Winter Storm Watches Posted

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch in effect Sunday evening through Monday Afternoon. This watch is issued for Camden, Miller, Maries, Phelps, Osage, Gasconade, & Montgomery Counties. The watch will be either lifted or re-issued by 3 pm on Monday. Tuesday another system moves in, bringing the possibility of some moderate accumulation to the viewing area. At this point the watch means to prepare for incliment weather within the next 24 hours. Everyone in the watch should prepare for the worst of the wintry mix. Everyone else outside the watch should not let your guard down, but continue to pay attention that your county is not included within the watch soon.

As of now, it looks like the cold front will arrive in Mid-Missouri around 3 or 4 pm tomorrow. Showers and thunderstorms will develop ahead of the front and after the frontal passage temperatures will plumit into the 30s and 20s. This will cause the rain to change over to freezing rain after sunset. Towards midnight expect everything to change over to sleet and snow. About .1" of ice can be expected for most of us, with up to .20" of ice for areas along the I-44 corridor. After minor ice accumulation, expect about 1" - 2" of snow on top of that. The snow will taper off Monday mid day before another round of snow moves in Monday night through Tuesday.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Anthony

Possible Winter Storm Approaches

Sunday - A strong low pressure system will make its way into our area bringing rain first. This rain will then change to freezing rain towards sunset. Overnight expect the freezing rain to transition to sleet and snow. At this point a significant amount of icing is possible. Keep it here and I will update the web with storm totals and precip type for your hometown as the day gets closer!

Anthony

Winter Weather Advisory 9pm Tonight - 6pm Sunday

Expect rain to mix with snow early this evening, before changing to all snow overnight. Total accumulation overnight around 1 inch. Tomorrow as the system pushes towards our east, expect cold, blustery conditions through most of the day. Another inch of snow is expected tomorrow and with winds gusting out of the Northwest at 15-25 mph, travel will be dangerous. Exercise caution if you must be out on the roads tomorrow.

Since our temperatures have not been extremely cold, most of the snow will accumulate on grassy surfaces, but tomorrow night things are expected to freeze as our temperatures fall into the 20s. Stay warm and be smart on the roads!

Anthony

A storm system out West gains strength....

A strong area of low pressure is gaining strength in the central rockies tonight. This storm system is expected to bring up to 20" - 24" of snow to some parts of Montana by Sunday night! Luckily for us, we will be on the warm side of things, so snow is not expected with this round, just rain.

This is the set-up: A broad area of high pressure has been in control of most of the eastern half of the U.S. the past several days. At the same time, an area of low pressure has been forming across the Rockies. The area out west, is under the influence of a deep trough digging south. Becuase of this, extremely cold air is being pulled in from Canada and this is allowing for snow in some of the higher elevations in the Rockies. This system is fairly stationary at the time, but a piece of energy in the jet stream will push it into the central plains Monday. Monday for us in Mid Missouri is dry, but very cloudy. This is a large system and has a large stratus field ahead of it. Meanwhile, Sunday is dry and warm...humid even. This system will pull winds out of the south ahead of it and keep things windy through Tuesday as well.

So overall expect: Sunday to be dry, but warm, windy, and humid. Monday....still dry, but extremely cloudy. Monday night the rain begins. Tuesday will be rainy, cloudy and cool. And after the storms system passes Mid Mo things will start to feel more like FALL around here! Highs expected to be in the 60s and lows in the 40s after the frontal passage.

Enjoy A Sunny Sunday!

Anthony

Last Weekend In September

As we close down the month of September it looks like we will experience a beautiful weekend with lots of sunshine and highs in the lower 80s. A cold front will wash out over Mid-Missouri, just bringing a few clouds. Overall, we will stay day until Monday. An extremely powerful cold front will slide through Monday and behind it, much cooler air will filter into Mid-MO. After the cold frontal passage on Monday, highs will be knocked down into the upper 60s through the first week of October!

Anthony

Countdown To Autumn!

Hey Mid-Missouri!

