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WHAT IS NATIONAL WEATHER ONLINE? Click here to find out!
CURRENT UNITED STATES RADAR IMAGERY:
Click here for larger view and access to local radars
CURRENT UNITED STATES WATCHES, WARNINGS & ADVISORIES:
Direct from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
This year may set records for tornadoes and tornado-related deaths. “We have already seen more than 115 tornado-related deaths, making this the deadliest tornado season since 1998,” said Greg Carbin, a meteorologist at NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.
“It is only the third time since the 1974 super tornado outbreak that there have been more than 100 tornado-related deaths during a single tornado season in the U.S.,” added Harold Brooks, a research meteorologist at NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory also in Norman. “In 1998 and 1984 there were 132 and 122 tornado-related deaths, respectively — 2008 will likely equal or exceed that record.”
Continue reading "NOAA: EARLY AND INTENSE TORNADO SEASON COULD BE RECORD" »
Direct from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
The March-May spring season was the 36th coolest on record for the contiguous United States, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Separately, last month ended as the 34th coolest May for the contiguous United States, based on records dating back to 1895.
The average spring temperature of 51.4 degrees F was 0.5 degree F below the 20th century average. The average May temperature of 60.3 degrees F was 0.7 degree F below the 20th century mean, based on preliminary data.
Continue reading "NOAA: U.S. HAS 36TH COOLEST SPRING ON RECORD" »
This week is Hurricane Preparedness Week across the country, from May 25-31. NationalWeatherOnline.com would like to take a moment to remind one and all that the best time to prepare for a potential hurricane strike is early in the season, before any threat is present. This is especially true for those who would like to obtain flood insurance, as there is usually a 30 day turnaround before a policy can be executed. For more information about National Hurricane Awareness Week, click here.
Direct from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center
today announced that projected climate conditions point to a near
normal or above normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this
year. The prediction was issued at a news conference called to urge
residents in vulnerable areas to be fully prepared for the onset of
hurricane season, which begins June 1.
Continue reading "NOAA PREDICTS NEAR OR ABOVE NORMAL ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON" »
Direct from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
A new satellite set to launch next month will monitor the rate of
sea-level rise and help measure the strength of hurricanes, according
to a leading NOAA scientist.
Continue reading "NOAA: JASON-2 SATELLITE DATA TO HELP NOAA TRACK GLOBAL SEA LEVEL" »
Direct from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu expects three to four tropical cyclones in the central Pacific basin in 2008, a slightly below average season.
Continue reading "NOAA PREDICTS BELOW NORMAL CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE SEASON" »
Direct from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
A new model simulation of Atlantic hurricane activity for the last two
decades of this century projects fewer hurricanes overall, but a slight
increase in intensity for hurricanes that do occur. Hurricanes are also
projected to have more intense rainfall, on average, in the future. The
findings are reported in a study by scientists at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J., scheduled to be published online on May 18 in Nature Geoscience.
Direct from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
This past month was the coolest April in 11 years for the lower 48 United States, and fell into the lowest twenty-five percent of all Aprils based on records going back to 1895, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C
The average April temperature, 51 degrees F, during April was one degree below the 20th century mean, and was the 29th coolest, or 86th warmest, based on preliminary data.
The combined average global land and ocean surface temperatures for April ranked 13th warmest since worldwide records began in 1880.
Continue reading "NOAA: U.S. HAS COOL APRIL, GLOBAL TEMPERATURE RANKED 13TH WARMEST ON RECORD" »
Given the tornado outbreaks this year, and more disturbingly the number of deaths resulting from these storms, we here at National Weather Online felt this reminder disseminated from the National Weather Service was certainly worth posting in its entirety:
Directly from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
Tornadoes 101A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground.
Tornadoes come from thunderstorms.
Tornadoes can occur whenever and wherever conditions are right! Tornadoes can occur in every state in the United States, on any day of the year, and at any hour. They also occur in many other parts of the world, including Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.
Tornado Alley is a nickname for an area that has more tornadoes than other parts of the U.S. The area that has the most strong and violent tornadoes includes eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas, and eastern Colorado.
The current average lead-time for tornado warnings is 13 minutes. NOAA Research is working to increase tornado warning lead-times much further.
A Tornado Watch means tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center issues tornado and severe thunderstorm watches.
A Tornado Warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar – time to take cover! Your local National Weather Service office issues tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/
Tornadoes kill about 60 people each year, mostly from flying or falling debris.
About 1,200.
The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates tornadoes by the damage they cause. Tornado categories are from EF0 to EF5. The EF-Scale takes into account variables such as building type, structures, and the sizes of trees.
What you need to know NOW!Listen to NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards or commercial radio/television for tornado warnings and instructions. If you hear a "Tornado Warning" seek safety immediately.
Indoors:
In a vehicle:
Outdoors:
See our severe weather safety page for more information!
The most destructive and deadly tornadoes occur from supercells — which are rotating thunderstorms with a well-defined radar circulation called a mesocyclone.
NOAA scientists at the National Severe Storms Laboratory are working to understand the origins of tornadoes in thunderstorms. This knowledge will help the NWS improve warnings for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.
The movie Twister
was based upon NSSL’s work in the mid-1980s using a 55-gallon drum
equipped with weather sensors. It was called TOTO (TOtable Tornado
Observatory). NSSL tried for several years to put it in the path of an
oncoming tornado, but had minimal success. It did not have the sensors
that fly up into the tornado, like in the movie.
The Severe Weather Primer, FAQ’s and more:
The Storm Prediction Center's Tornado FAQ
NOAA Watch Severe Weather
Direct from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
The names Dean, Felix, and Noel, three of the most devastating storms
of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, were retired by members of the
30th Session of the World Meteorological Organization's Regional
Association IV Hurricane Committee during its annual meeting in
Orlando, Fla.
Continue reading "DEAN, FELIX AND NOEL RETIRED FROM LIST OF STORM NAMES" »