing through southern Minnesota and then through central Wisconsin.  The best chance for severe storms will be noon to 6:00PM or 7:00PM Sunday.  Rainfall may exceed an inch over the weekend with more rain chances coming up for the second half of next week.

Severe weather outlook for tomorrow, showing the potential for a major tornado outbreak in the southern plains and a few severe storms closer to home in the evening.

Slight risk for severe weather on Sunday featuring the threat for hail, winds, and tornadoes in our area and in central Wisconsin.

Posted under severe weather

As in so many other instances throughout the year in our local weather, severe weather and June seem to go hand-in-hand.  This portion of the year, centered on mid June, is the peak of our severe weather season.  Tradition severe weather season in our area typically runs from May through August, but tornadoes most frequently occur in June in southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and southwestern Wisconsin.  While we’ve had a couple of rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms this month, we have yet to see anything as volatile as last year’s massive thunderstorm outbreak that brought tornadoes to the Albert Lea area and Rochester or the Austin tornado event of 2009, so it almost feels like we’re due for at least the threat of that kind of weather.  Hopefully it doesn’t pan out for us in this case, but there is a chance for some tornadoes this afternoon and evening along with the potential for some strong winds and large hail.  In fact, it appears that this will be the best chance for this type of weather in several weeks.  The same storm system that produced a line of strong thunderstorms Monday night is expected to again bring some potent weather to our area by the mid and late afternoon hours today.  The Storm Prediction Center has placed us in the Slight Risk for severe weather today, meaning we’ll all have to keep an eye to the sky and monitor the weather conditions closely on kttc.com and on KTTC TV.

Our entire viewing area has been outlined in the slight risk category for severe weather today and this evening by the Storm Prediction Center.

Posted under severe weather

The latest severe weather outlook from the Storm Prediction Center isn’t a pretty one to say the least, especially for the southern plains.  In a region that has dealt with more than its share of death and destruction this spring, there is the potential for yet another round of volatile weather today as a storm system coming out of the Rockies is continuing to keep that region under the gun for severe weather.  In fact, a rare High Risk area has been outlined by the Storm Prediction Center for portions of Kansas and Oklahoma, meaning there is a strong possibility of a major tornado outbreak today and tonight around Wichita, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City.  A Moderate Risk has been outlined for surrounding areas, including Joplin, Missouri where 116 or more people were killed in a strong tornado on Sunday.  These areas will unfortunately also see a rather strong potential for severe weather in the next 24 hours.  We’ll definitely be thinking of the people in these affected areas today and hope for the best possible outcome from today’s weather situation.

On the other hand, our local area is looking at just benign showers and isolated thunderstorms later this afternoon with a soggy, cool day ahead for our Wednesday.  Our next chance for severe weather may be on Memorial Day Monday with the approach of a strong storm system from the west.  It’s definitely pretty far off at this point, but it’s something we’re going to be keeping an eye on over the next few days as we get closer to the big holiday weekend.

Only a handful of "High Risk" areas are outlined for severe weather in any given year and today there is one for the southern plains.

Posted under severe weather

It’s amazing to see how close Sunday’s EF2 tornado came to striking a number of area towns and villages in its 28 mile path.  Here’s a look at the damage path from that tornado.

The damage path from May 22nd's tornado that started near Chester and lifted just north of Harmony at 3:30pm.

Posted under Tornadoes

Well it has been almost 2 weeks since one of the biggest tornadoes outbreaks in United States history.  I wanted to share this article I came across written by one of my idols, the weather channels Dr. Greg Forbes.  I consider him to be one of the smartest minds in the world of weather.  He studied under Dr. Ted Fujita in his gradate school years and taught at Penn State for a little while (so I may be a tad biased!)  Check this article out…it really is interesting.

Posted under severe weather, Tornadoes

Like we thought,  snow totals out of our latest storm weren’t that impressive, well at least compared to the storms of December.  While southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa did not see the worst of this March storm, major impacts are still being felt over the entire eastern third country.  Check out the watches/warnings this morning  from the National Weather Service: (From 5:33 AM)

The storm is ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS!!  Here is a radar image from the same time showing how much real estate the storm is covered at this time:

Here are the latest storm totals for the day:

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
753 AM CST WED MAR 09 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 AM     SNOW             WAUKON                  43.27N  91.47W
03/09/2011  M4.0 INCH        ALLAMAKEE          IA   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             POSTVILLE               43.09N  91.56W
03/09/2011  M2.4 INCH        ALLAMAKEE          IA   CO-OP OBSERVER