Once again as the seasons change, so will the leaves begin to, and our temperatures will as well. This weekend ushers in the next season and the first day of Fall begins Monday at 10:44am. This fall expect to see lots of vibrant colors on the trees here in Mid-Mo. This past spring and summer brought lots of rainfall (about 8" above average) & with cool, clear evenings we've been seeing this past week, expect for leaves to begin changing colors! These perfect ingredients will set the stage for a beautiful fall foilage season!

This weekend expect afternoon highs to hang out in the middle and upper 70s. There is an upper level trough expected to move through later tonight. This will keep clouds in the area tonight and tomorrow. There is a slight chance for an evening shower tomorrow, but MOST DEFINITELY NOT AN ALL DAY WASHOUT! Most of us will stay dry and those that see rain will at most pick up half an inch or less.

As far as the weather calendar is concerned, we've gotten some awesome pics! Thank you all for your submissions. Unfortunately, we can not pick ALL the pictures we've received, so therefore I will post all the submissions on here for everyone to enjoy once the final selection is made.

Anthony

(I'm a bit in the fall spirit...hence all the color changes!!) :-D

Rainfall Totals Since Thursday

Hey Mid-Missouri!

Just a quick tally for the rainfall we received since Thursday, September 11th:

• Columbia: 6.71"

• Sedalia: 5.13"

• Rolla: 6.00"

• West Plains: 2.23"

• St. Louis: 6.30"

• Kansas City: 4.95"

• Springfield: 5.08"

Most of Mid MO picked up anywhere from 2" to 7." Flood waters are still covering roads in portions of the state, so remember:

TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN!

Most flood related deaths are from attempts to cross flooded roadways.

If you have any pictures of the flooding, send them to us. We'd love to see them, just stay safe while taking those snap shots! This week will offer lots of dry time, so ENJOY!

Anthony

"Whatever the weather, it's a beautiful day because it's a day we've never seen before!"

Tropical Storm Ike Roars In...

Tonight we will begin to see rain and wind increase as Ike makes its way into Southern Missouri. Overnight expect rain showers, wind, and a few rumbles of thunder. Ike will finally push out of the region tomorrow evening, leaving cooler temperatures. The worst of the storm will hit overnight and tomorrow early morning. Areas along the I-44 corridor can expect 6-9 inches of rain by Sunday evening. Areas around Columbia, Jeff City, and Fulton can expect to see around 3-5 inches of rain.

After Ike moves out, our weather will become quite quiet....Lots of sunshine and highs in the middle 70s.

Anthony

Severe Weather Expected Tomorrow

As a surface low digs into the Texas panhandle tonight a stationary front extending into southern Missouri will spark off some showers and thunderstorms early in the morning. As this surface low pressure moves into the region along with a cold front expect some mid day clearing. Towards the afternoon and evening another round of showers and thunderstorms will form, some of which could be strong to severe. The primary threat for tomorrow includes:

• Large Hail


• Damaging winds in excess of 60 mph

And as always an isolated tornado can not be ruled out. Keep it tuned to KOMU TV 8, DT 8.2, & KOMU.com for the very latest on severe weather coverage!

Anthony

Gustav Creeps Into Missouri

Not only will we have to deal with Gustav's remnants, but a cold front will bring showers and thunderstorms tonight. The cold front will slide through tonight and tomorrow and offer t-storms. Combined with that, Gustav will scatter showers through Mid-Mo tonight and tomorrow. Gustav will finally move out of our region Friday, early.

The weekend looks pleasant with sunshine returning and highs near 80!

Anthony

-So nobody thought we'd reach above or below 90 degrees? Is anyone out there?

What Do You Think?

Will our afternoon high temperatures top out above 90 degrees anymore this summer?


Post your comment and let us know what you think Mid Missouri!

-Anthony

Is This Beautiful Weather or What?

So......... is it just me or did this weekend offer some beautiful weather!?

Beautiful August Weather!

Hey Mid - MO!

