Severe weather slams southern US; 4 killed

[alp227]

Source: AP

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Severe weather slamming the southern U.S. two days before Christmas killed at least four people, flipped cars, knocked out power to thousands and damaged several homes and businesses.

In Mississippi, Gov. Phil Bryant declared an emergency for two southeastern counties where officials say four people died in the storms and several more were injured. His office said thousands were without power Tuesday night around Columbia, which is about 80 miles southeast of Jackson.

Jones County Emergency Management director Marda Tullos said a man and woman were killed inside a mobile home in the storm's path in Laurel. About 50 miles southwest, Marion County coroner Norma Williamson tells WDAM that two people were killed in Columbia. One person was in a trailer park, another at a strip mall.

She said the Marion County hospital emergency room in Columbia was dealing with many patients.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e651e4ef269844d993c86adcf3b43747/severe-weather-blowing-through-southern-us

[csziggy]

1. It's setting precipitation records here in Tallahassee

Over 4.5 inches since midnight at the official weather station - a record for the date. Closer to my place, a local school measured 8.5 inches so far today. We've had flash flood warnings since yesterday and it pretty much hasn't stopped raining all day. The heavy thundershowers keep training along a line that brings the moisture in from the Gulf and up this way.

Meanwhile there was a tornado spotted in Gulf County on the coast, headed NE at 35 mph.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tlh/

Update - the local TV station is showing there is a tornado watch for the entire Big Bend area of Florida, extending up into South Georgia.

[MerryBlooms]

3. Ugly stuff. Keep safe.

[csziggy]

4. Right after I posted the local weather guy cut into the program

We've now been upgraded to a tornado watch. Plus he said the next wave will have even more rain than what we have gotten in the last 24 hours.

I am so glad we aren't traveling tomorrow! Christmas Day is forecast to be nice and we're supposed to drive to Panama City and back - if the roads aren't flooded. Lots of local roads are closed due to the flooding. I need to check for tomorrow - my husband has to work all day. If the roads he usually takes are flooded, he will have to find a different route.

Thanks! I hope you're weather is better.

[MerryBlooms]

5. I'm in NE Illinois

We're good to go. Snow forecast for tomorrow, so we'll have a white Christmas.

My best wishes for you and yours.

[csziggy]

6. Oh that sounds fun - at least in theory

As a native Floridian, a white Christmas is not something I anticipate or desire. We had an ice storm one Christmas back in 1989. We got a little snow up here in Tallahassee but it was no fun. We were downstate and had to drive home, worrying about icy roads. The heat in the van was broken so it was a very cold drive. It was pretty with the sun shining on the ice covered trees along the highway between Perry and Tallahassee - very surrealist for Florida.

We got home, had to chop holes in the ice on the water troughs so the horses could drink. Our pipes were frozen, even though we'd left water running - had an ice slide all the way down the hill. Our dog had forgone his insulated dog house or even cuddling up in the hay room. He pulled the supply tube from the heat pump loose from the house and crawled inside it. He was toasty, the house was 40 degrees and dropping. Our electric bill was three time normal.

Tallahassee is not set up for 8 degree weather. Even the city water system froze. Chunks of asphalt were popped out of roads all over town because of the ice that developed in cracks. Electric lines fell down because of the ice build up. It was as bad as having a hurricane - but at least we knew how to deal with hurricanes better than ice storms!

Oh well, the rain has slacked off for now.

Have a good holiday!

[Frances]

7. What's it like in Pensacola?

I have relatives there.

[csziggy]

8. I've only been keeping track of the local weather

Let's see:
Tornado Watch is in effect until December 23, 11:00 PM CST
Flash Flood Watch is in effect until December 24, 06:00 AM CST
High Surf Advisory is in effect until December 24, 06:00 AM CST
Rip Current Statement is in effect until December 24, 06:00 AM CST
Hazardous Weather Outlook is in effect

Current conditions: Thunderstorm in Vicinity
72°F 22°C
Humidity 94%
Wind Speed S 15 mph
Barometer 29.66 in (1004.5 mb)
Dewpoint 70°F (21°C)
Visibility 7.00 mi

Last Update on 23 Dec 8:53 pm CST
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?map.x=215&map.y=160&site=mob&zmx=1&zmy=1

Looks like they are just getting clear of the worst band of storms, but they'll have more rain later tonight.
http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/southeast.php

[MerryBlooms]

2. Damn

My thoughts and prayers to all.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

9. What is it with tornadoes and trailer parks?

There seems to be something about trailer parks that attracts them.

[enlightenment]

10. After the horrible Moore tornado,

I heard one of the experts talking about that.

She said that tornadoes are - to a degree - deflected by tall buildings (cities). Most trailer parks are on the outskirts of towns and cities and lack the protection of this infastructure. So a tornado headed straight for a city will take out the trailer parks and seemingly ignore larger structures.

It ends up looking like they have been targeted, but it's just circumstance - low, lightweight structures that lack foundations, situated on the outskirts of towns that feature taller, more fixed structures.

Very scary and very sad when these things hit, regardless of what they destroy.

[cynzke]

11. While the amount of rain levels...

in some areas are record breaking, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are par for the course here in Georgia. Many people keep weather alert radios in their homes and businesses. The weather service sends out advance alerts for severe thunderstorms, flood warnings and tornado alerts and warnings. An alert is issued anytime the weather conditions are ripe for a tornado to form. And here it is a common occurrence, warm moist air and cold air collide, especially in the winter and spring months. Since a tornado can form and drop anywhere/any time, it may be too late for some people by the time an actual WARNING (spotted on radar) is issued. The only problem with the weather radio is that it seems to go off mostly in the middle of the night when you are sound asleep....prompting the question, which is more dangerous, pending bad weather or the heart attack you could get waking up to to the screeching warning beeps? I have lived in the midwest and west coast, but I have never seen the level of violent thunderstorms like we get in Georgia. Sometimes there is no booming, rolling thunder at all, just loud, continuous cracks, like someone cracking a large electrical whip. One time, a bolt of lightning struck so close, it set off all the smoke detectors!