Widespread severe weather likely today!
Severe thunderstorms capable of strong tornadoes and damaging hail and wind are possible today from parts of the south-central Plains all the way to the Canadian border. A powerful mid-level storm system is currently digging into the southern Rockies, with a large part of its energy being shuttled northeast over Kansas, Nebraska and the eastern Dakotas into western Minnesota. As such, the
Storm Prediction Center has issued a Moderate Risk for these areas. By late this afternoon, several areas of thunderstorms are expected to develop. One area of focus will be central Nebraska into south-central South Dakota, where a secondary low/quasi-triple point feature will result in strong low-level shear in a very unstable environment ahead of a dryline and cold front; explosive supercell thunderstorm development is expected by mid afternoon, but storm mode in this area should eventually grow to be more linear in nature, given less than ideal directional wind shear over time. The second area of interest is the vicinity of the broader surface low to the north of this area, which is dragging a warm front and associated moisture into the Fargo, ND area and western Minnesota. Supercells are likely in this area as well, and storm mode should remain relatively more discrete with the benefit of more favorable directional wind shear. A large number of chasers will be covering this event (
live video here), and as always, residents are urged to remain alert to local media for
watches and warnings, especially with this being Memorial Day when minds may be focused on picnics and BBQs. (A reminder of this season's more recent weater fury is above-left. TVN live streamer Verne Carlson captured this image from just behind the violent Canton, OK tornado this past Tuesday!)
http://www.tornadovideos.net/component/content/article/36-tornadoes/1366-widespread-severe-weather-likely-today
