Barry Moving Inland

Barry is moving westward into the Mexican state of Veracruz.

Heavy rain, flooding and possible mudslides will be the main threats from Barry in this region through the end of the week. Rainfall amounts may locally reach as much as 10 inches.

Barry is not a threat to the United States.

http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/tropical-depression-storm-two-20130617

Baked Alaska: All-Time Record Heat Grips State

Alaska, well known for its long and brutal winters, has dealt with a historic heat wave this week.

As an unusually strong and very warm ridge of high pressure is parked in the upper atmosphere above Alaska, at least five cities broke all-time record highs Monday.

Alaska's two largest cities shared the heat, though without breaking records. Fairbanks has been 86 degrees or warmer Saturday through Wednesday. Anchorage's highs topped out at 81 on both Monday and Tuesday.

The hot dome of high pressure responsible for this weather is breaking down, allowing the heat to relax as we head into the weekend. Click on the names of the cities above for the five-day forecast

http://www.weather.com/safety/heat/baked-alaska-record-heat-20130618

Tropical Depression Two Forms in Caribbean

Tropical Depression Two is moving west over land. Early Tuesday morning, the center of the depression was over northern Guatemala.

The system is expected to move west across parts of southeastern Mexico over the next 24 hours. Heavy rain will be the threat from this storm.

Eventually the depression could emerge into the Bay of Campeche (southwestern Gulf of Mexico). Significant strengthening is not expected before the storm moves back into Mexico, most likely over the state of Veracruz, later in the week.

http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/tropical-depression-storm-two-20130617

Several Zones of Severe Weather Tuesday

http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/severe-weather-tracker-page

Tuesday will bring the potential for severe thunderstorms to several regions of the country, as depicted on the top map on the right. There is a possibility for a few tornadoes in the High Plains, but otherwise the primary threats will be damaging winds and large hail.

In addition, there will be the potential for flash flooding from heavy downpours, particularly across the central and southern Appalachians. This includes places such as Knoxville and Atlanta.

PHOTOS: Mid-June Severe Weather Outbreak

Severe weather continues to unfold in the Ohio River Valley and Mid-Atlantic on Thursday as a complex of thunderstorms threatens to produce damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes.

http://www.weather.com/news/weather-severe/severe-weather-outbreak-photos-20130612

IWITNESS

Thousands Flee Colo. Wildfires; 92 Homes Destroyed

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Jaenette Coyne estimates she had five minutes to leave home after calling 911 to report forest fire smoke behind her home.

There was no time to grab wedding albums, fingerprint artwork by her 20-month-old daughter, quilts her grandmother made, her family's three cats.

"We left with nothing," she said.

She and her husband later watched on television this week as flames engulfed their house.

"I don't know how to tell you in words what it felt like," she said. "It's the worst thing I've ever felt in my whole life."

Tornado Confirmed in Ky.; Weather Service to Inspect Damage in Md., Del.

The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touched down near Adairville, in south-central Kentucky on Monday and National Weather Service crews will inspect damage around Delaware and Maryland.

 

The NWS office in Louisville said the EF2 tornado plowed a path estimated at five miles long and as wide as 300 yards.

 

There were three known injuries in Logan County, none of them life-threatening.

 http://www.weather.com/news/kentucky-maryland-delaware-tornadoes-20130611

Mississippi River Levels Drop, but Flooding Remains

Flooding Concerns in Midwest

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ST. LOUIS — The flood-swollen Mississippi River is going down, but it will be some time before things dry out.

The waterway has crested from Iowa through southern Missouri and Illinois, but it remained above flood stage at many spots Monday. Hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland are under water and hundreds of roads remain closed. And water woes could linger in some rural areas for weeks after the flood is technically over.

"It will be a while," National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Fuchs said. "That's particularly true behind areas where levees have broken. A lot of that water's trapped and can't get back into the channel."

http://www.weather.com/news/mississippi-river-levels-drop-flooding-remain-20130611

First 120-Degree Day of 2013 on the Way?

As high-pressure aloft builds overhead late this week, the Desert Southwest and the central valley of California will be heating up to extreme levels. We have a look at some of the locations that will see their first 110 or 120-degree readings of 2013 in the days ahead.

Who Will See 110s?

Several cities will flirt with temperature readings of 110+ degrees later in the week ahead.

Phoenix, Ariz.

• Could reach 110 or higher Thursday, Friday or Saturday for the first time in 2013.
• Phoenix averages around 18 days of 110-degree heat each year (1981-2010 average).

Las Vegas, Nev.

• Will get close to 110 degrees Friday into Saturday.
• On average, temperatures reach 110 or higher around 7 to 8 days per year.

Fresno, Calif. and Redding, Calif

• Both of these California valley locations could approach the 110-degree mark on Saturday. Though Saturday will be the peak of the heat, highs in the 100s are expected in the days prior to the weekend.
• Record high temperatures will be challenged.

Tropical Storm Andrea Bearing Down on Fla. Coast

Tropical Storm Andrea's maximum sustained winds increased to near 60 mph (95 kph) and the storm was expected to make landfall in Florida's Big Bend area Thursday afternoon before moving across southeastern Georgia and the Carolinas. It was not expected to strengthen into a hurricane.

Already, the National Weather Service in Tampa confirmed two tornadoes touched down early Thursday - one in Myakka City and the other in Sun City Center. Meteorologist Rodney Wynn said there were reports of downed tree limbs and power lines and minor damage to the porch on at least one home. There were no reports of injuries.