I bet yesterday was a huge relief from the excessive heat we had been feeling this past week. A cold front slid through the area Wednesday and since then our weather has been downright gorgeous, especially for August! This is normally our hottest time of year with highs near 90, but today and the rest of the weekend will be very pleasant with highs in the middle 80s. Another reason for such wonderful weather is because of low humidity levels. With winds out of the north and low humidity, it makes for some beautiful August weather! Enjoy the weekend Mid Missouri!

Anthony

Excessive Heat thru Tuesday!

Hey folks!

Extreme heat will be moving into the region tomorrow and last through Tuesday! Heat indices will be near 102-110 during the hottest times of day Sunday - Tuesday. Today, though it was hot, was not nearly at hot as it will be tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday.

Remember in extreme heat:

• Limit time outdoors to 30 minutes at a time.
• Drink lots of water! (More than 8 glasses if outdoors)
• Wear loose fitting and light colored clothing.
• If must be outdoors be out during dawn / dusk.
• Check on elderly and neighbors daily to assure health. (Especially if they do not have air conditioning).

Heat without air conditioning these next few days will be dangerous! Please make proper precautions now to assure your health and safety in this dangerous heat!

Anthony

What a Soaker!

Attached are some pictures I shot around Columbia. The two pictures at the top is Peace Park in Columbia, Mo. The three at the bottom are pictures of a street sewer overflowing. Like many locations around Mid Missouri, streets were halfway covered with water, just as is it seen in these pictures. The other pictures of what looks like a raging river is what people know as the little trickle in Peace Park. As you can see from the pictures, the water was much higher than usual! Even spilling over its banks!!!

If you have any interesting flood pictures you want to share, send them to our weather team or just post them here on the blog! Drive safe and remember when you see water covering a roadway, turn around don't drown!

'Til next time,

Anthony

Have A Good NIght's Rest Mid - MO!

CLICK THE LINK (X in the box )TO SEE STORM REPORTS FROM THIS MORNING!

So after a hard day at work and school. You come home expecting a good night's sleep, right? Well, last night was not by any means a good night's sleep... Storms raked through the state early this morning from about 2am - 9am, with tons of lightning and thunder, that kept many of us wide awke! I know it kept me up!

This being my last week as an undergrad at MU, I found myself preparing for one of my last exams here at school and what happens....a wild night of severe weather. Luckily, Mike and Eric kept Mid Missouri safe and yours truly took one of his last exams! (thanks for understanding mid mo!)

If you have cool pictures of the storms or have any neat comments feel free to post them. I'm sure I'm not the only that will be enjoying a good night's rest! Places down by the lake and south could see a few more storms tonight, but most should not reach severe status before they drift south and east.

Stay cool the rest of the week!

Anthony

Oppressive Heat Continues!

Good morning mid-Missouri!

The heat is on again today across the Show-Me state. Yesterday was the warmest day of the year with a high temperature in Columbia at 95. With south-westerly winds, expect much of the same on Monday with highs in the middle 90s.

As a cold front slides in from the north tonight, we will likely see showers and a few thunderstorms develop and move through. A few of these storms could be strong to severe with large hail and damaging winds being the main threat.

Following the passage of the cold front, highs should slip down into the middle 80s for Tuesday and Wednesday before pushing into the lower 90s by the end of this week.

As always with excessive heat, remember to stay cool! Protect yourself from the sun by wearing plenty of sunscreen and if you are heading outdoors, take frequent breaks in order to avoid getting sick from the heat.

Mike

Severe Weather Expected Tomorrow

Hey Folks!

Tomorrow a cold front will slide in from the north and bring a chance for showers and thunderstorms especially in the afternoon. There will be a complex of showers and storms that move through northern Missouri tonight and tomorrow morning. With this round of storms, I don't expect much of Mid- Missouri to get wet; however, with the day time heating storms will form ahead and along the cold frontal boundary tomorrow afternoon.

The primary threats for tomorrow will be large hail and damaging winds in excess of 60mph. These storms will travel to the southeast tomorrow and will make their way out of the region Tuesday, as the cold front stalls in Southern Missouri late in the day Tuesday afternoon.

Tomorrow,before storms form, expect highs to reach into the middle 90s once again! Remember to limit time outdoors, apply plenty of sunscreen (SPF 45+), and drink plenty of water if heading out!

