1/18/10 NOW: CA

[B. Kotcher]

National Weather Service is forecasting chance of tornadoes in California today. Radar is currently showing a nice hook moving toward San Francisco’s Golden Gate and another one forming up and heading toward the Santa Cruz/San Jose area. There appears to be rotation in both, though the NWS has no comment on them. Unfortunately, most such storms disorganize when they hit the coast range.

Anyone who might be interested in chasing today in central California, please PM me your phone number.

--Bob

 

[B. Kotcher]

NWS now says that the cell outside the Golden Gate is "capable of producing a waterspout." The cell seems to be aimed at the city of San Francisco now and should reach the city in about a half hour if it stays together.

--Bob

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

Flash in the pan.
Latest GR3 shows nothing presently...I'll be watching it...
I hope early Spring in this el Nino year makes it more interesting around here.
I'll gladly go out on a chase in this area - just PM me.

 

[Jody Radzik]

It would have been some fairly difficult chasing today. Those mesos were moving 50mph this morning. I would have gone to Half Moon Bay to watch what was coming in if my back wasn't completely seized up.

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

GR3 showing possible tornado in the southern San Joaquin Valley w/TOR watchbox.
This is the time of year that CA gets tornadoes in the Central Valley - it is the most common place for them. Checking the NWS and news services for reports now...

 

[Jason Harris]

Think that little hook feature in the storm south of Clovis is the one?

* And . . . it's gone:

--
THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL MADERA AND CENTRAL FRESNO
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE THUNDERSTORM THAT PROMPTED THE TORNADO WARNING HAS MOVED QUICKLY
TO THE EAST AND IS NO LONGER A THREAT.

 

[B. Kotcher]

An airliner attempting to land at San Francisco International hit a microburst and was damaged. It diverted to San Jose and landed safely: http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_14216807?nclick_check=1

--Bob

 

[Jason Harris]

Also, if I can sneak this in, there's a high surf warning due to the ongoing storm systems in CA--maybe someone can get over to the beach Wed. or Thurs. to take some pics?
--
DURING THE DAY TUESDAY SWELL HEIGHTS WILL BUILD IN EXCESS OF
20 FEET ALONG THE COAST WITH A DOMINANT SWELL PERIOD OF
18 SECONDS PRODUCING HIGH ENERGY WAVES. SWELLS WILL CONTINUE TO
BUILD THROUGH THURSDAY WITH WAVES OF 25 FEET EXPECTED TO BE
COMMON ALONG THE BEACHES DURING THE MIDWEEK TIME PERIOD.
THEREFORE THE HIGH SURF WARNING WILL CONTINUE FROM 4 AM TUESDAY
THROUGH 4 PM THURSDAY AND MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED AT A LATER
TIME.

 

[Glenn Rivers]

Washington-Olympic Mts. like conditions in the Bauhaus

The Latest 0Z guidance from the NAM and GFS is showing the present series of storms climaxing with an event that would bring 60 KT low level winds and 6-10 inches of mixed warm advection and orographic precip well down into the Baja Peninsula. We have here essentially a circulation pattern that would be a respectable winter event for the NW Washington Coast and Olympic mountains, occurring as far south as halfway down the Baja Peninsula and Gulf of California. This is approaching the surreal!!!.