0643 AM     SNOW             HARPERS FERRY 2N        43.22N  91.15W
03/09/2011  M1.0 INCH        ALLAMAKEE          IA   PUBLIC

0643 AM     SNOW             NEW HAMPTON             43.06N  92.31W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        CHICKASAW          IA   PUBLIC

0643 AM     SNOW             EDGEWOOD                42.64N  91.40W
03/09/2011  M3.0 INCH        CLAYTON            IA   PUBLIC

0643 AM     SNOW             CLAYTON CENTER          42.88N  91.32W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        CLAYTON            IA   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             VOLGA 1NE               42.81N  91.52W
03/09/2011  M1.9 INCH        CLAYTON            IA   CO-OP OBSERVER

0643 AM     SNOW             OSTERDOCK               42.73N  91.16W
03/09/2011  M1.0 INCH        CLAYTON            IA   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             FAYETTE                 42.85N  91.82W
03/09/2011  M3.8 INCH        FAYETTE            IA   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             CHARLES CITY COOP       43.08N  92.67W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        FLOYD              IA   CO-OP OBSERVER

0643 AM     SNOW             CHARLES CITY            43.07N  92.68W
03/09/2011  M1.0 INCH        FLOYD              IA   PUBLIC

0643 AM     SNOW             CRESCO                  43.38N  92.12W
03/09/2011  M2.5 INCH        HOWARD             IA   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             CRESCO                  43.37N  92.11W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        HOWARD             IA   CO-OP OBSERVER

0643 AM     SNOW             OSAGE                   43.29N  92.81W
03/09/2011  M4.0 INCH        MITCHELL           IA   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             ST ANSGAR               43.37N  92.83W
03/09/2011  M3.6 INCH        MITCHELL           IA   CO-OP OBSERVER

0643 AM     SNOW             DECORAH                 43.31N  91.79W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        WINNESHIEK         IA   PUBLIC

