04/15/2012:

KUDOS TO THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER: The part of me that is still a meteorologist (man, that was a long time ago! sez the school-bus-drivin', liquid-nitrogen-deliverin' weatherman) was extremely impressed by the dire synopsis for the central plains issued two days in advance. Excerpt:

THESE FACTORS COMBINED WITH SFC DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER TO MID 60S F AND VERY FAVORABLE LOW-LEVEL SHEAR PROFILES SHOULD PRODUCE AND ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR A TORNADO OUTBREAK. AFTER COLLABORATION WITH WFOS WICHITA...NORMAN...TOPEKA...TULSA AND DODGE CITY...A HIGH RISK WILL BE ISSUED DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR A HIGH-END LIFE THREATENING EVENT ACROSS THE SRN AND CNTRL PLAINS.

I'd say they hit the nail right on the head. Wouldn't you?

And I think we can attribute the remarkably low loss of life  to this stellar performance by our, ahem, "underworked, overpaid" government employees in Norman, Oklahoma.

(Photo of wall cloud south of Greensburg, KS on 4/14/12 taken by Chris Neal of the Wichita Eagle, "posterized" by Alois... click to enlarge)

 

 

Posted by Alois on