 

http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/tropical-storm-andrea-news-20130606

Storm Chasing Critical, Profitable, and Dangerous

http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/storm-chasing-critical-profitable-and-dangerous-20130604

OKLAHOMA CITY -- While most people take shelter when a tornado approaches, a growing throng heads for the prairies, be they scientists hoping to protect the public from a twister's fury or amateurs armed with little more than a smartphone, a digital camera and a desire to sell 15 seconds of video to the nightly news.

But the deaths of three respected researchers near Oklahoma City have renewed questions over whether the risk of dashing off into violent storms in Tornado Alley is too great - regardless of the adrenaline rush.

Oklahoma is considered the "mecca of storm chasing," Tim Samaras told National Geographic just last month, and there are often hundreds of storm chasers lining the roads. Seasoned storm trackers provide critical field data that can't be gleaned from high-powered Doppler radar, veteran meteorologists say. But they're increasingly competing with storm-chasing tours, amateur weather enthusiasts inspired by cable TV shows and tornado paparazzi speeding from storm to storm.

Severe Weather Threat Continues in Plains

http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/severe-weather-tracker-page

Tuesday, the risk of scattered severe storms will stretch from northwest Texas and Oklahoma to southwest Minnesota and eastern South Dakota. This could potentially include Oklahoma City,Kansas City and Wichita.

While this does not appear to be as menacing a threat as we saw in the final two weeks of May, the old adage "it only takes one" still applies when it comes to being prepared for tornadoes.

Tuesday's Outlook

Midwest at Tipping Point for Major Flood Event

ST. LOUIS – Rivers in the nation's heartland are rising again, and with heavy rain in the forecast, parts of Iowa, Missouri and Illinois are bracing for yet another round of flooding.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday that 2-4 inches of rain will be common as strong storms fire up through Friday. Pockets of the region could see up to 6 inches of rain, said weather service hydrologist Mark Fuchs, meaning a second round of spring flooding in many river towns.

"We're probably going to see some major flooding when all is said and done," Fuchs said. Though buyouts over the past two decades have removed most home's from the flood plain, the flooding would swamp thousands of acres of farmland and close dozens of roads.

http://www.weather.com/news/midwest-tipping-point-major-flood-event-20130529

Severe Weather Outbreak: Latest Information

Through Saturday, severe thunderstorms and locally heavy rainfall will target parts of the Plains and Midwest, before shifting into the Northeast Sunday. 
On Thursday, while morning storms will bring a threat of heavy rainfall, additional severe storms with large hail, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes will flare up later in the afternoon and evening from central and eastern Oklahoma and far north Texas into Iowa and eastern Nebraska.  If thunderstorms can remain discrete, rather than in line segments, in Oklahoma and Kansas, the threat of tornadoes will be higher.

Thursday's Outlook

http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/severe-weather-tracker-page

Several Thousand Campers Flee Calif. Wildfire

http://www.weather.com/news/los-padres-wildfire-20130528


The fire broke out about Monday afternoon in Los Padres National Forest about 15 miles north of Santa Barbara, and hours later had grown to 1,000 acres - or 1.5 square miles - amid winds of about 20 mph, U.S. Forest Service officials said. It was 5 percent contained.
"We're hoping the temperatures drop and the humidity rises," Sadecki said.
The county has issued an air quality warning because of the smoke and wind, advising people to limit time spent outdoors and to avoid outdoor exercise altogether.

6/46

Camarillo, Calif.

What Drought? Midwest Deluge Continues

http://www.weather.com/news/midwest-flash-flood-threat-20130527

Drought or deluge.

In the Midwest, it seems those have been the only options for weather these past few years.

Two years ago, in 2011, the region witnessed severe floods on the Missouri River as well as record flooding along parts of the Mississippi River and lower Ohio River.

A year later, 2012 brought the "flash drought" that parched the nation's heartland and led to one of thelargest drought zones in modern U.S. history., taking in nearly two-thirds of the contiguous U.S.

National Drought Status 

Rainfall Past 7 Days

GOES-East Fails for Second Time in One Year

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/american-weather-satellite-fails-again/13038942


One of the main satellites meteorologists use for the eastern part of the United States and the tropical Atlantic Ocean failed late Tuesday, May 21, 2013, EDT.
The satellite coverage from GOES-15 results in distorted images of the eastern U.S. and the western Atlantic and would be a significant concern for forecasters and the public at large going into the Atlantic hurricane season.

Storms Threaten the East and S. Plains

A cold front will continue to push slowly through the eastern states on Thursday.

Ahead of this front, a few thunderstorms could turn severe with localized damaging wind gusts. Areas that should be alert for severe weather include Albany, N.Y., Burlington, Vt.,Washington, D.C. and New York City. In addition, localized heavy rainfall could lead to some pockets of flash flooding.

A separate area of severe thunderstorms is expected on Thursday in the southern Plains, including parts of central/southwest Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. Large hail and damaging winds are the main threats, however a tornado or two is possible

Friday into Saturday, a few severe storms may rumble across the High Plains.

Thursday's Outlook

Friday's Outlook

Tornado Threat Still in Effect

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2013/05/21/tornado-threat-still-in-effect.htmlTornado in Moore, Okla. on Monday. (Alonzo 

As the nation watches the town of Moore, Okla., desperately search for survivors, meteorologists warn that the severe weather may not be over. Officials say that 9.5 million people—from Texas to Arkansas—remain under the threat of potentially catastrophic tornadoes. In an announcement Tuesday morning, Weather Channel meteorologist Kevin Roth delivered a warning to residents of central/east Texas and central Arkansas, where the storm is heading. “Another day of large and devastating tornadoes is possible,” he said. By Tuesday morning, thunderstorms were already wreaking havoc in Arkansas, with winds up to 60 miles per hour.