The WeatherMatrix Blog
Jesse Ferrell
[
Bio] [
Email Me]
February 2007 Entries
Radar: A 73 dBZ Beaut in Kansas
UPDATE: If you can believe it, there has been a SECOND report of three tornadoes merging into one, from a DIFFERENT county in Kansas than mentioned below: "7 MILES N OF IOLA, KS IN ALLEN COUNTY: 3 TORNADOES COMBINED INTO...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:55 PM
5:30 PM Central and I just witnessed the first two storms from this evening's severe weather outbreak form out of nothing just east of Wichita and within 20 minutes they had 1.5" diameter hail and mesocyclones, according to NEXRAD radar....
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:29 PM
UPDATE: I just realized that SPC is hinting at a HIGH RISK issuance tomorrow in their Day 2: "AN UPGRADE OF SOME PORTION OF CATEGORICAL MDT RISK AREA IS POSSIBLE IN FUTURE OUTLOOKS VALID FOR THIS PERIOD."ORIGINAL POST:If you've watched...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 7:37 PM
As I was writing my blog this afternoon, a bluebird flew up and sat on the parking sign just outside my office window, staring at me for a good 10 minutes. I snapped this picture of him with my cell...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 5:31 PM
I usually don't post our accumulation maps because they are handled well through our Weather Headlines and Breaking News Page, but I thought this was an attractive and informative map that we've released this morning:In other words, look out for...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 1:14 PM
150 people were evacuated as "20 school buses worth" of boulders and dirt (words from Fox News on-air) came crashing down from the hill above homes and businesses in San Francisco Tuesday morning. Weather could be the cause, Forbes says,...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 12:42 AM
UPDATE: I have watched the NASA TV report mentioned below. A summary based on what I heard:They didn't see any irony in that the main speaker was Wayne Hale.NASA had recently made external improvements and was proud to have "the...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 5:57 PM
Here are a couple of photos of note, snapped last week by our International photographers from the AccuWeather.com Weather Photo Gallery. We've been getting a lot of great photos from overseas this year.Check out this excellent photo of hoarfrost (see...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 1:40 PM
It's been an unusually stormy year in southern South America, and will continue to, as we move forward this week. The MetSul Blog (rough translation in English). Their blogs tell of recent tornadoes in the mountains and rare snow in...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 7:43 PM
The IHT reports that a newly-completed airport in , Georgia [Eurasian Georgia, that is] was torn apart by high winds Sunday. The new international airport terminal, a $65 million project, was completed in early February. Winds in excess of hurricane-force...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 7:13 PM
There have been some emails flying around in regards to whether or not AccuWeather "missed" this forecast of significant snowfall for the mid-Atlantic and New England.It's a matter of record this year -- we're archiving the Breaking Weather News Page...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 4:29 PM
"I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner just came on XM8, the XM Radio 80's channel (more about me and music). When I hear this song I am transported back to the cold North Carolina mountains in 1984,...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 12:31 PM
UPDATE: The NWS has issued a Heavy Snow Warning for tonight along Long Island, New York City and parts of Northeast New Jersey as heavy snow moves into the area. Looks like I'll be issuing a new list tomorrow morning.ORIGINAL...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 25, 2007 9:46 PM
OTHER BLOG ENTRIES TODAY: Impressive Ice, Snow Totals NationwidePhoto: Snow to the Top of the DoorFourteen tornadoes were reported in five states during yesterday's outbreak, several causing serious damage and one causing a dozen injuries in Dumas, Arkansas. See news...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 25, 2007 3:27 PM
Here are some highlights of what reports have been filed with The NWS [JessePedia] and the SnowMatrix this weekend regarding heavy snow in the West, Rockies, Plains and heavy ice in the Midwest. Reports are few and hard to come...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 25, 2007 12:11 PM
How would you like to wake up to this?That's just what happened to Photo Gallery user Scooter last week at Saint John's in Newfoundland, Canada when they got pounded by a blizzard with (as you can see) huge drifts. I...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 25, 2007 11:40 AM
UPDATE: 11:30 PM: I am uploading some raw radar animations here. Over 18,000 lightning strikes have been detected within 150 miles of Columbus, Mississippi in the last two hours. Below is a screen capture from AccuWeather.com LightningPlus.ORIGINAL POST:So far, 7...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 25, 2007 1:50 AM
FoxNews says that 125 miles of Interstate 80 has been shut down for 125 miles in western Nebraska, as has I-70 between Denver and Kansas due to blizzard conditions. The CO DOT says that portions of I-25 are also shut...
