Updraft: May 6, 2008 Archive

I sent Cathy Wurzer a note early today as I spied a red sky this morning. The old saying goes something like this:

"Red sky in the morning, sailors warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight." There is often some meteorological truth to weather lore. Cirrus and other clouds can refract light to produce a reddish tint to the sky. If you see it at night, the setting sun in the west is hitting those clouds off to your east that have already passed you by, indicating that good weather is approaching from the west. In the morning the sun is shining on clouds to the east, and the potential storms headed your way.

Red sky proverb

Of course this applies to the mid-latitudes where the westerlies generally move weather from west to east.

Look for the possibility of storms spreading from west to east later this afternoon and evening in Minnesota. There is a slight risk for large hail and high winds with some of the storms. At this time the atmosphere seems to lack the strong directional wind shear needed for widespread tornadoes.

SPC severe weather risk

It was 43 years ago today that we saw the biggest tornado outbreak in Twin Cities history. The May 6, 1965 outbreak produced 6 tornadoes, four of which were F4 in strength. 13 were killed, 683 injured. The Fridley tornado was on the ground for 18 miles.

May 6, 1965 tornadoes

I remember the hail tinted green sky as the tornadoes passed through Deephaven that day. Surveying the damage made quite an impression on me. It's the reason I watch the weather closely here at the Weather Lab each day.

PH

As anticipated yesterday, the warm front that ushered in temperatures in the 70s to central and southern Minnesota has also fired up showers and thunderstorms. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect this afternoon for southwest Minnesota. If sunshine reappears around the Twin Cities later today, the instability will increase and severe thunderstorms will be possible this evening.

Track thunderstorms and severe weather potential

Cooler weather is in store the remainder of the week. A wet Saturday may dampen your excitement about working the garden and yard.
CE

Check out these amazing images of storm surge flooding miles inland in Myanmar after the landfall of cyclone Nargis.

In some places, the coastline is as much as 12 miles further inland.

NOAA satellite images

PH