Images and webupdates soon.

BTW, I will have images and web updates as soon as I download and install some new web editing software for Vista. This new machine is bare attm.

Major Outbreak tonight

Today is shaping up to be another early spring outbreak of severe weather. 50 plus tonadoes have been reported, and lots of rotating storms. Most of the storms are now in the dark, and it's extremely dangerous. Storms have fired along the western TX panhandle, up along the Kansas and Colorado boarder well into Nebraska. Jeff Gammons over at www.weathervine.com also has lots of updates, and is on the phone with chasers out there.

First thunderstorm of the season

Today (March 27), we had the first thunderstorm in the area. After working hard all day in the yard (took the day off from the office), I was with playing with my dog and cat when the first clap of thunder startled us all.

It was the warmest day we've had so far this season reaching 80 degress in the 'burbs, and about 83 downtown. That warmth, and the a little bit of humidity compliments of the warm front, we had a few isolates showers. Funny enough, while the storm did provide a little bit of lightning (and one good CG), we ended up with no rain at my residence. Others to the south reported rain, and the cell grew to a decent storm when it reached the Baltimore area.

I look forward to chasing locally this year, as medical reason will likely mean I can't chase in the west this year. However, I am preparing for the Hurricane season, which appears to be an above active season.

Roller Coaster Spring

Well, we've been in the upper 70s, event hit 80 degress (F) in some parts around the DC area. You would think spring is finally here......not ah.....you just got punk'd.

Starting later today, with some rain, temperatures are going to be cooling, and we are even looking at some snow possibly on Friday.

And although I dought it'll amount to anything, it is a southern storm, possibly even a Nor'easter, which usually means precipation amounts are higher than the forecasts. But it is March, and the ground isn't cold enough for any snow to stick. It may fall fast and furiously, but if it just melts on contact, what's the difference.

But I do have video camera ready just in case!

Practically a dud!

Well, in the end, practically nothing fell. Most areas never had the grass completely covered. It really was a matter of the snow evaporating from the ground as quickly as it was falling.

Never did take any pictures or videos for this one, not worth it at all. And next week we'll be up into the 60s. Spring is on the way now.

At least I can focus on Tornado season now.

Not much to count

The first of the snow fell around 4am this morning. However, at 1pm we still barely have enough to coat the grass. The streets are perfectly clear as are most of the sidewalks. I decided to go into work as normal and on the way down to Bethesda, noticed hardly anything was on the ground in the southern parts of Montgomery County, Maryland. I believe it may be a case of the snow is evaporating as fast as it's snowing.

Just in the last 20 minutes the snow fall rates have increased a little, but it'll have to keep up for a few hours like this to amount to anything. I hoping for something to photograph before it gets dark, buy at 1:30pm now, it's going to be hard going.

More snow...and in March no less

The DC region is expecting about 2" +/- of snow. The "clipper" system is moving in from the Midwest (Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, etc.). These storms don't tend to give us much snow...just a few inches. While they have a fair amount of moisture, they don't tap into the Atlantic Ocean or Chesapeake Bay like our storm they move in from the south or southwest. Plus the clippers move faster, so that also doesn't give us much chance to pill up the snow.

I will be video taping the little bit we get. The storm is coming in during the day, which should allow me plenty of daylight time to get the snow fall, and conditions. Plus, I want to get lots of people and vehicle shots for a snow production video later on.

I'll likely have a few more updates tomorrow, so keep checking back. And wish and pray for a suprise couple of extra inches of snow.

Jason F.

Early prediction on strength

From pictures I've been seaching on the net, it appears that some of the tornadoes may be rated F3 or possibly even F4 depending on the quality of the structure.

Remember, the F-scale is based on tornado damage....but it has to hit something to be rated. Although I don't think that will be a problem with this storm.

Strong tornadoes and deaths for today

As of around midnight March 2nd, 2007, there were 22 preliminary reports of tornadoes in Alabama and Georgia, as well as Missouri and Illinios. There have multiple deaths, with the highest concentration at a High School in Enterpise, Alabama. National News converage is high on this event, and there will be more storms tomorrow.

The entire east coast from Georgia upto Canada is intrenched in heavy rain. Flood watches are out just about everywhere. This has become a very, very large rain maker, and severe weather were warm and moist air are converging.

2007 season coming alive

I believe this may be the first "High Risk" of the season.

Today we are seeing a very special (and dangerous) set-up in the Southeast part of the US.

As of 4pm, tornadoes have already been reported.

This isn't the first set of severe weather, but this is I think the most intense so far. It also feeds into my current thinking that the severe weather season is shifting. Over the past few years, we have seen a noticable increase in severe weather in the early months of the year. It was never unheard of to see storms, but the frequency of storm, and the level of severity has increased. This may be due to long term climatology (so-called global warming), or just a natural cycle, that is more apparent with the increase in population in this region. Either wasy, it's significant and warrants further attention.