Til next time!

Anthony

Beat the Heat Summer Series

Hello Bloggers!

We've received several questions regarding our Beat the Heat series which aired last week on KOMU 8 News. Thanks for the questions and we look forward to answering them.

Just a reminder, if you have questions about mid-Missouri's weather, just send us an email at weather@komu.com.

As always, KOMU 8 WeatherPLUS is committed to bringing you weather coverage you can count on!

Mike

Finally, A Dry Week!

Hey Mid Missouri!

Sunday began our dry spell and this dry weather will last through the rest of the week! A high pressure area will shift eastward today and will stall over the Ohio Valley. Because of this, any storm systems that push into the Central Plains will be deflected north toward the Upper Mississippi River Valley and into the Great Lakes area. This high pressure will keep our skies mostly clear through the week and will begin to pump hot and humid air back into the region. With winds from the south through the rest of the week, temperatures will easily climb into the 90s and overnight lows will remain mild, in the mid to upper 60s.

Overall, this would be a good week to head to the pool or even wash that car! Enjoy the sunny days & remember your sunscreen!

Anthony

A Gorgeous Sunday!

Hey Fellow Weather Bloggers!

Tonight an unseasonably strong cold front will push through and bring some much appreciated relief from the heat and humidity Mid - Missouri experienced this week. Sunday looks to be the "pick day" of the week, with low humidity levels and highs in the middle 80s. Monday winds shift out of the south and temperatures climb to near 90 once again. For the rest of the week, high pressure will keep us dry and allow for temperatures to climb back into the lower 90s once again!

Remember to drink plenty of water and to limit your time outdoors in extreme heat.

Enjoy tomorrow's weather!

Anthony

Excessive Heat thru Tuesday!

Hey Mid Missouri,

Well, the heat is on! The season's hottest air mass has made its way into the area and will last through Tuesday. Afternoon highs will top out in the lower 90s Monday, just as they did today. And with lots of moisture in place, heat indices will be near 100. With this type of heat, it is imperative to drink lots more water than usual and limit time outdoors. Also, remember to check on the elderly and keep pets indoors during the hottest times of day: 1pm -4pm.

Tuesday a cold front will push into the region and that will spark a few thunderstorms, but will offer 'cooler' air for Wednesday with less humidity. Wednesday highs fall back into the middle 80s and with lower humidity temps should feel a bit more comfortable.

Stay cool and be safe!

Anthony

4th of July!

Happy 4th Everyone!

Expect to see mostly cloudy skies early on your 4th, and expect clearing to occur through the day leaving the evening mostly clear with low humidity and temps near 80 most of the afternoon. A quiet 4th of July is expected across the region, so enjoy!

Anthony

Father's Day Severe Threat

Well, another round of severe weather is expected for our Sunday afternoon and evening. The round of showers and thunderstorm will most likely slide through Mid Missouri & become more widespread in the overnight hours as it gets plenty of moisture to work with from the lower level jet stream. This shower activity is associated with a cold front to our north and will slide through by Monday morning leaving us with cooler temperatures back into the upper 70s.

Severe Weather Explanation:

With CAPE predicted to be up to 4000 (provides the storms with energy to get going), 60-70 jet max expected (adds fuel for tornadoes), & dewpoints expected to reach into the lower 70s (gives the atmosphere moisture for storms to initiate); our atmosphere will be ripe for severe thunderstorms to form with tornadoes & hail a possibility. The more sunshine we see tomorrow will, in turn, allow for more thunderstorms to pop up during the afternoon and evening. As of right now, the severe threat remains for:

• large hail



• damaging winds



• dangerous lightning



• heavy rainfall



• an isolated tornado, especially in western portions of Central Missouri.
  

As always tune into KOMU TV 8, Mediacom WeatherPlus Channel 247, and KOMU.com for the very latest. If this severe weather threat is dropped or updated, I will blog to let you all know.

Otherwise, sunshine will continue through most of the day on Sunday. It's not until the later afternoon hours that am I expecting thunderstorms to develop. So enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.

