2 years 3 months ago
Citrus County has been in a burn ban since April 11. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index averaged over 600 for the county.
“We have not had a significant amount of rain and that is why we’re in the condition that we’re in,” stated the county emergency management director. “Other areas of the state have received more rainfall.”
Chronicle Online (Crystal River, Fla.), May 10, 2023
2 years 3 months ago
SPC 2000Z Day 1 Outlook
Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0252 PM CDT Wed May 10 2023
Valid 102000Z - 111200Z
...THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NORTHEAST
COLORADO INTO FAR SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA AND FAR NORTHWEST KANSAS...
...SUMMARY...
Scattered severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, large
to very large hail, and severe wind gusts remain likely this
afternoon and evening along the High Plains. Additionally, more
isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible tonight across
east Texas and western Louisiana.
...Front Range/High Plains...
The forecast remains on track based on recent observations and
trends in hi-res guidance. 5% tornado probabilities were expanded
slightly across northwest KS where a few cumulus clusters have shown
notable vertical development within a recovering boundary layer
(where easterly surface winds are enhancing low-level helicity). A
significant wind area is introduced for portions of southeast CO
into adjacent areas of NM, OK, and KS, where dewpoint depressions
over 40 F are noted ahead of developing convection within the higher
terrain. These trends suggest the environment is favorable for
efficient downward momentum transfer within stronger downdrafts that
may result in a couple of 75+ mph gusts. For additional near-term
trends, see MCD #754.
...North Dakota...
The Marginal area has been extended slightly westward across parts
of north-central ND to better align with recent surface and
satellite observations, which depict shallow cumulus development
along a diffuse surface trough. A few recent runs of hi-res guidance
suggest a storm or two may develop within this regime, and modified
forecast sounding indicate that locations with
temperatures/dewpoints in the mid 70s/upper 50s may feature
sufficient buoyancy for effective bulk shear values approaching 30
knots.
..Moore/Leitman.. 05/10/2023
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1135 AM CDT Wed May 10 2023/
...Front Range/High Plains...
An east/northeastward-moving upper trough over Arizona and preceding
upper jet exit region will influence the High Plains with a
meridional flow pattern into this afternoon and tonight. A lee
cyclone will persist over eastern Colorado and the Raton Mesa
vicinity with a warm front extending east across northwest Kansas to
southeast Nebraska, with the southern High Plains dryline mixing
east into a portion of west Texas. A plume of 50s F surface dew
points will be maintained to the north of the aforementioned central
High Plains front amid persistent easterlies in the lowest 1 km.
As large-scale ascent preceding the upper trough overspreads the
central to southern Rockies and adjacent High Plains, initial
convection will develop over the higher terrain by early afternoon.
This activity will spread north-northeastward and increase in
coverage through early evening. Several supercells are likely along
the Front Range from east-central WY to south-central CO with a
primary threat of large hail. Potential will exist for a more
intense/long-tracked supercell or two developing off the Palmer
Divide towards the Denver metro area and South Platte Valley, where
rather enlarged/elongated hodographs coupled with the steep
mid-level lapse rate environment could support very large hail and
tornadoes. A few slow-moving supercells should be sustained near the
dryline/front intersection in the CO/KS/NE border area with a
similar very large hail and tornado threat.
...Southern High Plains...
While isolated severe wind/hail potential is possible during the
late afternoon near the Raton Mesa vicinity, the bulk of severe
potential is likely to be delayed until late evening/overnight after
the dryline retreats west. This will yield increasing moisture timed
with a strengthening low-level jet and greater mid-level DCVA ahead
of the Arizona/New Mexico shortwave trough. With a more westerly
component to mid-level flow, especially with southern extent,
potential will exist for a few supercells capable of large hail and
severe wind gusts across the Texas South Plains/Permian Basin.
...Southeast Texas/Louisiana...
An MCV over east-central Texas should drift towards the ArkLaTex
today. Regenerative, slow-moving deep convection is ongoing along
the upper Texas Gulf Coast, with recent scattered development
underway to the Louisiana coastal plain. A belt of enhanced
low-level winds is consistently progged to spread from just off the
Texas coast to the Sabine Valley by afternoon. This would yield
enlargement to the low-level hodograph in an otherwise weak
deep-layer shear regime. However, given the degree of ongoing
convection, diurnal destabilization is expected to be muted.
