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No Tornadoes in February for the First Time in 60 Years

From Harold Brooks at the US Severe Weather Blog:

There were no tornadoes reported in the United States in February 2010.  Assuming that no late reports are received, it will be the first time in the National Weather Service’s database that starts in 1950 that there has been a February without a tornado.  If we include Tom Grazulis’s database of F2 and stronger tornadoes, the last time it’s possible there wasn’t a February tornado was 1947.  The last tornado reported in the US was on 24 January, in north-central Tennessee.  The last calendar month without a tornado was January 2003.

He goes on to say that this tells us nothing about what is in store for the US this spring and summer during tornado season.

January, however, saw some tornadic activity, the strangest being tornadoes that occurred in California near the end of that month.  But the fact that there were no tornadoes in February is not surprising given how nasty this winter has been in the US.  According to the Omaha World Herald, Omaha has had snow on the ground for a record 84 days and counting and Nebraska has been hit with 4 blizzards (they average 1 every 5 to 10 years).  Iowa has seen 3.  Snow storms have seemingly been the norm this month from the Canadian border all the way down to Texas and the southeast United States.  So while there hasn't been any spring-type severe weather in February, the winter has been severe in other ways.

Winter Rhetoric and Winter Reality

Here in Minnesota, we are in the midst of a, well, really cool winter storm.  I haven't watched the Weather Channel much in years - too many commercials and they, like so many media folks, use rhetoric that is too sensationalized.  I want a show with useful information, but too often I get commercials and low-grade entertainment.  But I imagine their forecasters are using the words "colossal", "massive", and "violent" to describe the storm.  I also imagine they are using words like "socked" and "slammed" to tell viewers what the storm is doing to those of us experiencing it.  You'd probably think we were hunkered down in our igloos, shivering around a candle.

We do that in July.

Meteorologically speaking, the sheer geographic coverage of the storm makes it a beast.  But in terms of impact, it's not that bad at all.  We had 6" of snow at my house last night and another inch throughout the day.  When the plow guy came this morning to plow out my driveway. I went outside to talk with him wearing my omnipresent Mizzou hoodie, shorts, and my Gore Tex shoes - but no socks.  It was about 27 degrees or so and there was no wind to speak of.  I wouldn't want to traipse around in the snow for hours on end dressed like that, but wasn't bad at all to have a 5" chat,

The roads were slick last night and today, but nothing a hearty northlander can't handle if he's careful.  I spent the day with the boys sledding on the growing pile of snow across the street and piling up snow into two snow forts on our patio.  The boys and I also had a snowball fight.  I won.

So rather than use terms like "slammed" etc., let's just say we had a nice, playful snow.  A perfect Christmas present.

A Beast of a Storm

The folks here in Mankato talk almost reverently about the Halloween blizzard of 1991.  A multiple-day event, that storm dumped almost 30" of snow in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

We are now experiencing the beginning of a storm that could rival that storm in snowfall when all is said and done.  Here's the current National Weather Service map with all the advisories in the country.

Tornadoes and ice and snow!  Oh my!  This beast is spawning severe storms and tornadoes down in Texas, flooding (or expected to cause flooding) in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois and all types of icy precipitation in the central US.    All that color in the middle of the country is because of this one storm.  The entire state - the entire state -  of Minnesota is under either a winter storm warning or a blizzard warning.  The entire states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin and about 75% of the states of Kansas and Iowa are under some sort of wintry weather advisory.  This storm is a beast.  A beast!

I love it!  If it's got to be winter, at least let it snow.

The weather folks are forecasting at least a foot of snow here in south central Minnesota.  So far we've gotten just short of three inches of the white stuff here in Mankato.  But the snow is coming down heavily and some flakes are the size of quarters.  Plus it's forecasted to go on for the next 60 hours.

But like we here in the nort' lands say:  as long as there's no place to go, let it snow.  Let it snow.  Let it snow.

It's Starting to Look a Lot Like WInter - Plus A Little Vivaldi

Southern Minnesota, and the entire upper midwest for that matter, is under one sort of winter weather advisory or another.  We locally are under a blizzard warning for today and tonight.  The current forecast calls for nearly a foot of snow, light and fluffy snow, with winds whupping up to 30 mph.  Those winds are forecasted to drive the wind chil down in the 25 to 35 below range.  Ew.  So it seems appropriate for a little Vivaldi.

Video of Minneapolis Tornado 8-19-2009

Via a tweet from Melanie Metz of the Twister Sisters

Spicer, Mn Tornado Video 7/14/2009

Here is a video of the Spicer, Mn. tornado on Bastille Day, 2009 taken by Jacob Thumberger.  You don't see the classic cone, but you can see the swirling condensation.

Video Footage of Wells, Minnesota Tornado 6/21/2009

#fb It was a slow start to the Minnesota severe weather season.  Last Wednesday saw the first report of a tornado in the state.  Sunday saw more of the same with a tornado touching down near the small town of Wells in the south central portion of the state.  Wells is situated about 40 miles SE of Mankato and about 20 miles NW of Albert Lea.  Here is a picture taken by the Twister Sisters of the tornado.  Here is some of their video

Travel Real Time With a Storm Chaser

Here is a link to storm chaser Mike Phelps' real time storm chasing video.  At the moment (7:30 AM CDT on 6/17/2009), there is no feed and there was no feed when I tuned in last evening.  But I watched it on Monday when he was chasing storms in eastern Colorado and Kansas.  It was interesting to hear him talk about the intricacies of storms and storm chasing.  There is also a place to chat with other severe weather enthusiasts via your Twitter account. #fb

Getting the Forecast Right

The local NWS weather office (in Chanhassen, Mn) predicted that the greatest chance of strong to severe thunderstorms would be after 4PM (local time) today SE of a line from Albert Lea, Mn to Eau Claire, Wi.

It's currently 4:30 PM and thunderstorms have just blossomed on a line between Albert Lea and Eau Claire.  No word on if they are strong to severe.  Still, it looks like the NWS got this one on the nose!

Video of Tornado from Georgia 2/18/2009

Here's a cellphone video of a tornado in Taylor County Ga.

Here are three videos taken 5 miles southwest of Reynolds, Ga. that shows a wall cloud desperately trying to develop a tornado.