[
Read More]
Posted on Saturday, February 24, 2007 5:49 PM
Five tornadoes were reported yesterday evening in Texas and Kansas (map). Below are radar images from near the time of this report: "Near Ensign, Kansas: CHASER REPORTED TORNADO ON GROUND FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES." A blog reader pointed out that...
[
Read More]
Posted on Saturday, February 24, 2007 3:32 PM
UPDATE: 10 PM CENTRAL: Three tornadoes have been reported in the Texas Panhandle and southwest Kansas. Some raw radar animations are available here.ORIGINAL POST: 5 PM CENTRAL - The first Tornado Watch has been issued for tonight's severe weather outbreak...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 11:40 PM
As I hinted at a couple days ago, the season's first big severe weather outbreak is expected today over the Southern Plains, and tomorrow over the Southern Mississippi Valley. This year's first Moderate Risk, and a rare "Day 2" Moderate...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 12:26 PM
I mentioned yesterday morning the possibility of ice problems in the Northeast on Sunday. I wanted to bring you the latest official AccuWeather.com graphics on this threat:Y'all be careful if you're planning on travelling Sunday. As mentioned yesterday, the ice...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 12:02 PM
A story is circulating in the news today about a woman who has been without power for 15 years, since Hurricane Andrew damaged her house in 1992. But neither the weather nor the power company were specifically to blame --...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 23, 2007 11:29 AM
I think this guy's got the right idea. Check out this video at ABC (note - a video ad plays first). Here's the story too....
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 11:50 PM
As of this AM, no advisories have been issued by the government yet, and no official forecast maps are available from AccuWeather yet, but I think we really have to monitor the possibility of ice in the Midwest and Northeast...
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 1:26 PM
Intense Cyclone Favio had 126 mph sustained winds just before landfall in Mozambique, Africa this morning, down from a maximum of 145 mph Tuesday. Behind it were no fewer than 3 additional tropical systems moving westward in the Indian Ocean....
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 12:50 PM
With a nod towards Spring, the Forecast Models [JessePedia] have been hinting this week at the possibility for a severe weather outbreak this weekend in the Plains and possibly Southeast. Flooding may also be a concern in areas where there...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 9:12 PM
UPDATE: Blog reader John noted that Long Island Sound sometimes has lake-effect too, and I'll linked to this page which explains it more. Blog reader Justin sent in a link to a snow event in eastern Florida that was caused...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 9:07 PM
Probably my favorite show on television right now is USA Network's "Psych" (IMDB), starring James Roday and Dule Hill. The show is a comedy about an keenly-observant-but-not-really-psychic detective. It has a certain unique cheesy humor to it but somehow it...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 1:27 PM
A 4th grade teacher from Ohio asked some interesting and basic questions about the relationship of atmospheric pressure, air masses and temperature, through our "Ask a Met" section on AccuWeather.com. Knowing I couldn't do the answer justice, I decided to...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 11:55 AM
The number of fatalities from tornadoes thus far in 2007 has been considerably above normal. The number of tornadoes, not surprisingly, is also up so far this year. We've officially had 65 tornadoes, twice as many as the 3-year...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 6:45 PM
We received a number of photos last week on the AccuWeather.com Weather Photo Gallery of animals in the snow from the Valentine's Day Storm. Here's a sampling:User dmacvid offers up this artistic portrait of a horse in Grafton, Vermont:Elaine snapped...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 12:31 PM
I couldn't help but bring you this excellent shot uploaded by AccuWeather.com Weather Photo Gallery user jllumen. The photo was taken last month in Australia.He says the waves were a "product of low pressure system off New Zealand 8 feet...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 12:28 PM
Some impressive snowfall totals have recorded during this weekend's Alberta Clipper.HIGHEST AMOUNTS BY STATE: UPDATED 9 PMAu Train, MI: 12.0"Watertown, NY: 12.0"Mount Sterling, NC: 10.0"Bayard, WV: 14.0"Lehighton & Jerome, PA: 8.0" (SNOWMATRIX)Manchester, NH: 6.0" (SNOWMATRIX)La Follette, TN: 5.5" (SNOWMATRIX)Sussex, NJ:...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 18, 2007 4:07 PM
Extreme winds hit the Rockies yesterday. The Beatrice Daily Sun reports that two airlines reported that 18 plane windshields cracked during landing at Denver International Airport. Since these type of winds are not unheard of in Denver, the airlines say...
