Even though fall has already begun on the calendar, severe thunderstorms are still expected in the valleys of Ohio and Tennessee today.
A low-pressure system near the surface will move into the Ohio and Tennessee valleys today. Combined with an upper-level disturbance, significant moisture moving in from the Deep South, and a lot of instability, severe thunderstorms will be in plenty of shape today, especially in the afternoon and evening hours.
A Severe weather warning applies from extreme southeastern Indiana and southwestern Ohio to western Kentucky and central Tennessee. This includes Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio, and Convington, Jackson and London, Kentucky.
The government’s storm forecasting center has a Low riskor 2 out of 5 on the severe weather probability scale, in north-central Tennessee, central and eastern Kentucky, western West Virginia, and extreme southern Ohio. Cities with this risk are Nashville, Tennessee; Louisville and Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky; Cincinnati and Charleston, West Virginia.
The greatest dangers are wind gusts of over 90 km/h, hailstones with a diameter of over 5 cm and isolated tornadoes.
However, anyone across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys into the southern Appalachians should watch for darkening skies. Cities such as Indianapolis, Columbus, Ohio, Roanoke, Virginia, and Chattanooga and Jackson, Tennessee, could be at risk of wind gusts over 50 mph and small hail in thunderstorms.
In addition, a relatively small but significant Low risk A zone of severe thunderstorms with isolated wind gusts exceeding 55 mph has been issued for central Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City and Norman. Marginal risk Much of central Oklahoma to northern Texas is in an extreme weather situation, or a 1 out of 5 on the severe weather probability scale. There is a lower risk of hail and severe gusts in places like Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Dallas, Texas.
A Severe weather warning was published for central Oklahoma, including the cities of Oklahoma City, Norman and McAllister.
Know the difference between a watch and a warning, if they are issued. A watch means that conditions are favorable for severe weather and you should be alert to rapidly changing conditions. A warning means that severe weather is imminent and you should act quickly to stay safe.
The best way to protect yourself is to be prepared and stay informed about local weather. Pack a severe weather kit with a battery-powered radio, water, and nonperishable food in case you are without power for an extended period of time. Also, check the WeatherBug app regularly for updates on today’s severe weather. Remember, “When it thunders, get indoors!”
