Doppler Dale's 2010 Hurricane Forecast

Here is the forecast but for the complete details please go to the Storm Force 31 blog at http://www.stormforce31.com/?p=1148 .

Thanks.

Storm Slides SE & Heat Builds In

A storm system now in the center of the nation will drift into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on Friday taking with it some substantial rainfall. Areas in the heart of the nation saw heavy rainfall on Wednesday, in order of 2" to 5". This occurred over already saturated lands and will only enhance the ongoing flooding. Several locations along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and their tributaries are now reporting moderate flooding. A few of these include:

Mississippi River

Hannibal, MO

Grafton, IL

Chester, IL

Cape Girardeau, MO

Thebes, MO

Missouri River

Herman, MO

Illinois River

Beardstown, IL

Havana, IL

Friday, the emphasis of the rain shifts eastward into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. Some areas may see as much as 2" to 4" of rain, especially across Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.

For the weekend, quickly behind this storm system, an upper level ridge will be building from Texas into the Mid-Mississippi Valley by Saturday. This will allow the mercury to quickly rise into the upper 80s and low 90s for much of the weekend from the eastern Plains to the Ohio Valley. At the same an upper level wave over the Bahamas will sit nearly stationary.

For next week, this feature will slowly drift westward and will help to temper temps across the southeast while it will remain hot and humid through the center of the nation and even poking into portions of northeast. As the upper wave nears the southeastern Coast, the chances for afternoon scattered showers/tstorms will increase. The feature will finally make its way into the Southeast by late next week.

Cool and Unsettled End of the Week for much of the Central-Eastern U.S.

But then the Heat Really Kicks In

Many of us saw an unsettled weekend with severe storms and periods of heavy rain. Now, a brief quiet spell is taking shape for today from the Upper Plains into the Mid-Mississippi Valley and into the Tennessee Valley. While It remains cloudy and cool with scattered showers from the Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and New England. The quiet spell in the center of the nation will be short-lived as another storm system begins to organize over the Rockies, today. Strong to severe thunderstorms are likely in association to this storm system from eastern Colorado into the Texas Panhandle. At the time of this writing, a tornado watch has just been issued for most of eastern Colorado until 10 PM CT.

On Wednesday, the storm system moves into Kansas and sets up a likely severe weather outbreak for much of the southern Plains. The highest risk of severe storms will set up along I-40 in Oklahoma and southward to the Red River. The storm prediction center has already issued a MODERATE RISK for this region and I would not be surprised to see a HIGH RISK issued Wednesday morning. The main threat of severe weather will be large hail; however, along and near the I-35 corridor in southern Oklahoma, shear will be sufficient enough to increase the threat to tornadoes. Unfortunately, this does include
the Oklahoma City metro area where several significant tornadoes just recently impacted the region.

The storm will progress into Missouri on Thursday. Moderate to heavy rains are likely along the Missouri river from southeastern Nebraska to St. Louis where 1" to 3" of rain is possible. This will only add to the flooding that is taking place along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers and their tributaries in Missouri and Illinois. In addition to the heavy rains across the Mid-Mississippi Valley, a new severe storm threat will exist across the lower Mississippi Valley; however the chances will be significantly less than Tuesday or Wednesday.

As the system continues to progress eastward on Thursday, the unsettledness and rains will move into the Mid-South, Tennessee Valley, and Ohio Valley. Some isolated severe storms are possible but the main threat will be some potential heavy rains and flash flooding. Temperatures in advance and under this system will be generally below normal; however, once it passes by, it will heat up quite quickly. Temperatures will warm into the 80s and 90s for much of the center of the nation and the southern 1/3.

Last Chance to See Atlantis

With Mother Nature’s Cooperation, Shuttle Atlantis Will Be Visible

With the final launch of space shuttle Atlantis on Friday, comes a last opportunity for residents across the nation to view its passing in the celestial sky. STS-132 is the final mission for shuttle Atlantis. It is scheduled to be a 12-day mission that will take Atlantis to the International Space Station to deliver and install the Russian built Mini Research Module-1, known as Rassvet, meaning “Dawn” in Russian. This new piece to the ISS will provide for a new docking port for Soyuz and Progress spacecraft, a new radiator, a new airlock and a European robotic arm.

As Atlantis chases the ISS Friday and Saturday, residents will have the opportunity of not only seeing the ISS fly overhead but also the shuttle!. The only caveat is whether or not clouds will obscure the view and unfortunately, for some, that is likely as afternoon and evening thunderstorms are forecast. If the sky remains clear, here are the opportunities to view Atlantis chasing the ISS and catching up with it this weekend.

City	Time	Duration (Min)	Approach	Departure
Boston	8:20 PM	<1	34o Above ESE	18o Above ESE
Baltimore	9:50 PM	<1	16o Above W	18o Above WSW
Louisville	9:49 PM	1	36o Above NW	35o Above ESE
Nashville	8:49 PM	2	18o Above NNW	28o Above ENE
Huntsville	8:49 PM	1	17o Above N	23o Above ENE
Memphis	8:49 PM	1	15o Above N	16o Above ENE
Chicago	8:48 PM	2	35o Above WNW	17o Above SE
St. Louis	8:48 PM	2	23o Above NNW	15o Above ESE

Viewing of Shuttle Atlantis Saturday

Day	Time	Duration (Min)	Approach	Departure
Boston	8:26 PM	3	36o Above W	15o Above SE
New York	8:28 PM	<1	26o Above SE	17o Above SE
Orlando	10:01 PM	<1	21o Above NW	16o Above SE
Louisville	9:59 PM	2	26o Above W	24o Above S
Nashville	8:59 PM	2	31o Above WNW	31o Above SSE
Huntsville	8:59 PM	2	32o Above NW	42o Above SE
Memphis	8:59 PM	3	33o Above NW	25o Above ESE
Chicago	8:58 PM	3	20o Above W	16o Above S
St. Louis	8:58 PM	3	39o Above WNW	16o Above SE
Little Rock	8:58 PM	3	24o Above NNW	18o Above ESE
Dallas	8:58 PM	3	16o Above N	15o Above E
Houston	8:59 PM	2	15o Above NNE	16o Above ENE

Viewing of Shuttle Atlantis Sunday

For more cities that will have the chance of seeing the shuttle fly by you can click here.

Heat Builds Again for the Southeast

While It Remains Active from Oklahoma into the Ohio Valley

The weather pattern is setting up to turn warm and humid for much of the Southeastern U.S. for this week as a ridge builds and sets in. On the fringe of the ridge from Oklahoma into the Ohio Valley, though, it will remain active with several rounds of rain and thunderstorms. Even severe weather will be likely.

Severe weather was already a major concern for much of eastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kanasas, this afternoon, with several reports of tornadoes. The risk for severe weather will remain but lessen on Tuesday for Oklahoma and Kansas. In addition, an area of "Slight Risk" will exist across much of the Ohio Valley. Very little change is expected for Wednesday, too.

In addition, due to the likelihood of training of storms over the same areas, heavy rainfall with flooding is possible from northern Oklahoma, through much of eastern Kansas, northwest Missouri and into Iowa and Wisconsin.