[
Read More]
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 2:53 PM
Yesterday we talked about how radar maps can lie about snow falling (and snow not falling). During review of the "raw" regional radar loop that I posted, I noted that there were some other interesting non-weather radar artifacts to be...
[
Read More]
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 1:44 PM
UPDATE: Greenwood (GRD) and Rock Hill, (UZA) in South Carolina reported UP late this morning but they also reported clear skies at the time so I'm discounting these observations (thanks Will). However blog reader Wilbur in Hyde County, North Carolina...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 16, 2007 12:46 PM
A Civil Emergency Message was just issued for the state of Pennsylvania. I was watching TV at the time, so when I heard it, I naturally tuned in, as these types of messages are extremely rare. Due to "treacherous conditions",...
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 11:32 PM
Below is a map crafted by our graphic artists and meteorologists which attempts to show the snow accumulation from this most recent storm. Localized areas inside the "over 24 inches" area received up to 42 inches. There were at least...
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 6:30 PM
Heavy lake-effect snow will continue to be a problem this week for the Oswego area of New York State. Why there and not so much in Erie? Well, the Great Lakes still remain mostly ice free today, except for Lake...
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 3:41 PM
An evening update... the Valentine's Day storm has now brought more than 3 feet of snow to New York and over 2 feet to Vermont, with more than a foot in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine and previously Illinois and Indiana.This...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 11:00 PM
UPDATE:The Valentine's Day Nor'easter is "making landfall" near New York City this hour. Below are maps showing wind speed and direction, atmospheric pressure, satellite and radar from AccuWeather.com RadarPlus, captured around 1 PM. Ain't she a beauty?Now that I'm done...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 11:30 AM
Our Siberian Husky puppy Maya finally got her first chance to frolic in the snow here in Central Pennsylvania. She has been patiently waiting since she was born last spring in Indiana. Recent photos of said frolicing (reload if blank):Click...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 10:44 AM
If you have photos from the Valentine's Storm, register with the AccuWeather.com Weather Photo Gallery and upload them. The latest photos tagged with the word "snow" are shown below.We have about 6 inches on the ground here in State College,...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 11:52 PM
Real quick, here's a technicolor update, a shot of the storm at 6:30 PM:CLICK TO ENLARGEMassive storms are tearing through Alabama this hour. Notice their intensity on the image above, then check out the radar images below from AccuWeather.com RadarPlus,...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 11:51 PM
JB has finally said it. In his video that he shot late this morning (see it here), he said that he believes this storm will rival the Blizzard of 1993 for cold and snow totals in some places in the...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 7:00 PM
I reported earlier about tornadoes in Louisiana last night, but primarily covered those reports west of New Orleans -- those in Layfayette and New Iberia (again -- tornadoes also hit there on January 4th). This afternoon ABC7 reports that one...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 6:33 PM
The storm is very impressive this morning on a number of levels. Here is an image showing wind arrows, pressure (colors), satellite and winter radar. This image is from AccuWeather.com RadarPlus.GET INVOLVED! ENTER YOUR SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ONLINE with the SnowMatrix!...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 3:41 PM
Last night was like the night before Christmas at my house. I alternated between waking up and wondering how much snow had fallen, and dreaming of huge coastal waves and flooding at the beach, high winds and blizzard conditions. My...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 1:26 PM
Nearly a dozen tornado reports were filed with the NWS [JessePedia] yesterday as severe storms raged in Louisiana. The SPC [JessePedia] had only issued a "slight risk" of severe storms yesterday, and continues that forecast for the remainder of the...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 12:45 PM
I hate to disappoint folks, but there's not a lot going on this afternoon in regards to the Valentine's Day Storm -- the models are being pretty consistent, it's time to just sit back and watch this one roll in....
