Today's Today and Derecho Risk

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We have two areas of concern:

Tornado Risk
The brown areas have a significant risk of tornadoes this afternoon and evening. 

Derecho/Damaging Wind Risk
Here we go again.

The yellow area in the Front Range and High Plains have a significant risk for wind gusts of 60 mph or stronger. 

The southern area also has a red enhanced risk of wind gusts of 60 mph or more. But, where you see hatching, the wind gusts may exceed 75 mph. In fact, there is a chance of wind gusts of 90 mph or stronger in roughly the outlined area (it may be a bit east or west of the model's location. 
It is possible that any power failures may be of extended duration. 
In Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma, they have people from as far away as New Jersey working on restoration. They don't expect to have the electricity back on for everyone until Friday afternoon. Given all of the power outages, if the derecho does develop in the southern Great Plains this evening, and your power is lost, it may be a while before it comes back again. 

Hail Risk

The areas hatched may see hailstones 2" in diameter or larger. 

Here are my safety recommendations:

Safety Recommendations:
  • Call friends and relatives to make sure they are aware of the threat, especially if they live in a mobile home. 
  • Make sure you have at least three ways of receiving storm warnings. 
  • If you live in a mobile home, you may wish to move spend time with a friend or relative given the 90 mph wind forecast plus tornado thr5eat.  
  • Ask yourself what you would need if you were without electricity for five days. In some areas it will be longer, but five days is a good planning target.
  • If you have a chain saw, fill it with fuel.
  • Check your tornado shelter. Make sure it has a couple of bottles of water and, if appropriate, diapers.
  • Any essential foods or medicines should be taken care of immediately, well before the storms arrive. 
  • Have all of your devices charged but disconnect when you see the first lightning or hear the first thunder.
  • Keep the kids in close communication. 
  • Bring in lawn furniture, trampolines or anything else that can blow away. 
  • Put the car in the garage. 
  • Pick any ripe tomatoes. 
  • Do laundry in case of extended power failures (quite likely in a derecho)
  • Battery-operated fans for the same reason (it will be quite hot the next few days)
You can also follow more for more on Twitter @usweatherexpert.

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