Severe Weather Potential For Today

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Dec 17 2012 10:23 AM

We've continued to monitor the storm system across the Lower Mississippi River Valley early this morning as it is moves eastward toward our region. We still believe that the severe weather potential with this system will be quite low. While strong wind shear is present across our region at this time, instability is expected to remain very low today due to extensive cloud cover. If some of these clouds thin out later this morning and afternoon and allow for some sunshine to warm things up, the severe weather potential would increase.

At this time, our current expectation is for showers and thunderstorms to increase from the west after 9 am CT and then spread eastward across much of the area through the day. Should a severe weather threat materialize, we anticipate the window of severe weather activity to occur between 12 pm CT and 6 pm CT.

The primary concern with these storms will be the potential for strong gusty to damaging straight line winds of 40 to 60 mph. These winds can push over small to medium size trees or even push over some power lines.  An isolated tornado is also possible in the afternoon hours with the strongest storms.

Note that this outlook from the Storm Prediction Center will be updated again by 8 am ET (7 am CT).

We'll continue to monitor this system as it approaches our region today. 

***Summary***

* A few isolated strong to severe storms are possible today, primarily
during the afternoon hours.

* Gusty to damaging winds of 40 to 60 mph are the primary threat with these
storms.

* Time of greatest concern is 12 pm CT to 6 pm CT.

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