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 12, 2007 9:07 PM
Blog reader David sent me this news tip. Portions of the Florida keys have suffered under more than a foot of heavy rain today. RAINFALL MAP FROM AccuWeather.com RadarPlus (ENLARGE)The NWS [JessePedia] reported this morning that 5.38" of rain was...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 12, 2007 6:28 PM
NOTE: The AccuWeather.com servers are under heavy load this morning. If you have trouble accessing my blog or the images on it, please be patient as we work to accomodate for the millions of folks in the Northeast accessing our...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 12, 2007 2:11 PM
UPDATE: The amounts below have been updated, including 146 inches at Redfield, NY. The radar animations uploaded last week have also been updated. Some of them are now 12-day animations! The incredible snowfall reports continue from the New York lake-effect...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 11, 2007 11:48 PM
Let's talk this afternoon about a couple of things that aren't getting a lot of press 3-4 days in advance of the East Coast's Valentine's Day Storm. All images on this page our courtesy our pro site.First, the temperature of...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 11, 2007 7:18 PM
A quick morning update on the Valentine's Day storm. Meteo Madness Man (PREMIUM | PRO) is fearing a "Cat 5 Winter Storm", meaning a mean blizzard that shuts down all the major cities in the Northeast. The Forecast Models [JessePedia]...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 11, 2007 3:17 PM
Below is a map showing the seasonal snowfall deficit for major cities in the Northeast.Some locations are even worse -- here in State College, PA we've officially received 6.5" of snow, but at my house, where we've missed some of...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 11, 2007 11:55 AM
UPDATE: The NWS here in State College has issued a statement on the storm and Henry has a list of snow totals up. The NWS issuance is fairly rare this far out so they must think this storm means business....
[
Read More]
Posted on Saturday, February 10, 2007 9:00 PM
The United Kingdom & Ireland received some snow late this week. Below are photos uploaded to the AccuWeather.com Weather Photo Gallery by photographers.by uksupercell from Buckin, U.K. (20 miles north west of London) by andyr12345 from Sligo, IrelandBelow is the...
[
Read More]
Posted on Saturday, February 10, 2007 3:56 PM
UPDATE: As of 6 AM Saturday, Parish, NY has officially received 100 inches of snow from this week's lake-effect. The Regional, US & Canada week-long radar loops have been updated. The following photo has been issued by the Associated Press:A...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 09, 2007 2:03 PM
Below are some nice graphics (click to enlarge) which our meteorologists have drawn to show the extreme heat experienced in the Northeast through mid-January, then the extreme cold experienced since then. Add them up and you get... normal weather. Well,...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 09, 2007 12:35 PM
Blog reader Alissa asked what kind of CD player I have at my desk (located underneath the parrot on the The J-CAM). The answer:It's a JVC FS-2000 mini audio system, probably 10 years old. It was my father's; he passed...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 09, 2007 10:16 AM
UPDATE: Be sure to check out Paul Yeager's Blog (PREMIUM | PRO) where he pinpoints the storm (now over the Eastern Pacific) that will eventually be next week's East Coast winter storm. Also check out Meteo Madness Man's Blog (PREMIUM...
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 9:05 PM
Here are some new, and incredible lake-effect snow totals from New York; these will be updated later today if they are exceeded (over 40 inches shown):NOTE: This list has been superceded by a newer one.PARISH, NY: 88.0"NORTH OSCEOLA, NY: 77"MEXICO,...
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 7:05 PM
UPDATE: US & Canada radars updated Monday morning 2/12/07. As the precursor snow to the Valentine's Day Storm is now moving into the Northeast, I will probably not update these radars again.UPDATE: Regional, US & Canada radars updated Saturday at...
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 08, 2007 3:11 PM
UPDATE: Here are some new lake-effect snow totals.NOTE: This list has been superceded by a newer one.MEXICO, NY: 72.0"SCRIBA, NY: 70.0"OSWEGO, NY: 62.0"NORTH OSCEOLA, NY: 58"PARISH, NY: 54.0"EAST OSWEGO, NY: 46.9"SCRIBA, NY: 45.0"EAST AURORA, NY: 36"PARISH, NY: 34.0" MINETTO, NY:...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 9:47 PM
The media is opening their mouths like so many Hungry Hungry Hippos* this week to swallow the IPCC's new report on Climate Change. Only the IPCC didn't issue the report yet, gives no date when they will, and is withholding...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 3:11 PM
Hi, folks. The guy who sits in the dark corner across the room from me, who may or may not be "Mr. Schaad", pictured below playing Two-Screen-Extra-Large-Tetris, needs your help.We're working on designing an "Astronomy Weather Center." No, we don't...