Anthony

Severe WX Update

A line of storms is moving into the Mid Missouri area. There is a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect until 12 AM for most of our viewing region; meaning the conditions are favorable to produce severe storms. Strong winds in excess of 60 mph, large hail (2" in diameter or larger) and dangerous lightning are all possible tonight and tomorrow as well. Keep it tuned into KOMU TV 8 and Mediacom channel 247 for more updates.

Anthony Slaughter

Severe WX Tomorrow Night...

Hey there folks!

Tomorrow night we will see more storms roll into the area towards the evening & overnight hours. Some of these storms could reach severe status with the possibility of large hail, damaging winds, torrential downpours, & an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. As always if these storms do turn severe, we will keep you all updated!

Until then, try to stay cool in this heat! If your like me, head to the pool!

C ya

Anthony

Severe Weather Expected for Tuesday, May 13th

Hey there Mid Missourians!

Well, tomorrow looks like another active day across the central plains, in particular Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. A slight risk of severe storms exists from early in the afternoon tomorrow through the evening hours. The greatest threat at this point will be the potential for damaging winds, large hail, and an isolated tornado. Considering the devastation that occurred from severe storms just three days ago in SW Missouri, the threat for severe storms here at home should be taken very seriously. Along with Dave and Eric, I will be here tracking the system as it moves into central Missouri.

Attached is the Storm Prediction Center's forecast for severe weather through tomorrow night. Again, storms are expected to develop ahead of the cold front and with plenty of sunshine expected, the atmosphere will become very unstable during the afternoon.

Remember when tornadic storms are expected to hit your area:

• listen out for tornado sirens
• move to the basement or most interior sturdy section of your home away from windows or glass objects
  
• put your shoes on, just in case glass breaks
• Do not go outside to find the tornado, though this may be tempting...
• Do not look out your window, glass could break in your face
• In the event that a tornado warning is issued for your area, get under something that will protect you from flying debris; an idea-remove your mattress and place it over you wherever you chose to take shelter.
• GET OUT OF A MOBILE HOME
  
• DO NOT GO INTO A CAR/TRUCK (no matter how heavy you think it is, tornadoes can toss cars and trucks with ease!)
  
• tune into KOMU WeatherPlus Channel 247 (where we will do live updates continually)
• and check KOMU.COM periodically to see if your county/area is under any watches or warnings.

Also, remember when a watch is issued that means conditions are favorable over a long term period for severe storms. When a warning is issued, that means storms are moving in right now, so follow the safety tips above!

In the event that storms turn bad here tomorrow, we will be here keeping you safe!

Anthony

Widespread Frost Tonight!

A Frost Advisory is in effect for our viewing area tonight. Widespread frost is likely as an unseasonably cool area of high pressure builds into the region. Frost will likely develop late into the night around 3am. If you have any tender vegetation outside, bring them in tonight or cover them with plastic.

Tomorrow looks to be nice with highs in the middle to upper 60s. Skies will remain clear as well.

The next chance of shower/thunderstorm activity will move into the area Tuesday night into Wednesday and last through Thursday.

Stay tuned friends!

Anthony

Soggy Sunday

Expect rain showers to move into the region tonight, primarily after midnight. These rain showers will persist on and off through the day tomorrow with unseasonably cool afternoon highs in the middle 50s. A few rumbles of thunder can be expected, but severe weather is not expected tonight or tomorrow. Monday we'll see a few lingering showers in the morning, but the sun should return by the afternoon.

Rainfall totals should be light with most of the area picking up to .50" by Monday morning. Western counties could pick up to an inch of rainfall, but overall rainfall accumulations should be minor.

Anthony

Severe Risk for Monday Night!

Hey there!

Well, it looks like severe weather is in store for us Monday evening into Tuesday morning...

Places like Sedalia, Marshall, Chillicothe, Salisbury, Columbia, and Jefferson City should be on the lookout for scattered storms to develop ahead of a cold front. As this cluster of storms form along a cold front, a line of storms is expected to move due East towards areas around Kingdom City, Fulton, Montgomery City, and Vienna. These areas could experience some severe weather as this line of storm move through Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Continue to tune in to KOMU.com and Weatherplus channel 247 on Mediacom and 8.2 on Digital cable.

