Author: Meteorologist Mark

I just wanted to give you all a quick update on Tuesday’s storms. The latest data shows the that storms on Tuesday could become quite strong, or even severe. Large hail and damaging winds appear the main threats but there is enough “spin” in the air to lead some of us to believe there may be a slight tornado risk. I’ll keep an eye on new data as it comes in today and tonight and update you, as needed.

The threat would be Tuesday evening. The timeframe would appear to be from 3:00-9:00 pm. I’ll get more specific with that time as more data becomes available. Storms will be moving out of the northwest, from Kentucky and Indiana. I’ll be tracking those storms on Tuesday as they move our way.

At this time, the Storm Prediction Center has our area in the marginal risk for severe storms. This is the lowest of the severe weather risk categories. The threat increases as you go north into Kentucky.

I’ll keep an eye on on it!

Baldwin’s 7-Day forecast

Records

An unprecedented snowstorm struck the southern Appalachians on this day in 1987. Mount Mitchel recorded 35 inches of snow. Other mountains on the Tennessee/North Carolina border recorded up to 60 inches! Over two feet fell in Charleston, West Virginia, breaking their previous April record by 20 inches!

And guess what? We had several inches of snow on the Cumberland Plateau too! Check out this snowfall map. East TN was hit hard, as well. What a snow! Cumberland County is in the lower left of the screen. The only snow map I could find was by the NWS of eastern Kentucky. That’s why their area is centered on the map. It looks like Crossville recorded five inches of snow.

Sunday Story

For many, scenes from the Cookeville tornado in early March reminded them of another tornado outbreak in our area 46 years ago this month; The Super Outbreak of April 3-4, 1974.

During that outbreak, the eastern US experienced a tornado outbreak of at least 148 tornadoes across 13 states. The Upper Cumberlands were especially hard hit. Many of the tornadoes in this historic outbreak were quite strong in nature.

In the height of the outbreak, a supercell thunderstorm developed in southern Middle Tennessee. That storm spawned a deadly F-4 tornado that carved a horrific path of destruction on the southeast side of Cookeville. Ten people lost their lives. Before the tornado last month, that was the deadliest tornado to ever hit Putnam County.

The cell that spawned that twister then moved northeast to Wilder, were sporadic damage was reported. The cell then quickly strengthened and spawned another violent F-4 twister just south and east of Jamestown. That twister claimed seven lives.

To date, these are some of the most powerful tornadoes the plateau has ever experienced. The last strong tornado of that outbreak struck northern Cumberland County, along Plateau Road and crossing Highway 127 North to Potato Farm Road. Despite the destruction caused by that F-3 tornado, no one was killed.

The 1974 Super Outbreak led to tremendous changes in how we get our watches and warnings. The National Weather Service revamped their watch/warning protocols and those changes have likely saved numerous lives in the years since.

Thankfully, strong to violent tornadoes are very rare, especially in our neck of the woods. Let’s just hope for a quieter spring severe weather season!

Baldwin’s Sight-of-the-Day

This is the last light of the day, as the sun sets, on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire on Saturday. What a sight, right?

You all have a great day!

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Weather Headlines

An unsettled pattern for next week

Frost likely by week’s end

Main threats

There are no significant weather hazards expected over the next seven days.

Summary

We’ll see clouds around today and tomorrow, but the bulk of the weekend will be dry for many of us. I can’t rule out a shower or three across the plateau this weekend, but it is certainly nothing for you to cancel any outdoor plans over. Get outside and enjoy this beautiful spring weather.

Rain chances may tick up a bit on Monday, but it still looks like Tuesday will bring our better rain chances. Still, not all of us will get rain, as it looks right now. That front hangs around through the end of the week, in various forms, which will keep a shower chance in the forecast.

A much cooler shot of air arrives the end of next week, bringing another good chance for frost (Dogwood Winter?).

Almanac

Baldwin’s 7-Day forecast

Wx Hazards Across the Nation

A pair of winter storms will drop up to four feet of snow in the central and northern portions of the mountains in California this weekend. Meanwhile, a rather benign frontal system drapes across the middle of the country, bringing showers for many. T-storms are likely on the southern flank of that front from Arkansas and points south.

Records

On this day in 1973 Sandia Crest, New Mexico measured 95 inches of snow on the ground. That is a record for the state of New Mexico.

A decade later, Colorado would find themselves in the midst of a three-day snowstorm. Buckhorn Mounain, near Fort Collins, measured 64 inches of snow!

Saturday Snow Day

Earth is not the only planet that gets snow. Scientists discovered snow falling around the North Pole of Mars back in 2008. The snow, however, vaporized before reaching the ground. We call that virga here on Earth (precip evaporating in dry air before reaching the ground).

Interestingly, it appears that it snows on the South Pole too but that snow is frozen carbon dioxide. This snow makes it to the ground and accumulates. We refer to this as “dry ice”. Mars is the only planet known to have dry ice snow.

NASA Knowledge

Each weekday at 3:00 pm Astronaut Christina Koch will read a children’s book on Instagram live! Just find her at https://www.instagram.com/astro_christina/

Now, here’s something that’s pretty darn neat, too! Be a part of the Apollo 13 mission, these 50 years later, by going to this link https://apolloinrealtime.org/13/. There is some REALLY cool stuff in there! Check it out and take the kids along!

Weather News

This was a graphic created by the NWS Sacramento for this weekend’s storm. Those mountains are in for a heck of a snowstorm!

Baldwin’s Clip-of-the-Day (New Section!)

This is Cyclone Harold. He’s waaaayyyyy over near Australia. Actually, he’s northeast of Australia and moving northward. He organized quite well yesterday, as this impressive satellite imagery shows. Notice the eye as it develops. Wow!

You all have a great day!

Many of you probably heard your weather radios go off earlier this evening. The warning was for a flash flood warning for a dam that had failed near Monterey. I’m not sure why any of Cumberland County was included in that warning.

I just saw this on Twitter, via Fox News out of Nashville, and thought you all might be interested. The NWS reports that, “After 5 p.m. dispatchers reported the failure of the earthing dam that they described as a small lake on Industrial Drive. Emergency Management, fire and rescue crews are responding to the area in Monterey that’s near the old Lakeside Deli.”

The warning was extended for people who live on the river in Calf Killer.

Fox Nashville included this video of the break.