SEVERE WEATHER CONTINUES TO THREATEN CENTRAL UNITED STATES

May 24, 2004 — NOAA National Weather Service forecasters are predicting continued severe weather Monday for parts of Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri trying to recover from a weekend of tornadoes, high winds and floods. NOAA Storm Prediction Center forecasters described Monday’s outlook as “a dangerous situation.” (Click NOAA image for larger view of USA weather map for Monday, May 24, 2004. Please credit “NOAA.”)

“When the SPC forecasters emphasize expected weather as ‘dangerous,’ we know the prospects of severe weather are high,” NOAA National Weather Service Central Region Director Dennis McCarthy said. “We encourage residents of the central Plains to keep a close eye out for developing storms today and to pay attention to NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts and commercial media to help keep track of developing storms.”

“An unstable atmosphere led to the heavy rains and strong tornadoes that impacted much of today’s high risk area last weekend. A very moist, unstable air mass is expected to push north from Oklahoma and will collide with other atmospheric forces that will be favorable for supercell-type thunderstorms to develop.”

NOAA Weather Service offices, emergency managers and storm spotters reported 109 tornadoes in the Plains states over the weekend, including an F-3 tornado that demolished the small town of Hallam, Neb. (less than 20 miles south of Lincoln). The NOAA Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., recorded numerous tornado reports Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s tornadoes hit portions of Nebraska (41 reports), Iowa (36 reports), Kansas, Colorado, Michigan, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Tornadoes were reported Sunday in Michigan (4) Wisconsin (2), Illinois (4) and Oregon (1). (Click NOAA image for larger view of USA storm reports received by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., on Sunday, May 23, 2004. Please credit “NOAA.”)

“Unfortunately, many of the people trying to recover from last weekend’s damage are likely to be hit with more severe weather and flooding, today,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy said the storms and heavy rains have caused flooding and flash flooding problems from Wisconsin to southern Iowa. Mudslides and high water Friday night and Saturday blocked roads in Allamakee, Chicasaw, Grant and Vernon counties in Wisconsin, he said, and left roads in many other counties water-covered. Flooding was reported in southeast Michigan, especially in Wayne, Washtenaw, Oakland, Macomb, Shiawassee, Lapeer and St. Clair counties. There were reports of county bridges and roads being washed out in Benton, Buchanan and Delaware counties in northeast Iowa, McCarthy said. Officials expect the Wapsipinicon River at Independence, Iowa, to crest Monday at 20.6 feet, according to McCarthy. Flood stage at Independence is 12 feet.

“Our forecasters have been right on top of the severe weather all weekend, providing media and the public with ample cautions and warnings of developing severe weather and flooding,” McCarthy said. “We can’t emphasize enough that the people need to be especially vigilant today in the areas identified as high risk. Residents of southwest and southern Iowa, west-central Illinois, northeast Kansas, northwest Missouri and southeast Nebraska should be on guard and ready to take action today.”

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA Tornadoes Page

NOAA Storm Watch

NOAA Storm Prediction Center

Media Contacts:
Patrick Slattery, NOAA National Weather Service Central Region, (816) 891-7734 ext. 621 or Keli Tarp, NOAA Storm Prediction Center, (405) 366-0451