PURPLE = PDS TORNADO WATCH
RED = TORNADO WATCH
SMALL RED BOX = TORNADO WARNING
SMALL YELLOW BOX = SEVERE T'STORM WARNING
SMALL GREEN BOX = FLASH FLOOD WARNING
Radar and warnings valid at 853PM CST.
The tornado outbreak is beginning to wind down. A threat for tornadoes still exists in parts of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia through the night tonight. Some tornado warnings are still in effect as of 9PM CST.
The tornado threat will continue into the Carolinas tomorrow, with a moderate risk for severe weather issued across parts of eastern South Carolina and North Carolina. Several strong, long-track tornadoes are possible in the threat area.
(Previous diary: PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION: Violent Tornado Outbreak In Progress In Deep South)
The Storm Prediction Center has issued a PDS Tornado Watch for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama -- the "PDS" indicating that this is a particularly dangerous situation, enhanced wording used only a few times a year to signal that violent, long-track, long-lived tornadoes are possible within the watch area.
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
SOUTHWESTERN AND WEST-CENTRAL ALABAMA
EASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
COASTAL WATERS
EFFECTIVE THIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 1255 PM UNTIL
800 PM CST.
...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...
DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 75 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE
POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
The watch is in effect right now in anticipation of dangerous supercell thunderstorms forming out ahead of an approaching cold front. The unstable air and strong vertical wind shear will allow these thunderstorms to rotate and produce tornadoes;
there is a 70% chance that some of these tornadoes will be violent (EF-2 or stronger) and have tracks dozens of miles long.
The greatest risk is situation along a fairly east-west axis through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama lasting through the night tonight. Bigger cities such as New Orleans LA, Biloxi MS, Mobile AL, and the surrounding areas that are usually protected from large tornadoes by their proximity to the Gulf of Mexico will not have that comfort today. The positioning of the vertical wind shear and instability, which is typically north of these cities during springtime tornado outbreaks, is smack over the I-10 corridor today.
This is a life threatening situation. Please pay attention to watches and warnings for your area, as these thunderstorms (and subsequent tornadoes) will develop quickly. If you live in this area, please let your friends, family, and neighbors know that dangerous weather is possible today.
If the tornadoes start several hours after the posting of this diary, I'll start a separate liveblog diary. I'll try to post the bigger, more urgent updates on my Facebook and Twitter feeds.
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NOAA Weather Models
12:01 PM PT: Rotation in the storms west of New Orleans prompting a tornado warning until 230PM CST:
12:04 PM PT: James Spann of Birmingham AL's ABC 33/40 will be live pretty much all day and night at the following link, for those in Alabama. He's going to cover the whole state today: http://www.abc3340.com/...
12:18 PM PT: Another tornado warning just north of Houma LA...tornadic storm will move into the western suburbs of New Orleans.
12:21 PM PT: From the comments:
30 homes reported damaged, says SPC (1+ / 0-)
RAPIDES PARISH SHERIFF REPORTS 25-30 HOMES DAMAGED WITH NUMEROUS INJURIES. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY REACHING VICTIMS DUE TO THE DAMAGE
This is serious.
look for my eSci diary series Thursday evening.
by FishOutofWater on Tue Dec 25, 2012 at 02:19:55 PM CST
2:20 PM PT: Very strong tornado on the ground near Wiggins, MS with heavy damage and "lots of debris in the air" reported by emergency officials.
Tornado warning for Mobile, AL until 445PM CST associated with a very strong hook signature in a supercell moving ashore on the southern part of the county.
2:48 PM PT: * AT 441 PM CST...A TORNADO HAS BEEN CONFIRMED. THE TORNADIC STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR EXIT 15 ON INTERSTATE 10...OR 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF BELLE FONTAINE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MIDTOWN MOBILE... DOWNTOWN MOBILE... TILLMANS CORNER...
THEODORE... SARALAND... PRICHARD...
I65 AND US 45... I65 AND I165... I65 AND AL 158...
3:02 PM PT: MAJOR TORNADO MOVING THROUGH MOBILE, AL. LARGE WEDGE TORNADO JUST MISSED DOWNTOWN. POWER FLASHES AND MAJOR DAMAGE.
3:12 PM PT: Large wedge tornado just moved through downtown Mobile AL. I am safe -- I am home in North Carolina, away from school in Mobile for winter break.
3:23 PM PT: Mobile Fire Department is reporting that there is so much damage in the city that it's overwhelming their capabilities. A high school has been heavily damaged and has a gas leak.
3:50 PM PT: Fox 10 damage reports:
-Power is out all over midtown Mobile AL
-News crew having a hard time getting to the damage.
-Police are blocking much of Government Street.
3:54 PM PT: Heavy damage at the Mobile Infirmary. More heavy damage reported along Old Shell Road in midtown Mobile.
4:13 PM PT: From the University of South Alabama student newspaper's Facebook page:
Good news! Earlier, a source at Mobile Fire and Rescue said they were overwhelmed and we reported their comment. Their official Twitter account messaged us and said they're not.
4:38 PM PT: Mobile Infirmary has released a statement saying that the damage is "minor" and that the building still has power. That's good.
4:46 PM PT: The tornado threat is lessening as the storms transition from individual cells to a more linear mode. The tornado threat is far from over, but the risk will slowly transition to damaging winds as the night progresses.
Another tornado outbreak is expected in the Carolinas tomorrow, with a moderate risk issued by the Storm Prediction Center.