Daily Rover » Spring

Early morning storms

Mike — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:12:00 +0000

You know it’s spring in North Texas when the weather forecast reads like this…

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
849 PM CDT THU APR 3 2008

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ALONG AND NORTH OF
INTERSTATE 20 TONIGHT...AS A COLD FRONT DROPS INTO THE AREA. LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE MAIN HAZARDS WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 160 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 10 AM CDT THIS
MORNING FOR 23 COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS

SHORT TERM FORECAST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 318 AM CDT FRI APR 4 2008.
NOW...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALONG AND NORTH OF A GRAHAM...DENTON... SULPHUR SPRINGS LINE
UNTIL 4 AM CDT... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-20 SOUTH TO ATHENS...
WACO AND TEMPLE...THROUGH 10 AM CDT. A NEARLY SOLID LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM CLARKSVILLE...
TO GREENVILLE TO BROWNWOOD AT 320 AM...WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH... WHILE
THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS MOVE EAST AT 30 MPH.
A TRAILING LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM DENISON TO WEATHERFORD. SMALL HAIL...WIND
GUSTS TO 40 MPH...AS WELL AS HEAVY RAIN AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL ACCOMPANY THESE
STORMS. A FEW STORMS WILL BE SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OVER 60 MPH.
MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION AS STREET FLOODING IS LIKELY IN THE AREAS THAT RECEIVE
HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT DRIVE INTO WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH...REMEMBER TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

Check out the radar image below.  These are the severe storms that woke me up this morning
at 3:30.

First Day of Spring

Mike — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 05:03:03 +0000

The first official day of spring was just beautiful here in north Texas. The sunshine warmed me up and the breeze cooled me down, with a nice moderate temperature in the low 70′s. I must have driven 100 miles today and had the air conditioner on for at least half the trip, because of the greenhouse effect of the sunlight warming up the interior of the car.

I can’t wait for the spring flowers to start blooming in April, especially the bluebonnets. We already have a good start on above average rainfall, so we should be in full bloom by May. Looks like the drought conditions might ease up this year too.

I already see some budding trees starting to bloom, and in one of those trees just yesterday, the first red cardinal of the spring season appeared. It was just chirping away, leaping from tree limb to limb, impossible to miss because of it’s brilliant red color.

I see a lot of nursery advertising already in the newspapers, pushing their spring crop of garden herbs, vegetables and flowers. Have you prepared for your spring planting or garden yet?

NOAA Safety Tips for Severe Weather

Mike — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:12:53 +0000

I just posted earlier about spring weather approaching, and that means spring storms. Well those storms came ripping right through Texas today. At 5:00 o’clock during evening rush hour, the Dallas Fort Worth area had the following watches and warnings from the NOAA National Weather Service:
Flash Flood Warning – Flash Flood Watch -
Flood Warning – Hazardous Weather Outlook

Local news stations reported a large number of traffic problems all over the Dallas Ft. Worth metroplex, and flooding concerns all over north Texas. Actually it’s the gulf moisture that’s coming from the south driving the rain north, creating flood conditions all through central Texas.

Over 1000 flights were cancelled at DFW Airport, which almost never happens, but that’s the hub for American Airlines, so you can just imagine the chaos that caused for spring break travelers. You can see on the radar images below that the watches and warnings were everywhere.

Do you and your family have an emergency plan and supplies in case of severe weather?

NOAA has an education site with many informative tips about weather safety at www.education.noaa.gov/csafety.html

Flood Safety Awareness Week

Mike — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:39:24 +0000

With spring right around the corner, we need to be aware when conditions are right for severe weather. Spring storms can move in swiftly and bring dangerous wind, lightning and heavy rain. OK, I admit I’m a weather watcher, or a storm junkie. I’ve foolishly driven around during storms as a youth, in awe of nature’s awesome power.

I’m still fascinated with the power of severe weather, but now as I’ve grown older, hopefully I’m a little wiser, as I prefer to check my favorite weather website for severe weather conditions, which is the NOAA National Weather Service website at www.noaa.gov.

NOAA has announced that March 17th through the 22nd is Flood Safety Awareness Week. And you’ve probably heard their safety slogan before, but it bears repeating…

“Turn Around…Don’t Drown.”

For more information about flood watches and warnings in your area, visit the NOAAWatch Flood Warning Web site at www.noaawatch.gov/floods.php.