By Rod Hill on 2011-04-29
The latest reports say at least 66 dead in Alabama and 193 across the southeastern states. These reports are preliminary and conflicting depending where you look, but are likely to go much higher. Preliminary reports from the National Weather Service list 164 reports of tornadoes. Many of these reports are likely from the same twister. Wednesday April 27th, all total saw 660 reports of severe weather.
Wednesday's storms were fueled ahead of a strong jet core plunging south across the gulf coast states. Jet stream winds that reach speeds between 80 & 200 mph clear out the air above, which forces surface air to rise and fill the void. This lifting when added to other lifting agents such as a cold front or low pressure area often creates explosive storms. The gulf coast states add to the severe weather potential when moist, unstable air from the gulf moves northward into the storm zone. Some scientist believe changing weather patterns are pulling cold air from the Arctic farther southward more often. If true, powerful jet streams will be created more often across the central and southern United States. These jet cores during the spring, when clashing cold and warm air mass temperatures are often extreme, lead to severe weather outbreaks.
As we head into the summer months, the greatest threat of severe weather will shift northward. Severe storms will become more active across the upper plains and the great lakes in a typical year.
Video and tornado pictures from the Alabama storm can easily be found by searching the subject. The Alabama tornado is likely to be an EF 4 or EF 5, meaning rotating winds in the vortex reached 200 mph or higher!
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