0643 AM     SNOW             FORT ATKINSON           43.14N  91.94W
03/09/2011  M1.4 INCH        WINNESHIEK         IA   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             DODGE CENTER            44.03N  92.86W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        DODGE              MN   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             SPRING VALLEY 3E        43.68N  92.33W
03/09/2011  M3.5 INCH        FILLMORE           MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             LANESBORO               43.72N  91.97W
03/09/2011  M2.9 INCH        FILLMORE           MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             PETERSON 1S             43.78N  91.82W
03/09/2011  M2.4 INCH        FILLMORE           MN   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             CALEDONIA               43.63N  91.50W
03/09/2011  M4.0 INCH        HOUSTON            MN   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             LA CRESCENT 3SSW        43.81N  91.32W
03/09/2011  M3.6 INCH        HOUSTON            MN   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             RENO 3SW                43.53N  91.33W
03/09/2011  M3.5 INCH        HOUSTON            MN   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             SPRING GROVE 4N         43.61N  91.62W
03/09/2011  M2.4 INCH        HOUSTON            MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             AUSTIN                  43.67N  92.95W
03/09/2011  M3.6 INCH        MOWER              MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             AUSTIN KAAL TV          43.68N  92.95W
03/09/2011  M3.1 INCH        MOWER              MN   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             GRAND MEADOW            43.71N  92.56W
03/09/2011  M2.5 INCH        MOWER              MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             ROCHESTER AP 2NE        43.93N  92.48W
03/09/2011  M2.6 INCH        OLMSTED            MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             ORONOCO                 44.16N  92.54W
03/09/2011  M2.5 INCH        OLMSTED            MN   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             ELGIN 2SSW              44.10N  92.27W
03/09/2011  M1.6 INCH        OLMSTED            MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             ROCHESTER               44.02N  92.48W
03/09/2011  M1.5 INCH        OLMSTED            MN   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             WABASHA                 44.39N  92.05W
03/09/2011  M1.8 INCH        WABASHA            MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             GOODVIEW                44.07N  91.71W
03/09/2011  M1.8 INCH        WINONA             MN   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             MINNESOTA CITY DAM 5    44.16N  91.81W
03/09/2011  M1.0 INCH        WINONA             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             LA CRESCENT DAM 7       43.87N  91.31W
03/09/2011  M1.0 INCH        WINONA             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             WINONA DAM 5A           44.09N  91.67W
03/09/2011  M1.0 INCH        WINONA             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             FRIENDSHIP              43.97N  89.82W
03/09/2011  M5.2 INCH        ADAMS              WI   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             ARKDALE                 44.03N  89.88W
03/09/2011  M5.0 INCH        ADAMS              WI   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             WHITE CREEK             43.84N  89.87W
03/09/2011  M4.0 INCH        ADAMS              WI   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             FRIENDSHIP              43.97N  89.82W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        ADAMS              WI   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             ALMA DAM 4              44.33N  91.92W
03/09/2011  M1.0 INCH        BUFFALO            WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             NEILLSVILLE 3SW         44.53N  90.64W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        CLARK              WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             NEILLSVILLE             44.56N  90.59W
03/09/2011  M0.5 INCH        CLARK              WI   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             SOLDIERS GROVE          43.39N  90.78W
03/09/2011  M3.8 INCH        CRAWFORD           WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             STEUBEN 4SE             43.13N  90.84W
03/09/2011  M3.7 INCH        CRAWFORD           WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             GAYS MILLS              43.32N  90.85W
03/09/2011  M1.0 INCH        CRAWFORD           WI   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             PRAIRIE DU CHIEN        43.05N  91.13W
03/09/2011  M1.0 INCH        CRAWFORD           WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             LANCASTER               42.85N  90.71W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        GRANT              WI   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             TAYLOR                  44.32N  91.12W
03/09/2011  M3.0 INCH        JACKSON            WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             BLACK RIVER FALLS       44.30N  90.85W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        JACKSON            WI   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             NECEDAH                 44.03N  90.07W
03/09/2011  M5.0 INCH        JUNEAU             WI   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             NEW LISBON              43.88N  90.17W
03/09/2011  M4.0 INCH        JUNEAU             WI   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             LA CROSSE WFO           43.82N  91.19W
03/09/2011  M5.2 INCH        LA CROSSE          WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             WEST SALEM 1W           43.90N  91.09W
03/09/2011  M5.0 INCH        LA CROSSE          WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             LA CROSSE ASOS          43.88N  91.26W
03/09/2011  M2.6 INCH        LA CROSSE          WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             HOLMEN 2S               43.93N  91.25W
03/09/2011  M2.4 INCH        LA CROSSE          WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             LA CROSSE 5SSE          43.79N  91.21W
03/09/2011  M1.8 INCH        LA CROSSE          WI   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             FOUR CORNERS            44.07N  90.92W
03/09/2011  M4.3 INCH        MONROE             WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             WARRENS 5WSW            44.10N  90.59W
03/09/2011  M3.2 INCH        MONROE             WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             RICHLAND CENTER 1NW     43.36N  90.42W
03/09/2011  M3.8 INCH        RICHLAND           WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             RICHLAND CENTER         43.32N  90.38W
03/09/2011  M2.6 INCH        RICHLAND           WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             MEDFORD                 45.14N  90.35W
03/09/2011  M0.5 INCH        TAYLOR             WI   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             TREMPEALEAU DAM 6       44.00N  91.44W
03/09/2011  M4.0 INCH        TREMPEALEAU        WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             GALESVILLE 2ENE         44.09N  91.31W
03/09/2011  M2.3 INCH        TREMPEALEAU        WI   PUBLIC

0700 AM     SNOW             OSSEO                   44.58N  91.22W
03/09/2011  M1.7 INCH        TREMPEALEAU        WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             BLAIR 2NW               44.31N  91.27W
03/09/2011  M1.5 INCH        TREMPEALEAU        WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             VIROQUA                 43.55N  90.90W
03/09/2011  M4.8 INCH        VERNON             WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM     SNOW             LA FARGE                43.57N  90.64W
03/09/2011  M3.1 INCH        VERNON             WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0745 AM     SNOW             STODDARD 2NE            43.69N  91.18W
03/09/2011  M2.6 INCH        VERNON             WI   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             VIROQUA                 43.58N  90.88W
03/09/2011  M2.0 INCH        VERNON             WI   PUBLIC

0745 AM     SNOW             DE SOTO                 43.43N  91.20W
03/09/2011  M1.5 INCH        VERNON             WI   PUBLIC
&&
FOR THIS...AND A WEALTH OF OTHER RIVER AND WEATHER INFORMATION...
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT  WEATHER.GOV/LACROSSE

Posted under atmospheric phenomenon, flooding, just cool, KTTC, minnesota, Natural Disaster, rainfall, Rochester, severe weather, snowfall amounts, spring, Travel, weather, winter, winter weather

Tornado Watch until 8pm

Tornado Watch in effect from roughly Mason City northward to the Twin Cities and west of there, until 8 pm tonight.

Stay tuned, as severe t-storm warnings are already being issued to our west.

Posted under severe weather