Last Chance to see the Space Station

Final good opportunity to see the International Space Station tonight (for a couple of weeks). Locations, times, and directions in sky are below.

• Bloomington, IN: 9:00pm (visible 6 minutes) WSW --> NE
• Cape Girardeau: 8:00pm (visible 6 minutes) WSW --> NE
• Carbondale: 8:00pm (visible 6 minutes) SW --> NE
• Champaign, IL: 8:00pm (visible 6 minutes) SW --> NE
• Chicago: 8:01pm (visible 6 minutes) SW --> ENE
• Columbus, IN: 9:01pm (visible 6 minutes) WSW --> NE
• Harrisburg, IL: 8:00pm (visible 6 minutes) WSW --> NE
• Indianapolis: 9:01pm (visible 6 minutes) WSW --> NE
• Lafayette, IN: 9:01pm (visible 6 minutes) SW --> NE
• Paducah: 8:00pm (visible 6 minutes) WSW --> NE
• Poplar Bluff: 7:59pm (visible 6 minutes) SW --> NE
• St. Louis: 8:00pm (visible 6 minutes) SW --> NE

International Space Station Sighting Opportunities

Last night was a great night to watch the International Space Station fly over the Midwest. There is another opportunity tonight.

Below are times and directions in sky the space station can be seen (start/exit the sky).

• Cape Girardeau: 8:58pm (visible for 3 minutes) WNW --> NNE
• Carbondale: 8:58pm (visible for 3 minutes) WNW --> NNE
• Chicago: 8:57pm (visible for 5 minutes) WSW --> NE
• Columbus, IN: 9:57pm (visible for 5 minutes) W --> NNE
• Indianapolis: 9:57pm (visible for 5 minutes) W --> NNE
• Lafayette, IN: 9:57pm (visible for 5 minutes) WSW --> NE
• Paducah: 8:58pm (visible for 3 minutes) NW --> NNE
• Poplar Bluff: 8:58pm (visible for 3 minutes) WNW --> NNE
• St. Louis: 8:56pm (visible for 6 minutes) WSW --> NE

There will also be another opportunity a little earlier in the evening Thursday.

Thunderstorms Today

Storm Prediction Center has put out a "Slight Risk" for severe storms in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas.



Storms will be capable of producing large hail & damaging wind during the afternoon & evening.

- Posted from my iPhone

Storms Possible Today

It is warm, it is muggy and it is spring. Know what that means? Yes, we could see some thunderstorms bubbling up this afternoon across parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.

There aren't any strong features moving through the atmosphere to indicate we'll see widespread severe weather but the Storm Prediction Center has put out a "Slight Risk" for parts of the Midwest.

The outlook is valid through 7am CT Thursday.

The main threat appears to be large hail from a few storms that develop. A couple thunderstorms could also produce some gusty winds.

Not all of the computer models are producing thunderstorms across the Midwest this afternoon/tonight. However, a high-resolution computer model (4km) is bringing a line of thunderstorms across southeast Missouri, southern Illinois and western Kentucky.


The model starts thunderstorm development around noon for south-central Missouri. A couple of stronger cells are indicated by the model in southeast Missouri and southern Illinois around 3:00pm CT.

Tornado Watch #57

The Storm Prediction Center has issued Tornado Watch #57 that is in effect for parts Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri. The watch is in effect until 7:00pm ET/6:00pm CT.


This is a PDS Tornado Watch. PDS stands for Particularly Dangerous Situation.

In the discussion of the watch product issued by SPC, they say "...A volatiles environment is developing across the northward expanding warm sector...". They also mention the possibility of strong, long-tracked tornadoes.

I hate to say it but looking over the atmospheric ingredients, southeastern Illinois and western Kentucky are looking explosive for thunderstorm development between 11am-1pm CT.

Moderate Risk

This will be quick as I'm about to get some sleep...

The Storm Prediction Center has just published their latest Day 1 Outlook that is valid through 6am CT Saturday.


They have now included parts of southern Illinois and western Kentucky in the "Moderate Risk". They have also taken the "Moderate Risk" area further north in central Indiana to include Indianapolis.

A "Slight Risk" continues for eastern/southeast Missouri, northeast Arkansas, northwest Tennessee, etc.

Where storms finally decide to initialize or start will be key to how things play out tomorrow.


- Posted from my iPhone

10:20pm Weather Update

Just going over some of the new data coming in late tonight concerning tomorrow's potential severe weather outbreak.

I wanted to give you a look at some of the data I am looking at. This is an interesting projection of what one of the hi-res 4km computer model products. It tries to simulate what satellite imagery will look like over the next 24 hours (6pm CT Thursday - 6pm CT Friday).


It still appears the biggest risk of tornadoes exists for central Kentucky and north-central Tennessee by late afternoon/evening Friday.

Confirmed Tornadoes Feb. 29

Updated: 9:22pm - The National Weather Service in Paducah and St. Louis continue to conduct surveys of areas that have been hit by Tuesday's storms. Several tornadoes have been confirmed.

Below a breakdown of the storms that affected southeast Missouri, southern Illinois and western Kentucky.

Harrisburg, IL:

• Event Type - EF4 tornado
• Max Wind - 180mph
• Avg. Path Width - 275 yards
• Path Length - 26.5 miles (1 mile north of Carrier Mills to 4 miles northeast of Ridgway.)
  

Puxico, Mo:

• Event Type - EF3 tornado
• Max Wind - 140 mph
• Avg. Path Width - 550 yards
• Path Length - 21 miles

Marquand, Mo:

• Event Type - EF2 tornado

Scott County, Mo:

• Event Type - EF1 tornado
• Max Wind - 90mph
• Avg. Path Width - 75 yards
• Path Length - 17.5 miles

Pulaski County (IL), Ballard County (KY), McCracken County (KY), Massac County (IL):

• Event Type - EF2 tornado
• Max Wind - 120 mph
• Avg. Path Width - 125 yards
• Path Length - 26.5 miles