Severe weather!

[sundial]

Southern TE'ers, looks like we're going to have a rough afternoon and evening. The NWS is not only predicting strong storms, but strong tornados!

Please stay alert, have an evacuation plan ready to implement, and take your pets with you--even if you think you'll only be gone for a short period. Here is the latest weather bulletin:

Special Weather Statement

ALCORN-BENTON MS-CALHOUN-CARROLL- CHESTER-CHICKASAW-CLAY-COAHOMA- CRAIGHEAD-CRITTENDEN-CROCKETT-CROSS- DESOTO-DECATUR-DUNKLIN-DYER- FAYETTE- GIBSON-GREENE-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-HAYWOOD- HENDERSON-HENRY- ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE- LAKE-LAUDERDALE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-LEE MS- MADISON- MARSHALL-MCNAIRY-MISSISSIPPI- MONROE-OBION-PANOLA-PEMISCOT- PHILLIPS- POINSETT-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-QUITMAN- RANDOLPH-SHELBY- ST. FRANCIS- TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-TIPTON- TISHOMINGO-TUNICA- UNION-WEAKLEY- YALOBUSHA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF... ABERDEEN...AMORY...BARTLETT... BATESVILLE...BLYTHEVILLE...BOLIVAR... BOONEVILLE... CARUTHERSVILLE... CLARKSDALE...COLLIERVILLE...CORINTH... COVINGTON...DRESDEN...DYERSBURG... FORREST CITY...GERMANTOWN... HARRISBURG...HELENA...HUMBOLDT... HUNTINGDON...IUKA...JACKSON... JONESBORO...KENNETT...LEXINGTON... MARTIN...MEMPHIS...MILAN... MILLINGTON...NEW ALBANY...OLIVE BRANCH...OXFORD...PARAGOULD... PARIS... SAVANNAH...SOMERVILLE...SOUTHAVEN... TUNICA...TUPELO... UNION CITY...WALNUT RIDGE...WEST MEMPHIS...WYNNE 1030 AM CST TUE FEB 5 2008
...HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE MIDSOUTH...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EASTERN ARKANSAS...THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL... WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. AREAS IN THE HIGH RISK ARE GENERALLY NORTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM LEXINGTON TENNESSEE TO OXFORD MISSISSIPPI. A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS LOCATED ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH...SOUTH AND EAST OF THIS LINE.

A WARM...MOIST...AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS IS ALREADY IN PLACE ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL SLOWLY APPROACH FROM THE WEST. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE OVER THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING LIKELY RESULTING IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES. THE POTENTIAL WILL ALSO EXIST FOR STRONG TORNADOES TO DEVELOP. AN ADDITIONAL LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT.

THE PRIMARY TIME FRAME FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE BETWEEN 2 PM CST AND 10 PM CST FOR AREAS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND BETWEEN 4 PM CST AND 2 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA AFTER 2 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING BRINGING AN END TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

ALL CITIZENS LIVING IN THE MIDSOUTH SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE LIKELIHOOD OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY AND TONIGHT. BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTIONS NECESSARY TO PROTECT YOURSELF IF SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR YOUR LOCATION. PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION.

[mimitabby]

Hopefully, your primary isn't today! stay safe.

[sundial]

For those of you who have pets, the following tips may be helpful for you:

Plan for Pet Disaster Needs
· Identifying potential shelter for your pet - friends, hotels, veterinarian, NAFA. For public health reasons, many emergency shelters cannot accept pets.
· Have a pet survival kit ready - pet food, bottled water, medications, veterinary records, cat litter/pan, can opener, food dishes, first aid kit and other supplies with you in case they're not available later.
· Make sure identification tags are up to date and securely fastened to your pet's collar. Make sure you have a current photo of your pet for identification purposes.
Make sure you have a secure pet carrier, leash or harness for your pet so that if he panics, he can't escape.

During a Disaster
· Bring your pets inside immediately.
· Animals have instincts about severe weather changes and will often isolate themselves if they are afraid. Bringing them inside early can stop them from running away. Never leave a pet outside or tied up during a storm.
· Separate dogs and cats. Even if your dogs and cats normally get along, the anxiety of an emergency situation can cause pets to act irrationally. Keep small pets away from cats and dogs.
If you must leave your home, take your pet with you. Do not leave your pet behind. You can contact NAFA to help you with care and shelter of your animal in case of disaster.

After a Disaster
· If after a disaster you have to leave town, take your pets with you. Pets are unlikely to survive on their own.
· In the first few days after the disaster, leash your pets when they go outside. Always maintain close contact. Familiar scents and landmarks may be altered and your pet may become confused and lost. Also, snakes and other dangerous animals may be brought into the area with flood areas. Downed power lines are a hazard.
· The behavior of your pets may change after an emergency. Normally quiet and friendly pets may become aggressive or defensive. Watch animals closely. Leash dogs and place them in a fenced yard with access to shelter and water.

www.nafacares.org

[SouthernBelle]

Looks like I have a shot of the worst of that going just south of me, maybe.