Monday: The risk for severe weather will hold off until Late Monday.

Anthony

A Warm Week In Store!

The next few days will be the warmest of this spring season thus far. Temperatures are expected to climb into upper 70s and lower 80s across the region on Monday and Tuesday. With this warm air moving into the area, dewpoints will rise in the upper 50s and lower 60s, making things feel much more humid around here! There is a chance for thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon/evening through Wednesday morning. At this point the risk for severe storms is slim, but if things change we will let you know....til then enjoy the warm weather!

Anthony

April Snow Showers......

Need I say more! An extremely powerful low pressure system moved eastward earlier this week and now the remnants of the cold upper level trough is finally moving through. But I'm sure everyone is wondering why is it snowing in April? Well, here's your explanation:

When you get really powerful low pressure systems they eventually gain enough power and energy to develop into the upper levels of the atmosphere. When this upper level low develops, storm systems usually have the signature "occluded" (the pink/purple front on weather maps) frontal boundaries. Occluded fronts develop when the cold frontal boundaries catches up to the warm front. Once the occlusion occurs the surface low continues to move in whichever direction the system is prepelled in while the upper level low lags behind and pulls extremely cold area around on the westward side of upper level low. This is exactly what we are feeling the effects of. The amazing thing is that the surface low center of this system is already off the east coast while the upper level low is still hanging around the Great Lakes area! This really shows how occluded this system became.

This weekend will continue to be cold until this upper level low pushes off to the east. Sunday will be cloudy, just as today was. Expect to see more snow and rain showers through the early afternoon Suday. Monday sunshine will return and tempertures will continue to rebound into the early portion of next week.

Stay warm friends!

Anthony

A beautiful weekend, or what?

Hey fellow bloggers!

Hope you all are finally drying out! Today ushered in clear open skies with temperatures in the 60s across all of the area! I would say this is a pleasant day, especially since most of Mid-Missouri is still recovering from floods. The pleasant weather will last through tomorrow afternoon. It looks like some of us will see some thunderstorms tomorrow evening, but these storms will not be an "all day rain event." This will be a lot like the typical spring thunder showers we are use to seeing around this time of year. We are not expecting flooding to occur from the thunderstorms Sunday, but with a chance of rain in the forecast Tuesday - Thursday we could see another chance for minor flooding then. For now though, enjoy the sunshine and warm temps! Spring is here!

Anthony

Severe WX Update

Tonight a warm front will push through the area and spark some thunderstorms. It does look like the threat for thunderstorms will hold off until about 5 am or 6am. And most of these storms will occur along and north of I-7o at that time.

Tomorrow expect showers and thunderstorms in the morning. Then we will see a break in shower activity, and see peaks of sunshine. This will ignite more thunderstorms towards the evening hours as the cold front approaches. This is where the main threat for severe weather is expected. It looks like storms will begin to pop up around 2 pm - 3pm, then track east northeastward through the rest of the viewing area. Expect thunderstorms to push out of the area by midnight tomorrow.

Stay tuned for more info and watch KOMU NEWS TODAY beginning at 5:30 am tomorrow morning for developments.

Anthony

Severe WX Expected

Hey fellow bloggers,

It looks like we will be experiencing some unsettled conditions over the next couple days. Tonight a stationary front will push north into the area bringing a chance for some thunder showers, especially towards daybreak.

Sunday :
Thunderstorms will be spotty, so everyone will not see rain. Towards the evening, storms will intensify & move into Mid Missouri during the overnight hours. This will be the first round of storms to hit us.

Monday:

The second round of severe weather will move in during the afternoon and evening on Monday. With this batch of storms we will see a squall line develop ahead of the front. This means there will very strong winds associated with these storms. And any supercells that develop could contain tornadoes. Areas from Springfield, MO to Kirksville, MO over to St. Louis, MO should be prepared for some intense weather Monday.