[
Read More]
Posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 11:47 AM
You're kidding me right? After the mid-week clipper, the next storm shows up on Valentine's Eve but the DGEX Forecast Model [JessePedia] is calling for it to be another mid-Atlantic smile-maker (for snow-lovers), dissing the Northeast again.The GFS is a...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 06, 2007 6:07 PM
Reuters reported last week that "oily yellow and orange snow" fell last week in Omsk, Siberia. The Russian government was reportedly flying a mobile lab into the area to investigate. There is actually a photo of the snow on the...
[
Read More]
Posted on Tuesday, February 06, 2007 12:30 PM
Over three and a half feet of snow has been reported in parts of New York and up to two feet of lake-effect could fall in favored areas tonight and tomorrow. News10 quotes the possibility of 5 feet accumulating in...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 05, 2007 9:07 PM
Bill Westphal, a.k.a. wb6ypf on the AccuWeather.com Weather Photo Gallery, snapped this beautiful photo of a fire in downtown Los Angeles at sunrise today. ABC7 says that the cause of the fire, which gutted a commercial building, is under investigation.Bill...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 05, 2007 7:45 PM
It was cold enough to make a cloud out of hot water this morning at AccuWeather HQ. Some of us geeks boiled hot water and threw it into the 0-degree air, similar to what they did on Mount Washington last...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 05, 2007 2:00 PM
The northern tier of the United States was frigid Monday morning, with a station in Minnesota plunging to -38 degrees. Temperatures in Pennsylvania fell to -10 while Long Island was in the single digits. Hundreds of thousands of school children...
[
Read More]
Posted on Monday, February 05, 2007 1:19 PM
UPDATE: Here's an Associated Press photo from the very rainy game:Super Soaker - Feb. 4, 2007 - Fans sit in the rain as they watch the Indianapolis Colts defeat the Chicago Bears 29-17 to win Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin...
[
Read More]
Posted on Sunday, February 04, 2007 9:55 PM
UPDATE (Sunday): Here are the additional Associated Press photos that I promised. First, a classic board-through-wall pic (a 2x4 if I'm not mistaken):A piece of lumber pierced the wall of a home in a tornado that struck a community in...
[
Read More]
Posted on Saturday, February 03, 2007 4:07 PM
Today is a day of extremes across the northern tier of the United states. As I alluded to yesterday, the coldest air of the season is here. At 10 AM Eastern time, here is a screencapture of the Top 10...
[
Read More]
Posted on Saturday, February 03, 2007 3:20 PM
The coldest weather outbreak of the season is moving into the Northern Plains today and will move into the Northeast this weekend. At least 10 states will see temperatures below zero and oil prices are already reacting. Temperatures this morning...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 5:51 PM
Blog reader Draupp from Michigan emailed me today to say:"Lake effect snow is the THING here in Michigan, it has snowed for the last 21 days straight @ my house in Southern Michigan, and HEAVY snow and bitterly COLD is...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 4:56 PM
UPDATE: Tornado reports continue this morning -- at 9:40 AM, the NWS received this report: "PUBLIC VISUAL REPORT OF TORNADO ON GROUND VIEWED FROM US HWY 1 TWO MILES SOUTH OF GRANT, FL" [Google Map]. Also at 5:35 AM this...
[
Read More]
Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 2:01 PM
Snow amounts varied quite a bit across Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas with last night's and today's storm. Over thirty counties in Georgia had school days cancelled, including The University of Georgia.A cold front mixed with Gulf Moisture dropped...
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 10:15 PM
Elliot Abrams (PREMIUM | PRO) mentioned in his video Tuesday Jan. 30th a mesoscale swirl on the radar coming off of Lake Michigan. I wanted to show that to you in higher resolution because it is quite interesting. Unfortunately I...
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 5:38 PM
If you're wondering where I am today... I'm still sick but also in an all-day meeting at AccuWeather, so blogging will be slow until this evening. I expect to make a triumphant return to the J-CAM Friday morning....
[
Read More]
Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 3:58 PM
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AccuWeather, Inc or AccuWeather.com.
Get a handy weather station and convenient public alert radio, all for one great price.
The Public Alert Docking Weather Station - available at AccuWeather's AccuMall.
RSS Feeds Available 
Podcasts Available 
Blogs Available
