Thursday Radar and Severe Summary
Impressive-looking severe supercell thunderstorms ripped through the Plains on Thursday evening, but amazingly only one person was reported injured (by lightning in Waterloo, Iowa). Nearby Parkersburg, which took a direct tornado hit last weekend (see Categories: Parkersburg Tornado at right), was hit with several severe storms, but was never under a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado warning (as far as I can tell).
Click above to play a 12-hour radar animation, or download additional radar loops (including velocity) here.* The downloadable radar loops contain the town of Jewell, KS with an "X"; it was one town that was heavily damaged. We ended up with 57 Tornado Reports (StormMatrix), bringing this May close to being a record May for tornadoes (depending on how the reports sort out; see stats in yesterday's blog for more info). Below is a map showing yesterday's tornado locations versus the last couple of weeks.
Today a large Moderate Risk stretches through the heart of the Midwest. More information on yesterdays storms in the video below by AccuWeather.com News Director Steve Penstone.
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