This storm system has the potential to produce:

• heavy rain
• large hail
• strong winds
• tornadoes

Continue to stay tuned to WEATHERPLUS 24/7 and KOMU.COM as we bring you updates on this strengthening weather system.

Anthony

Another Round of Rain

Hey Fellow Weather Bloggers!

Well, are you tired of the rain or what? Many areas will have a chance to continue to dry out into Saturday, but rain is expected Sunday...

As a stationary front pushes north into southern MO Sunday morning, this will spark some thunderstorm activity through the day then. As impulses of energy ride along this frontal zone, we will see periods of showers through Monday. As monday approaches, there is a risk for severe weather. So stay tuned & we'll keep you up to date.

So here's a breakdown:

Saturday: Dry & cool

Sunday: Showers move in early, thunderstorms in the afternoon/evening.

Monday: T-storms continued, some could be strong to severe.

Tuesday: Dry again!

Anthony

More rain expected this week...

Many areas saw their rivers crest this past weekend, as flooding continued to threaten Mid-Missouri's residents. Though it looks like most of the extremely cold air will move out of the region after tonight, the threat of more shower activity remains as Wednesday approaches.

It looks like the jet stream will move over the Missouri area, meaning that, low pressures that develop will track across this path dumping rain that they tap into from the Gulf Of Mexico. As of right now it looks like Wednesday evening is when more rain is expected to move in. This rain threat will continue through Friday.

With many rivers and streams above or at flood stage, this could make things more problematic. Floods remain the number 1 killer of severe weather, so remember NEVER attempt to drive through flooded roadways.

In the meantime enjoy Monday and Tuesday, temperatures will be more seasonal with highs near 60.

Anthony

Spring & Flooding Information

Spring officially began at 12:48 Thursday morning, and the good news is that the first few days of the new season look fairly tranquil. That good news has been vastly overshadowed by the moderate to major river flooding that is occurring across much of the southern half of our viewing area. Let's consider those areas where moderate to major flooding is either occurring now or will be within 24 hours.

Moderate Flooding
Big River at Byrnesville, MO
Bourbeuse River at Union, MO
Missouri River at Hermann, MO

Major Flooding
Meramec River at...
Steelville, MO
Sullivan, MO
Pacific, MO
Eureka, MO
Valley Park, MO
Arnold, MO

Gasconade River at...
Rich Fountain, MO


To get the absolute latest and most up-to-date information on current river stages across our area, along with forecast river crests and times, visit the National Weather Service's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service. This is a great interactive tool -- just click on a city on the map, and you'll see everything you need to know. If you can't find exactly what you're looking for on the map, even more towns and cities are listed in the drop-down menus below the map.
Some rivers are dropping already, but all local waterways should be on the way down by the end of the weekend.

In the meantime, be safe -- don't drive onto roads that are covered with water!!
We've had numerous water rescues across our area already, most of them related to cars that drove into flood waters and stalled.

The Winter of 2007-2008 ... It Was A Cold One!

This Winter, on average, across the US and the globe was the coolest since 2001. While it was the coolest in recent years, it was still slightly above the normal. You can find out more from this article, click here.

So this got me thinking...let's look at our numbers here in Columbia for this Winter. By the way, to make keeping climate records easier, meteorologists consider Winter as the months of December, January and February. According to the preliminary climate numbers from Columbia, as measured at the Regional Airport, it was really only February that was below normal. So, December in Columbia posted a 1.2 degree above normal temperature. January was 3.6 degrees above normal. And as you may have guessed, February was chilly at 2.8 degrees below normal. All in all it means the three month period of Dec., Jan., and Feb averaged out to be very near normal...at least for temperatures.

How about snow and sleet and all that mess? Through December '07 and January-Februay '08, we had a total of 14.1" of snow and sleet. That's all pretty close to our average for those months in Columbia, which is around 14." For the entire winter season (December through March), we're just slightly below average in winter precip., however.

The numbers do show us why you hear so many people saying they're ready for Spring!

Severe Threat Diminishing

Hey Fellow Bloggers!

