3/12/06 NOW: KS/MO

[Jeff Snyder]

Note: Since there will likely be a seperation between these morning storms and the afternoon, sfc-based stuff, let's see if we can keep this about these morning storms.

Originally posted by William Combes

Anyone at KU in Lawrence?

* AT 815 AM CST...A TORNADO WAS REPORTED IN LAWRENCE. DOPPLER RADAR
SHOWED THIS TORNADO MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH. DAMAGE HAS BEEN
REPORTED IN THE CITY OF LAWRENCE.

I moved this post from the FCST thread.

EDIT: See http://www.tornadocentral.com/now/3-12kans...assupercell.png ... Nice low-level mesocyclone and strong RFD. Huge hook as well. Notice the 46/37 sfc ob in Kansas City :shock:

 

[Marcus Opitz]

Impressive TVS signature on GR3 just west of Kansas City Metro!!!Possible 3" hail?!!??Are you on this one Dick McGowan????

 

[Bart_Comstock]

Tor Warning issued for Johnson and Leavenworth KS in the KC area. Also there are numerous svr t-storm warnings. Man I over slept, and now it's time to book it north towards KC. I am also keeping my eye on the cell just south of Manhattan, and another cell just north of Topeka.

High rsk, brinning a whole new meaning to "March Madness."

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Wow, I'm amazed that the storm produced a tornado given the cold/dry surface air (temps in the 40s and Tds in the 20s and 30s). The bref1 looks like a massive HP, with strong convection on the RFD gust front --> http://www.tornadocentral.com/now/3-12mass...ssivehookKC.png

 

[Mikey Gribble]

My brother lives in Lawrence and just told me the tornado hit on his street. He says he doens't see a whole lot of damage, but that there are very large trees uprooted and some roofs are missing. He is supposed to be sending me pictures shortly.
I also have a friend that lives in KC metro and he will be giving me updates as the storm moves through town.

edit - my brother also said the sirens did not go off until after the tornado hit. He didn't see the tornado but he said it was very loud.

 

[HAltschule]

9:44am EST: I am very impressed with the strucxture of the supercell approaching Kansas City, MO right now. It looks like it could be producing a tornado and there is a decent SRV couplet. KC might be under the gun for a dangerous and early show shortly. I'll be watching to see what the next several scans do...but quite a storm this early in the AM appraoching a major city!!

Edit: And yes, that cell near Manhattan, KS looks even more impressive with strong G2G shear. Gonna be a busy day.

 

[Scott Udell]

I'm in NW Olathe in Johnson County. We're in our basement (sirens went off a while ago) so I'm away from my main computer with better software--you all likely can get a better idea of what's going on than I can! TV is reporting "trained spotters"as having seen touchdowns, and baseball-sized hail.

Wouldn't you know, we were going to be driving up to Leavenworth this morning, and may have been on the road already. But I don't consider myself trained enough to try chasing this (and my wife wouldn't have budged anyway!).

No significant wind here in NW Olathe yet (we're about 3 miles south of K-10, just a few blocks E of K-7). Rats... my Kestrel is upstairs, but my less-detailed watch is showing a pretty recent steep drop in pressure.

Hmm.. they just let the tornado warning for Leavenworth and NW Johnson expire.

 

[matt patterson]

If you live in riverside or parkville and are reading this, i hope it is from your basement. good velocity and well pronounced hook on radar..

LOOK OUT

 

[Bart_Comstock]

Originally posted by HAltschule
9:44am EST: I am very impressed with the strucxture of the supercell approaching Kansas City, MO right now. It looks like it could be producing a tornado and there is a decent SRV couplet. KC might be under the gun for a dangerous and early show shortly. I'll be watching to see what the next several scans do...but quite a storm this early in the AM appraoching a major city!!

Several "trained spotters" are reporting damage with this cell as it moves into the metro area. I just hope that no one gets hurt or is killed today, also be careful of downed power lines if you're on this cell.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Originally posted by Jeff Snyder
Wow, I'm amazed that the storm produced a tornado given the cold/dry surface air (temps in the 40s and Tds in the 20s and 30s). The bref1 looks like a massive HP, with strong convection on the RFD gust front -->http://www.tornadocentral.com/now/3-12massivehookKC.png

I don't like doing play-by-plays, but I"m amazed with the structure of this storm! It's had many hail spikes, so large hail is no surprise. The rotation seen at <1000m at times is a surprise, however. I can't believe it's about to deal with the near-surface layer that has Tds in the 30s!

Awesome hook --> http://www.tornadocentral.com/now/3-12hugehookKS.png

EDIT: Check out the LTHM profiler just east of that supercell ... http://weather.cod.edu/mcprofiler/LTHM7.6min.gif :shock: :shock:

 

[HAltschule]

Scott:

FYI...Northern Leavanworth is still under an SVR but they dropped the soutner part of the county. So, depending on your proximity and the fact that these are going tornadic pretty quickly, you may want to ride this one out in the basement if you are near the northern county.

 

[HAltschule]

Jeff:

That hook is exhibiting some incredible G2G shear. It's got to be dropping a tube or wedge right now. I'm watching KC. Going to look for some tower cams or streaming webcams in that area.

 

[Bart_Comstock]

There are reporting that one person is missing and corn stalks "raining down own from the sky," in the Leavenworth area.

 

[HAltschule]

http://www.kctv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=10...60&nav=1PuZ1gjh

http://www.kctv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=10...76&nav=1PuZ1gjh

http://www.kctv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=10...80&nav=1PuZ1gjh

http://www.kctv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=10...85&nav=1PuZ1gjh

http://www.kctv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=26...57&nav=1PuZ1gjh

 

[Anthony Silver]

I was on the storm in NW Johnson County a little while ago, just got back, I didnt see anything too impressive. I was at I-435 and Johnson Dr and observed a wall cloud to the NW of that location. Most of the destructive winds and baseball/golfball sized hail stayed well north of where I was at (over Wyandotte, Platte and Clay counties).