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

[Brandi]

Sundial and i have been emailing eachother a bit and I thought I should share my last email cause it adds a little hummor to this sever storm post.
And by the way sundial those doggies of your are sooooooo cute! My gosh did they bring a smile to my face when I saw that picture! Both are my favorite breeds too. Grew up with both. Sugar and skyla were there names! ok here is what i wrote sundial.

I am glad things are calm today.
Funny story- My brother lives in Mississippi. So he was in on your storms yesterday too. Well he's weather radio went off at he's office so he called my sister in law and told her to get the boys (3) and get in the bathroom! Well after a while everything calmed down. But my brother forgot to call my sister in law back. So he calls her after about a half an hour. She was going nuts! There are no windows in the bathroom so she could not tell what was going on outside and the boys were in there farting and laughing! She was a bit mad at my brother for forgetting about them! I thought it was very funny. I needed a good laugh!

[sundial]

I'm re-reading your story and I can't help but laugh!!

[Mr. Bloom]

Check out www.jacksonsun.com

Look at the damage at Union University. Look at the reader submitted photos.

Union is an outstanding Southern Baptist school on a beautiful new campus north of Jackson (1 hr NW of Memphis).

This is the second major tornado to hit Jackson in the last five years. The last time, the city learned that:
- after all the hype, and
- after all the politician's promises
- no one really helps...

I know I'm cynical, but I hate to see politicians capitalize on misery...

[Tuckervill]

The tornado that hit Jackson the first time also hit my husband's place of business out near Pringles Park. (We were living in Fayette County at the time.) The roof was torn off and most of the inventory was destroyed. And then it was almost 24/7 for about 3 weeks working to get it put back together.

I think they escaped this one, but Jackson lost some historic buildings during the last one. And you're right, Union was a beautiful campus--but town has reached it now, so it's no longer "north".

Karen

[sundial]

This is the second major tornado to hit Jackson in the last five years. The last time, the city learned that:
- after all the hype, and
- after all the politician's promises
- no one really helps...

I know I'm cynical, but I hate to see politicians capitalize on misery...

You're right! My dad is part of the Baptist mobile disaster team and it's the grassroots organizations that get it done--not the government.

[Mr. Bloom]

Ironic...after a tornado hit Evansville a couple years ago killing 20+ residents, folks calling the City and the Red Cross to volunteer were referred to our church for assignment and mobilization.

[Brandi]

Check out www.jacksonsun.com

Look at the damage at Union University. Look at the reader submitted photos.

Union is an outstanding Southern Baptist school on a beautiful new campus north of Jackson (1 hr NW of Memphis).

This is the second major tornado to hit Jackson in the last five years. The last time, the city learned that:
- after all the hype, and
- after all the politician's promises
- no one really helps...

I know I'm cynical, but I hate to see politicians capitalize on misery...

Ditto!
And it seems that all thatwas talked about on the news yesterday was super tuesday super tuesday! Oh and little about the weather.

[Bad JuJu]

This is the second major tornado to hit Jackson in the last five years. The last time, the city learned that:
- after all the hype, and
- after all the politician's promises
- no one really helps...

I know I'm cynical, but I hate to see politicians capitalize on misery...

I couldn't agree more. Having lived through two major Gulf coast hurricanes, I can attest that after most storms, you need to be able to take care of your family and yourself because you're essentially on your own.

[sundial]

I think people want to help communities after the disaster. What they don't realize is how long it takes to recover.

My dad went to NOLA on 3 accounts after hurricane Katrina to help with food preparation and distribution. He said even after the third visit, which was about 4 months after the hurricane, there was still so much debris and damaged homes. People were walking daily with buckets to the nearest source of water to gather it for a days worth of bath water and cooking.