Topic: Historic Tornado Outbreak

[Downlinerz2]

   It looks like today's outbreak might be historic surpassing the superoutbreak of 1974!
And, this April may have the most tornadoes ever.
   Dr. Forbes on TWC says he has never seen so many "debris" balls on radar from tornadoes.
    Sadly there have been fatalities.  What a day.
     Mark

[ocala]

I actually watched TWC for a little bit. Now I know why you want GR2.
Yes, not a very good day. They just showed a  pic of a wedge tornado near Tuscaloosa. When all is said and done it could be a devastating day.

[SlowModem]

Here's a sample of what I've been looking at all day.  Of course, it's getting worse at the end of the day with daytime heating and the closeness of the front coming through.  Our local weathermen on tv have been earning their money today!

[ocala]

Spoke with my brother a while ago. He lives in Scottsboro, AL in NW Alabama. He knows of one fatality in the area. He works in Huntsville and was trying to get a hold of his neighbors to find out if there was any damage.

[Maumelle Weather]

We need to see if anyone can contact Lee (MadALWx) in Madison, AL.

[Downlinerz2]

   Just checked SPC:  So Far:

      113......... Tornado reports
      192 ........ Wind Reports   2.....High Winds
      114......... Hail  10...Large Hail
      419.......... Total Reports
           mark

[SlowModem]

Spending time in the storm shelter tonight.  Looks like I'm in a "target" area.   
So far, so good - just some small hail and gusty breezes and long, loud rumblings.  But more evil clouds lurking about.  May have to jet to the shelter again before the night is out.

[Maumelle Weather]

Greg,

They just issued a TOR Warning for you.  Be careful.

John

[Maumelle Weather]

Just checked SPC:  So Far:

      118......... Tornado reports
      198 ........ Wind Reports   2.....High Winds
      127......... Hail  10...Large Hail
      443.......... Total Reports

as of 8:25p.m. CDT

I've been seeing fatality numbers of over 30 so far in AL.  Horrible news.

[kray1000]

Things are starting to get hairy along the I-81 corridor in far southwest Virginia.  There's a 75 dBZ storm (indicated by the KFCX radar roughly 100 miles away ) heading towards Smyth County. Wayne Thomas, be safe!

[Gulfcoast]

Severe damage in my state (Alabama) again today and tonight...  it's been rough. 

[Chris H.]

Things are starting to get hairy along the I-81 corridor in far southwest Virginia.  There's a 75 dBZ storm (indicated by the KFCX radar roughly 100 miles away ) heading towards Smyth County. Wayne Thomas, be safe!

It looks like it's calmed down, but not a whole lot...62 DBZ

[Downlinerz2]

   The pictures from Tuscaloosa and the video of that tornado as it passed north of Birmingham are just scary.
    All of you forum members/friends stay safe down there! My thoughts and prayers are with you all.  Some people up here say you are used to it.  I don't think you can get used to things like tonight.  Maybe the "normal" run of the mill severe storms but this is nuts!  I don't think I have turned TWC off since yesterday around Noon!
     Mark

[kray1000]

Things are starting to get hairy along the I-81 corridor in far southwest Virginia.  There's a 75 dBZ storm (indicated by the KFCX radar roughly 100 miles away ) heading towards Smyth County. Wayne Thomas, be safe!

It looks like it's calmed down, but not a whole lot...62 DBZ

I've still got it at 74 dBZ.  They're talking about it on TWC now.  Time for Wayne to find a basement or shelter.

[HailHunter]

I am 29 years old and I can safely say I have never seen an event like this unfold in the state of Mississippi before. This is getting into unheard of territory for us.

For years I wondered what people must have felt like during the Super Outbreak. I have a bit of a sense of that now because this honestly feels like it is going to be ranked right beside it. I have never seen anything like this in my life. I am both awe struck at the devastation I have seen so far in our area, but also awe struck at witnessing weather history unfold.

[HailHunter]

http://www.nems360.com/view/full_story/12938440/article-WEATHER-UPDATES--Power-turned-off-in-Monroe-County?instance=home_news_right

A running chronicle of the events as they unfolded in north Mississippi from the Tupelo Daily Journal.

[SlowModem]

I think we're finally in the clear for the night here.  I'll finally get to enjoy a good night's sleep (until 3:30 am anyway).  Listening to the scanner, in surrounding counties, there will be many injuries and maybe fatalities.  Heard reports of people trapped/buried in collapsed houses.  Tomorrow will probably be a sad day.  Today will probably be remembered as the tornado day of 11 like people remember the blizzard of 93.  Stay safe everyone.

[Downlinerz2]

     I do remember the '74 super-outbreak.  I spent quite a lot of time in the basement that day.
     This event will not surpass the 74 storm outrbreaks fatalities at least.  315-330 people were killed then (42 here in Ohio).  I just heard the toll is 68 for today.  There were 148 tornadoes that day in 74.  At least 6 were F5.
   For those interested in looking into the 74 outbreak I found this site today:
       http://www.april31974.com

    Mark

[kray1000]

I vaguely remember the '74 outbreak as well.  A brief tornado touched down in Roanoke city in the wee hours of the morning.  I was almost 4 years old.

Looks like Wayne Thomas just had a close call.  The storm I mentioned earlier passed a bit north of him, but the next storm produced a 48+ mph gust.  Here's the radar image just after it passed over.  Wayne's station is the one with "74" west of Marion.



We had a round of tornadic storms in the Virginia piedmont earlier this evening, and at least one fatality was reported in Halifax County.

[DanS]

I see W. Thomas lurking so guess he pulled through (this round anyway).

[W Thomas]

Things are starting to get hairy along the I-81 corridor in far southwest Virginia.  There's a 75 dBZ storm (indicated by the KFCX radar roughly 100 miles away ) heading towards Smyth County. Wayne Thomas, be safe!

Thanks Kevin and Dan ! We survived 2 warnings already and under another one right now.. SO far all we lost has been a huge pine treee that fell toward the neighbors house but I think and hope it missed as does this next storm!

It has been a very rough night!

[kray1000]

Things are getting a bit close for comfort here in Roanoke too.  The far northwest corner [of Roanoke County] is under a tornado warning now.

[HailHunter]

As of 2:24am central time the preliminary data indicates 147 tornadoes on April 27th. Even if this doesn't exceed the Super Outbreak when the official tally is counted, this date will certainly be put up there with the Super Outbreak, the Tri-State Tornado, and the Palm Sunday Outbreak.

[HailHunter]

7:15am and the death toll has climbed to a shockingly high 178 across the Southeast with the number expected to rise. I never thought we would ever see an outbreak that in a single period would ever kill that many people again. I thought the only way we might ever approach 200 again from a single storm event would be maybe if an outbreak impacted a sporting event or something. This just almost brings me to tears to hear.

This is now officially the deadliest outbreak since the Super Outbreak, and the preliminary reports have reached 160 tornadoes from yesterday. I cannot believe that in the modern era we could see an outbreak kill more than 200 people. I cannot even begin to fathom this.

[SlowModem]

This is now officially the deadliest outbreak since the Super Outbreak, and the preliminary reports have reached 160 tornadoes from yesterday. I cannot believe that in the modern era we could see an outbreak kill more than 200 people. I cannot even begin to fathom this.

It is very sad, indeed.  Especially since now there are high-tech, affordable shelters available for people.  I think every home should have one.  But, everybody has different priorities I suppose.