A massive tornado has produced considerable damage across southeast Memphis. Quite a bit of damage reported at the Memphis International Airport, including the fire station at the FedEx terminal. Roof blown off one hanger. Many planes moved around including a 737!
Tornado went on to damage a lot of homes in Pleasant Ridge and massive damage at the Hickory Ridge Mall. So far no injures or deaths reported as of this writing.
UPDATE: As many as 14 people are trapped in a building near the Hickory Ridge Mall area. Several already have been transported for injuries!
UPDATE 11:36 PM CST: 1 CONFIRMED FATALITY FROM A WAREHOUSE COLLAPSE. 8 OTHERS INJURED AT SAME LOCATION, 2 CRITICAL.
The storm flew up I40 to the NE producing intermittent damage, and then struck Jackson with another damaging tornado. Reports coming from that area are that there is significant damage at Union University where people are reported trapped in the women’s dormitories. The hospital is reported damage, numerous overturned vehicles in the area, and the Northside High School in the Oakhill area is reported damaged.
UPDATE 10:11PM CST: 2 CONFIRMED DEATHS IN THE UNION UNIVERSITY AREA. UNKNOWN IF THIS WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OR NEARBY. SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL TRAPPED AT THE UNIVERSITY.
UPDATE 10:54 PM CDT: ALL BUT 3 OF THE PEOPLE TRAPPED AT UNION UNIVERSITY HAVE BEEN FREED.
UPDATE 11:37 PM CDT: AT LEAST 50 PEOPLE TRAPPED AT THE JACKSON OAKS RETIREMENT HOME. 1 DEATH IN JACKSON, LOCATION UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.
Further south more tornadoes have struck in Mississippi in LaFayette County with several homes reported destroyed along with two industrial buildings and a church. One injury reported there at this time.
Other tornadoes have caused damage back to the west in Arkansas as well. Details are still sketchy at this time.
UPDATE 10:12 PM CST: 7 CONFIRMED DEATHS IN ARKANSAS. LOCATION UNKNOWN TO ME AT THIS TIME. 11:33 PM CST 3 FATALITIES WERE ATKINS, AR. 2 FATALITIES IN IN CONWAY COUNTY, AR. CLINTON AND GLASSVILLE, AR EACH HAD ONE FATALITY.
And the severe weather is not even begun to be over yet. Still numerous tornado warnings still in effect, including another one headed in the Memphis direction, and a huge squall line to come through later to hamper rescue efforts across the area.
Super Tuesday just took on a whole new meaning.
Written by David Drummond on February 5th, 2008 with 4 comments.
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In what has already been a turbulent year with two decent sized tornado events in January, February is starting out with a bang with the year’s first High Risk!
Already two tornado watches are in effect from NE TX to southern MO and no doubt there will be many more before the day is over! I am a little pressed for time right now, so I will just post up SPCs public discussion for today, as I have had virtually no time to look at the forecast parameters.
PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1041 AM CST TUE FEB 05 2008
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE PARTS OF THE MID
SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A FEW STRONG...LONG-TRACK TORNADOES OVER PARTS OF THE
PARTS OF THE MID SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE
A LARGE PORTION OF ARKANSAS
A SMALL PART OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
PARTS OF WESTERN KENTUCKY
SMALL PART OF SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI
NORTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI
WESTERN TENNESSEE
SURROUNDING THE HIGH RISK AREA...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS FROM PORTIONS OF EASTERN OK/SOUTHERN MO
EAST-NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY AND ACROSS THE LOWER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY
A STRONG LATE WINTER MID AND UPPER LEVEL WEATHER SYSTEM NOW MOVING
INTO SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL SUPPORT AN OUTBREAK OF TORNADOES AND OTHER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AS IT EJECTS ACROSS THE SOUTH CENTRAL UNITED
STATES THROUGH TONIGHT. THE AIRMASS AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM IS ALREADY
UNSEASONABLY WARM AND MOIST THIS MORNING...AND WILL UNDERGO FURTHER
HEATING AND MOISTENING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. VIGOROUS THUNDERSTORMS
WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH WILL
QUICKLY PRODUCE TORNADOES GIVEN COMBINATION OF EXTREME WINDS ALOFT
AND VERY WARM AND MOIST AIRMASS. STORMS WILL LIKELY FORM INTO LINES
AND CONTINUE THE THREAT OF TORNADOES AND WIND DAMAGE INTO THE LOWER
MS RIVER AND TN RIVER VALLEYS OVERNIGHT...WITH THE NORTHERN END
SPREADING UP THE OH RIVER VALLEY.
EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS THROUGHOUT THE ATMOSPHERE WILL SUPPORT THE
THREAT OF LONGER-LIVED STORMS...INCLUDING SUPERCELLS AND FAST MOVING
LINES. THIS WILL ENHANCE THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TORNADOES AND
WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION...WITH ADDED
THREAT OF A FEW SIGNIFICANT EVENTS...BOTH TORNADOES AND WIND DAMAGE.
THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THOSE IN THE
THREATENED AREA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES AND
TO LISTEN TO RADIO...TELEVISION...AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR
POSSIBLE WATCHES...WARNINGS...AND STATEMENTS LATER TODAY.
Needless to say, something bad will probably come from this today.
Written by David Drummond on February 5th, 2008 with 3 comments.
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