Accelerating Toward Extremes
The second stage of a new phase of climatic extremes has begun: FIRE-EARTH Models
United States: Killer heat to persist, as death toll climbs to at least 42
Worst of the heat grips parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas
Heat Advisories and Excessive Heat Warnings remain in effect today for parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia: NWS
The NWS hazards assessment map indicates excessive heat would persist in a 15-state area from North Dakota to southern Texas. The impacted area includes parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. Click image to enlarge.
Killer Heat Stats
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U.S. heat wave has killed at least 39 people, as of July 13.
- About half the U.S. population (at least 150 million people) have been affected by the killer heat.
- In Wichita, Kansas the temperature exceeded 100 degrees for the 21st consecutive day.
- In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, temperatures hovered around 100 degrees for the 15th consecutive day.
- Phoenix has experienced 34 consecutive days at 100+ degrees.
- Dallas has seen 12 days at 100+ degrees.
- The searing heat has killed tens of thousands of turkeys and chickens in Kansas and North Carolina. (Source)
- Temperature records have been matched or shattered about 700 times since July 1.
Severe Thunderstorm
SPC has received 118 (filtered) reports of severe weather for Tuesday, including 3 tornadoes in northeastern Colorado, 89 reports of high winds and 26 reports of large hail. “There were numerous reports of winds in the 55-73 mph range reported in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma,” SPC said.
“A severe thunderstorm in southeastern Wyoming dumped prodigious amounts of hail on Cheyenne and the surrounding area. The storm produced quarter-sized to golf ball sized hail that fell continuously for more than 35 minutes beginning around 5:25 p.m. CST. Accompanied by 1.46 inches of rain that fell in about 30 minutes, the hail formed drifts more than a foot deep. There was considerable hail damage to the city, including broken windshields on numerous vehicles. The heavy rain and hail created flash flood conditions in much of southwestern and western Cheyenne and Warren Air Force Base.” NWS said.
Flooding
Severe weather in the Missouri River Basin could intensify flooding problems from the Dakotas to Missouri.
Barrier and levee breaches have occurred in Carroll County, Missouri, about 60 miles east of Kansas City, threatening dozens of communities, according to reports.
At least 12 square miles of farmland were submerged in Carroll County, after a primary levee breach along the Missouri River on Monday.
Flooding is ongoing at at least 88 stream gauge sites in the United States, mostly along the Missouri River, as of posting. Another 84 sites were Near Flood.
U.S. Flood map [July 14, 2011]
Sites at Near Flood stage.
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