It looks like this storm system will continue to bring lots of rain to Mid-Missouri [and the rest of the Southern Plains]. This evening we will see a break in rain and then another round of heavy rainfall later into the overnight hours. The main threat of severe weather will remain to our south in Texas, this cluster of storms will move into our region and bring lots of rain. While the severe threat is much less, we will continue to see upwards of 1" of more rainfall.

Anthony

Update #1 on Monday's Severe Set - Up

Here is a revised severe threat forecast from the Storm Prediction Center thru Tuesday Morning. From Texas into the Ozark Plateau expect thunderstorms to reach severe potential tomorrow and late Monday overnight into Tuesday.

As of right now it looks like the main threats for Monday include heavy rainfall ( 1" - 2" expected), large hail and strong winds in excess of 60 mph. Isolated tornadoes will also be possible especially towards the evening hours and overnight into Tuesday.

Stay tuned and we will continue to update you with the latest changing conditions.

Your fellow weather(man) blogger,

Anthony

Spring Showers...& Thunderstorms On the Way...

Hey fellow weather bloggers!

As many of you have probably been noticing spring is roaring in and MOST DEFINITELY LIKE A LION! With warm air, you know what happens, it rises quickly and with a main supply of moisture (Gulf of Mexico), we will begin to see spring thunderstorms again. This coming week, we actually will be experiencing some spring like thunder showers Monday and Tuesday.

Here's the set-up:

As seen in the Storm Prediction Center's forecast through Tuesday morning, a slight risk of severe weather stretches from the Missouri Valley into Texas. A strong upper level low system will push into the plains Sunday night into Monday. As it does we will see plenty of rain. Some areas could see anywhere from 1" - 2" of rain. Areas in thunderstorms could pick up to 3" of rain by Tuesday afternoon when the rain is expected to come to an end. With above average ratings for our precip. so far this year, this could cause some minor stream & street flooding.

Though this risk, as of right now is around areas in Ozarks, this could change as Monday gets closer. I wouldn't be surprised if more of our viewing region is included in the next forecast that the Storm Prediction Center issues for severe risks.

For the time being, we will see near average temperatures for the remainder of the weekend.

Stay tuned!

Anthony

A Taste of Spring!

Tonight will be another cold night across Mid-Missouri with overnight lows in the 20s. However, this cold air won't last too long. Tomorrow will be the first day of our warming trend with highs closer to average around 50 degrees. High pressure will be in control over most of the Ohio Valley on Monday and Tuesday. This will pull warm air fromt south into our area. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we will see some very pleasant conditions here in Mid-Missouri.

The next chance of rain will move in on Wednesday night into Thursday. Even after the passage of a cold front then, our temperatures are not going to drop off terribly bad afterwards. Thursday and Friday, our temperatures will hold steady near average, with highs in the 50s.

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Anthony

Strange Snowstorm...

Tuesday March 4th was the biggest snow of the year in St. Louis with 10" officically at Lambert airport (the official measuring station for the St. Louis area).

What caused the high snowfall amounts in St. Louis was a heavy snow band that set up over the area most of the mid morning and afternoon. These bands are thin ribbons where the heaviest snow falls and even thunder was reported at times. There was more than one band, as you can see from the map below made by the National Weather Service. Some spots in the heaviest band had 9"-12" of snow. However, there was a VERY sharp drop off in snowfall outside of the heavy band. For example, Ellisville in Western St. Louis County reported 10.5" of snow. But If you were to travel just 8 miles Northwest to Weldon Spring, in St. Charles County, the snow was only 3.5". It was all about being in the band of heavy snow or being out- that was the difference between a few inches and nearly a foot of snow!

Another fairly impressive storm system is already in the works this morning across the southern plains states and will work to produce heavy amounts of snow in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and the Ohio River Valley through the next 36 hours. Thankfully (for those who are tired of winter and are ready to move onto spring), this storm will stay far enough south of Mid-Missouri that we won't see any accumulating snow, but just a few flurries on Friday.

Looking ahead into next week, the upper-level air pattern will become more zonal (west to east) and temperatures should begin to moderate just a bit ... at least to seasonal readings. Bring on spring!!

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