4/22/08 NOW: IL/IA/MO/AR/OK/TX

[John Farley]

Widespread reports of penny to quarter size hail across the STL metro area over the past hour or so. The line of storms remains severe east of the metro area now. One local TV station was setting up a gardening segment on the morning news which turned into live video of the reporter yelling "Ow!" as she and the gardeners got beaned by quarter sized hail. I will try to see if I can find this online and post a link.

Here at our house, the hail remained below severe criteria, a little smaller than dimes so I would say about 1/2 inch, but other parts of Edwardsville got nickel to quarter sized hail.

 

[John Farley]

Here is the video of the reporter getting pelted by the hail:

http://www.myfoxstl.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=6364912&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

It appears the line of storms is now weakening as it moves into more stable air farther east of STL.

 

[Bart_Comstock]

This is a major error done by the crew of this station and I assure you that if I were setting up a live shot with this kinda weather approaching I would be fired. Generally if there is a lightning strike with in 15 miles of my live truck I am told to take the mast down and retreat back to the station.

We had a fairly weak cell pass over us here in Bentonville. There wasn't much to it, but we did briefly get some peas and a good soaking, however the amount of thunder in the storm was much more than I would expect from a cell like this.

 

[rdale]

It's possible they don't have a mast out... In that size market, it wouldn't surprise me if there's no need to put up a 20ft antenna. And there never was any lightning seen or thunder heard, so I'd say odds are good there was no strike danger.

 

[John Hudson]

Nice cell SW of Fayetteville took a hard right turn, and showing nice rotation. Also a good couplet, but no TVS as yet.


John

 

[Buddy W Bradley]

TOR warned storm in Barry county in sw Missouri. Reflectivity shows up nicely in sw Barry county on SGF radar.

 

[Jonathan Whitehead]

WTF is going on over OK?
looking at vis theres NWWRD mving cloud deck and in last few frames of animation this N-S mid level cloud deck develops just W of 35 out of nowhere? All I can see on mesonet is the stationary front in SE OK but apparently theres more going on then its showing.

 

[Jonathan Whitehead]

this mid level cloud deck is trying to tower in some places (from visual monitering on 3rd floor of my apt comples)
the air outside is just as thick and humid as can be and it actually smells too. That eery smell when you know rain is on the way but theres none to be seen. And the air is about as still as could be, just making it heavier.
You know what, I believe we have a LLJ thats kicking in.