Therefore, some diurnal potential for transient low-level
circulations is anticipated but its still unclear whether a more
favorable brief tornado and isolated damaging wind corridor can
develop. It is possible that the primary severe risk, but still on a
relatively isolated basis, occurs late tonight as storms potentially
redevelop across far eastern Texas into Louisiana.
...Far northern Minnesota/North Dakota...
A low-amplitude shortwave impulse will move east atop the northern
extent of the upper ridge near the international border through the
afternoon/evening. With the northeast plume of steep mid-level lapse
rates impinging on the area, MLCAPE of 500-1500 J/kg should be
common from central North Dakota into northwest Minnesota. While the
bulk of supercell development should be confined to southern
Manitoba, multicell clustering may spread/develop across the
international border this evening with a threat for isolated
damaging wind and severe hail.
Read more
2 years 3 months ago
SPC Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook
Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0138 PM CDT Wed May 10 2023
Valid 111200Z - 121200Z
No changes to the ongoing forecast.
..Wendt.. 05/10/2023
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 0152 AM CDT Wed May 10 2023/
...Synopsis...
As the mid-level trough departs to the east, a belt of stronger
southwesterly flow will likely linger over portions of NM and the
southern High Plains Thursday. Behind a surface low and ahead of a
cold front sweeping east from the Southwest, downslope winds and dry
surface conditions may support elevated to near-critical
fire-weather conditions Thursday.
...Eastern New Mexico onto the southern High Plains...
As the main trough shifts eastward, strong flow over the Rockies
will deepen a lee low over the TX Panhandle. Trailing the low, a
dryline will keep westerly surface winds breezy over much of eastern
NM. Winds should be less potent than days previous as flow weakens,
but RH will likely remain nearly as low, 10-15%, during the
afternoon. With area fuels remaining dry, elevated fire-weather
conditions appear likely Thursday afternoon.
There remains considerable uncertainty on the eastern extent and
coverage of any critical fire-weather conditions able to develop.
The stronger surface winds will gradually weaken from the west as
the trough departs. The best overlap with lower RH and dry fuels
will remain to the west of the strongest winds through the day.
However, some model solutions do suggest potential for a few hours
of near-critical conditions across eastern NM, though uncertainty is
high.
...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov/fire for graphic product...
Read more
2 years 3 months ago
SPC 1730Z Day 2 Outlook
Day 2 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1229 PM CDT Wed May 10 2023
Valid 111200Z - 121200Z
...THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CENTRAL
OKLAHOMA INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS...
...SUMMARY...
Strong/severe thunderstorms are forecast Thursday across the central
and southern Plains, where large hail and a few tornadoes can be
expected along with locally damaging winds. Isolated hail/damaging
winds are also possible across the lower Mississippi Valley into the
Southeastern states.
...Synopsis...
A progressive upper-level low is noted translating eastward across
the lower CO River Valley in mid-morning water-vapor imagery. Recent
guidance has generally captured the progression and amplitude of
this wave well over the past 12 hours or so, lending reasonably high
confidence in its general evolution over the next 48 hours. This
feature is expected to become slightly negatively tilted as it
ejects into the southern/central High Plains during the 18-21 UTC
period Thursday. The rapid deepening of a lee cyclone over the
northern TX Panhandle into western KS will coincide with the
eastward mixing of a dryline, which should be draped from southwest
KS into western OK and northwest TX by mid-afternoon. The severe
weather threat will be concentrated along and east/northeast of this
boundary as thunderstorms develop by mid to late afternoon.
Along the Gulf Coast, a weak mid-level perturbation, currently over
central TX, will migrate east through the day, reaching the lower MS
River Valley by peak heating. Thunderstorms developing in the
vicinity of this feature will pose a risk for sporadic large hail
and damaging winds.
...Central to Southern Plains...
Recent surface observations across the southern/central Plains show
a plume of rich (mid to upper 60s) dewpoints across much of TX into
south-central KS. Poleward moisture advection will increase through
Thursday afternoon as the surface low deepens over western KS and
the Panhandles region, with widespread mid/upper 60s ahead of the
sharpening dryline. Despite the high-quality moisture, mean
meridional flow ahead of the low will relegate the steepest
mid-level lapse rates (sampled by 12 UTC RAOBs over the High Plains)
to western KS. This, in addition to early-morning clouds/showers,
will mute the influence of low-level moisture to some degree, but
MLCAPE values between 1000-2000 J/kg should be common across the
warm sector by midday. 50 knot mid-level flow largely orthogonal to
the dryline should overspread KS/OK through the day, resulting in
favorable deep-layer shear orientations for discrete convection.
