Deadly Tornadoes Start Season

Deadly Tornadoes in Oklahoma Start Southern U.S. Twister ‘Season’

At least 15 people were killed when a major tornado tore through the town of Lone Grove in the state of Oklahoma at 01:30 UTC on Wednesday, causing “extensive damage,” local media reported, citing state officials. About 30,000 residents were left without power in Oklahoma.

Some of the damage caused by Oklahoma tornado: The National Weather Service has issued tornado watches for the area to the east of Oklahoma, meaning conditions are ripe for tornadoes until 1200 UTC.  Photo: AP. Image may be subject to copyright.

Source: NOAA/HPC

The US National Weather Service Bulletins:
AWUS84 KOUN 101459
RWSOUN

OKZ004>048-050>052-TXZ083>090-101530
REGIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
900 AM CST TUE FEB 10 2009

THE COLD FRONT THAT PUSHED THROUGH MUCH OF OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN
NORTH TEXAS YESTERDAY STALLED… AND BEGAN TO LIFT BACK NORTH. THE
FRONT AFFECTED MAINLY SOUTHERN AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA… WITH LOW
TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 40S AND LOWER 50S. DEW POINT TEMPERATURES
ALSO INCREASED WITH AREAS OF FOG DEVELOPING AT SUNRISE. FARTHER
WEST… SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO FALL TO MORE
NORMAL VALUES… WITH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM NEAR FREEZING OVER
WESTERN OKLAHOMA… TO THE UPPER 30S AND LOWER 40S ELSEWHERE. WINDS
CALMED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM YESTERDAYS PEAK… AVERAGING 5 TO 10 MPH.

AT MID MORNING… THE WARM FRONT CONTINUED ITS SLOW MOVEMENT TO THE
NORTHWEST… ALMOST REACHING THE OKLAHOMA METRO AREA. TEMPERATURES
SOUTH OF THE FRONT WERE IN THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S. OUT WEST…
TEMPERATURES WERE SLOW TO WARM WITH TEMPERATURES STILL IN THE 40S.
WINDS WERE STILL NOT STRONG… AVERAGING AROUND 10 MPH.

~0~

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
925 PM CST TUE FEB 10 2009

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH EASTERN
OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AS UPPER LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE WAS MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. THUNDERSTORMS
BECAME SEVERE…PRIMARILY WEST OF I 75. LARGE HAIL TO THE SIZE OF
BASEBALLS AND A TORNADO WERE REPORTED IN PAWNEE AND OSAGE COUNTIES.

BY MID EVENING…HEAVY RAINFALL WAS OCCURRING ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN
OKLAHOMA…THOUGH SEVERE WEATHER HAD COME TO AN END. TEMPERATURES
RANGED MAINLY IN THE 50S TO MID 60S. WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE IN
MOST LOCATIONS.

Large hail fell on Pawnee and Osage counties. Source: BBC UK. Image may be subject to copyright.

FEWW Forecast: Continuing from last year, 2009 could prove to be a record year for deadly tornadoes in the U.S.