Yes, primary is today.

[Andrea]

I'm in Memphis in a little guest house built in the 1930's... I'm battening down the hatches!

[Tuckervill]

It's been skirting around us all day, but the big red blob just appeared on the radar to our west, and the trash cans started blowing across the yard.

It is primary day in Arkansas, and I put off going too long. Now I'll have to wait til this little line passes.

Karen

[Running Mommy]

Ohh Karen STAY SAFE!
I think that storm system is the same one that came through Phoenix yesterday. It was a bugger. Moved fast, but very cold air mass!
I was attempting to ride in it! - OY!
I could see problems when it hit a warmer air mass! YIPES!

We even had snow on the hills in the north valley.

[sundial]

The winds are starting to pick up here. Karen, hope you don't have any bad stuff over there.

[Thorn]

That storm finally started up here. We're looking at 7-11" of snow tonight and then another 4-8" tomorrow. Some reports are saying 20" total might be a sure bet. Thunder and winds of 33-37.

Sob....and I read an article this morning that says this storm pattern we've been in for the last couple of weeks is going to continue...

...a persistent upper air flow has been carrying low-pressure systems from the upper Pacific Coast south to Colorado, Texas and New Mexico. The storm systems have gathered moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, then tracked north and east, right into a sweet spot over northern Illinois. . . And looking ahead for a week or two, the professor sees almost an endless supply of those systems...

I feel for y'all on the southern path, but, I'll trade you your rain for my snow...of course, I'm not sure my basement will tolerate the rain anymore than my roof loves all that snow up there. It is a no win...just gotta accept it.

[bmccasland]

Been VERY windy all day here in the Big Easy. Feels like there's now a chill in the air. Was in the low 80's F today, supposed to be 20 degrees or so cooler tomorrow. Thunderstorms tonight - just in time to chase the Mardi Gras revelers in around midnight (much to the delight of NOPD)

[sundial]

I've been surprised that we've only had a tornado watch for now. It's relatively calm. Course we have all night ahead of us but maybe the cells will pass just north of us.

I hope it doesn't bring a dozen tornados with it.

[sundial]

More from NWS:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 37 IN
EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN EAST ARKANSAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 12 COUNTIES

CLAY CRAIGHEAD CRITTENDEN
CROSS GREENE LAWRENCE
LEE MISSISSIPPI PHILLIPS
POINSETT RANDOLPH ST. FRANCIS

IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI THIS WATCH INCLUDES 22 COUNTIES

ALCORN BENTON CALHOUN
CHICKASAW COAHOMA DESOTO
ITAWAMBA LAFAYETTE LEE
MARSHALL MONROE PANOLA
PONTOTOC PRENTISS QUITMAN
TALLAHATCHIE TATE TIPPAH
TISHOMINGO TUNICA UNION
YALOBUSHA

IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI THIS WATCH INCLUDES 2 COUNTIES

DUNKLIN PEMISCOT

IN WEST TENNESSEE THIS WATCH INCLUDES 20 COUNTIES

CARROLL CHESTER CROCKETT
DECATUR DYER FAYETTE
GIBSON HARDEMAN HARDIN
HAYWOOD HENDERSON HENRY
LAKE LAUDERDALE MADISON
MCNAIRY OBION SHELBY
TIPTON WEAKLEY

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...ABERDEEN...AMORY...BARTLETT...
BATESVILLE...BLYTHEVILLE...BOLIVAR...BOONEVILLE...
CARUTHERSVILLE...CLARKSDALE...COLLIERVILLE...CORINTH...
COVINGTON...DRESDEN...DYERSBURG...FORREST CITY...GERMANTOWN...
HARRISBURG...HELENA...HUMBOLDT...HUNTINGDON...IUKA...JACKSON...
JONESBORO...KENNETT...LEXINGTON...MARTIN...MEMPHIS...MILAN...
MILLINGTON...NEW ALBANY...OLIVE BRANCH...OXFORD...PARAGOULD...
PARIS...SAVANNAH...SOMERVILLE...SOUTHAVEN...TUNICA...TUPELO...
UNION CITY...WALNUT RIDGE...WEST MEMPHIS AND WYNNE.

[Thorn]

I hope it doesn't bring a dozen tornados with it.

No kidding...this is the wrong season! During one of the other big storms of the season, I was driving home and the radio interrupted with the tornado watch. I did a double take--it is winter, albiet an angry winter. That tornato missed us, but did do damage south of here.

I can't complain too much, yet--right now it looks like we're on the outer edges of this mess. I feel for for those of you in the primary path.

[jusdooit]

Sundial where are you? (if you don't mind my asking) I just caught our local weather (Jackson, Ms) which said storms will not approach until late and will be an all night event. We had a shower about an hour or so ago and temps dropped some, but it's been very windy all day. I really hate severe weather. Plus I have 2 dogs & a cat to take care of.

[sandra]

It's really windy here too. It's supposed to hit around midnight.