Stronger synoptic and mesoscale lift across west/southwest KS will
likely result in an arching band of convection, becoming more broken
with southeast extent. A second round of storms is possible during
the late afternoon/evening hours as a pocket of cold temperatures
aloft associated with the upper low traverses western KS. Further
south into OK, a combination of more peripheral synoptic lift and
slightly stronger capping will limit convective coverage. T-storm
development might be locally maximized across southwest to central
OK where guidance has been consistently showing a secondary surface
low/dryline bulge in latest guidance that may augment forcing for
ascent along the dryline. Thunderstorm potential becomes even more
conditional with southward extent along the dryline south of the Red
River amid stronger capping and weaker ascent.
Regardless of coverage, thunderstorms developing across southern KS
into OK (and possibly northern TX) will likely take on supercellular
characteristics given adequate buoyancy, deep-layer shear, strong
effective-layer helicity, and favorable dryline/deep-layer shear
vector orientations. All hazards will be possible with these storms,
including the potential for very large (2 inch or larger) hail and a
significant tornado.
...Lower MS Valley into the Southeast...
Scattered thunderstorms will likely be ongoing at the start of the
period across the lower MS valley in the vicinity of the mid-level
perturbation. This activity will likely intensify through the day
amid strong diurnal warming ahead of ongoing convection. Additional
thunderstorms are expected along the western FL coast along a
diurnally-driven sea breeze, as well as across parts of southwest
GA. While buoyancy will be somewhat strong (around 2000-2500 J/kg
MLCAPE), modest wind shear suggests intense convection may be
somewhat short-lived. Consequently, sporadic large hail and damaging
winds will be possible with strong updraft pulses through the day,
and perhaps along any organized outflows associated with convective
clusters.
..Moore/Leitman.. 05/10/2023
Read more
2 years 3 months ago
The Mineral Wells city council was looking at the cost of having water hauled to West City Park’s pools to keep them operational through July. Private citizens may not fill their own pools due to the drought contingency plan that took effect on April 1. The council has $49,000 to buy water for the pools.
Weatherford Democrat (Texas), May 5, 2023
2 years 3 months ago
The rain was about a month too late to help the winter-seeded cereal wheat or treated rye, but pastures are beginning to turn green. Many cattle were being sold; some entire herds were up for sale.
“The biggest and the hardest part of production agriculture is the mental game that you get put through. You have all this risk, where it’s financial, or it’s your physical labor and time,” the rancher stated. “When it doesn’t rain, you did all that work and have no return. It just wears on you. The refreshment of it finally raining was awesome. It kind of renews your spirit a little. You see the plants pop up when you dig a shovel full of soil. You see the earthworms back right there in that top four to six inches. So, we just need more days of rain.”
KWCH 12 (Wichita, Kan.), May 4, 2023
2 years 3 months ago
Many East Texas counties received rainfall, and more was in the forecast. Subsoil and topsoil conditions were adequate to surplus. Wet field and pasture conditions continued to be a problem for some producers. Ryegrass and clovers were being cut and baled where possible. Higher nighttime temperatures will be needed to promote warm-season forage growth. Row crops were doing fair to good. Pasture and rangeland conditions were good. Livestock were in fair to good condition with some supplementation still taking place. Cattle markets were steady to higher. Houston County reported all weight classes ended $4-$7 higher per hundredweight.
AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), May 9, 2023
Most of East Texas received enough rainfall to thoroughly saturate the ground. Subsoil and topsoil conditions were adequate to surplus. Storms brought cooler temperatures, especially overnight. Fluctuations in nighttime temperatures slowed warm-season grass growth. Producers were cutting ryegrass for bales and silage. Pasture and rangeland conditions were good overall. Livestock were in fair to good condition with some supplementation taking place. Cattle markets remained firm with quality animals dominating buyer interest, and slaughter figures remained steady. Producers were able to back off hay usage and completely eliminate it in some areas.
AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 25, 2023
2 years 3 months ago
The fifth snow survey of the season at Phillips Station revealed a snow depth of 59 inches and a snow water equivalent of 30 inches, which is 241 percent of average for May 1. Electronic readings from the 130 snow sensors across California indicate a statewide snow water equivalent of 49.2 inches, or 254% of average for the date. Overall, the statewide snowpack melted more slowly than usual during April as temperatures were below average early in the month, and there was more cloud cover. Temperatures increased in the latter part of April.
California Department of Water Resources (Sacramento), May 1, 2023
The Department of Water Resources announced that State Water Project deliveries are expected to be 100% of requested water supplies for the first time since 2006. The March estimate was 75% of requested supplies. Water from the SWP is delivered to 29 public water agencies serving 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland.
California Department of Water Resources (Sacramento), April 20, 2023
The State Water Project will deliver 75% of requested supplies as winter storms brought tremendous amounts of snow this winter.
Los Angeles Times, March 24, 2023
The California Department of Water Resources announced an expected water allocation of 35% from the State Water Project, up from 30% in January.
The Associated Press (New York), Feb 22, 2023
The series of storms that brought heavy rain and snow to California have partially filled reservoirs, allowing the State Water Project to offer 30% of requested water supplies to 29 public water agencies that serve 27 million Californians. The initial allocation in December was just 5%.
California typically receives half its rain and snow by the end of January. Water managers will reassess conditions monthly during the winter and spring, and also consider snowpack data and runoff forecasts from February on.
California Department of Water Resources (Sacramento)
Jan 26, 2023
The Department of Water Resources announced an initial State Water Project allocation of 5 percent of requested supplies for 2023. The SWP provides water to 29 public water agencies that serve 27 million Californians. Water allocations are frequently low early in the wet season due to uncertainty in hydrologic forecasting. In addition, the expectation is for a fourth dry year and continued drought in California. Lake Oroville, the largest reservoir in the State Water Project system, is just 55% of average for this time of year. Oroville ended Water Year 2022 at about 400,000 acre-feet higher than the previous year.
For the 2022 Water Year, the initial allocation was 0% on Dec. 1, 2021, with limited water designated only for any unmet human health and safety needs. Last year’s final allocation was 5 percent plus unmet health and safety needs. Four of the 29 State Water Contractors ultimately requested and received additional health and safety water supply.
California Department of Water Resources (Sacramento, Calif.), Dec 1, 2022
2 years 3 months ago
High utility bills in Colorado this past winter can be attributed to drought in California, where hydropower production was half of normal in 2022. To compensate for less electricity from hydropower, California utilities bought more natural gas, which increased prices across the West. In Colorado, the cost of delivered gas utilities rose nearly 100%.
The drought-related gas prices affected heating bills and the price of electricity. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated that the price of electricity across the West may have risen by about 5%.
The Colorado Sun (Denver), May 9, 2023
2 years 3 months ago
MD 0747 CONCERNING SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 204... FOR EAST-CENTRAL/SOUTHEAST KS INTO SOUTHWEST MO
Mesoscale Discussion 0747
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0353 PM CDT Tue May 09 2023
Areas affected...East-central/southeast KS into southwest MO
Concerning...Severe Thunderstorm Watch 204...
Valid 092053Z - 092230Z
The severe weather threat for Severe Thunderstorm Watch 204
continues.
SUMMARY...The threat for potentially significant wind gusts and
large hail will spread southeastward into the early evening.
Downstream watch issuance now appears likely within the hour.
DISCUSSION...The long-lived MCS continues to move across eastern KS
late this afternoon, with sporadic measured gusts of 60-80 mph noted
within the last 1-2 hours. A nearly stationary surface boundary is
still noted in surface observations and on visible satellite
imagery, though some modification has occurred on the cool side of
the boundary, with increasing cumulus and MLCAPE noted from east of
Topeka to south of Kansas City.
Moderate to strong buoyancy will help to sustain this MCS as it
moves southeastward into this evening, though increasingly marginal
deep-layer flow/shear downstream could eventually limit the
organization/intensity of the MCS to some extent. The greatest
short-term severe wind threat may focus along the surface boundary
into southeast KS, where instability and low-level convergence is
more favorable and the gust front has not yet notably surged ahead
of the leading convection.
Based on the expected timing of the MCS, downstream watch issuance
into far southeast KS and southwest MO is likely within the hour.
..Dean/Guyer.. 05/09/2023
...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product...
ATTN...WFO...SGF...EAX...TOP...ICT...
LAT...LON 39039650 38669491 38069428 37469430 37229467 37329583
37559647 38039737 38519698 39039650
Read more