White, Benton counties under flash flood warning
May 30, 2008
Carroll County has opened a severe storm shelter at the emergency management agency office in the basement of the courthouse.
The office, however, has some water in it due to the extreme rains associated with the storms, said EMA director Dave McDowell.
"Two small tornadoes were spotted by trained spotters at County Road 400 S and County Road 500 W moving due east," said McDowell. "But no damage has been reported yet."
McDowell said the tornadoes were in a rural area with no buildings. Flooding is more of a problem in the county, he said.
"We have water over a number of roads," he said. "My EMA office has water in it. We've had pretty extensive lightning in the Oakdale Dam area, so I don't doubt there are trees down."
Stormspotters have been activated and firefighters and deputies are helping monitor the storms, he said....
May 31, 2008
0330z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite North and West Hemisphere
May 31, 2008
0330z
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite (click on title to entry for 12 hour loop)
The hurricane over the Yucatan is taking shape.
May 31, 2008
0330z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite USA
Tornado sirens halt lawmakers in Springfield (click here)
Posted by Ray Long at 6:22 p.m.; updated at 7:35 p.m.
Update: The House went back into session at 7:13 p.m. before adjourning about 20 minutes later.
SPRINGFIELD---A tornado warning interrupted debate in the Illinois House Friday night, sending lawmakers scurrying to the safe havens in the Capitol.
As rolling thunder roared through Springfield, Rep. Art Turner (D-Chicago) halted debate when warning sirens broke out in the Capitol. He told lawmakers to take cover in the basements and pedestrian tunnels in the Capitol complex.
"That is a tornado warning that is being expressed at this point," Turner said.
An official warned over loudspeakers: "Do not exit the building as this tornado is in Springfield."
Winds are shaking the trees outside the Capitol and light hail has begun to bounce off the building.
The local weathercaster told viewers a tornado has been spotted in Springfield.
Twenty-five minutes after the House debate stopped, an official on a loudspeaker instructed all legislators and statewide officials to go to the tunnels until there is an "all clear" because a second storm also may be in the area.
The interruption came as the General Assembly is seeking to pass a budget before its midnight Saturday deadline and get out of town during an election year.
Record setting pace for tornadoes this year (click here)
May 30, 2008 07:00 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Central Indiana is under the threat of severe storms this evening.
On Thursday, the same storm system exploded across the plains states.
Tornadoes ripped through parts of Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. In all, the National Weather Service received 57 reports of tornadoes. The actual number of twisters is still being investigated.
The damage to homes and businesses is massive, but fortunately, no one was killed and no serious injuries. But, that hasn't been the case so far this year. A year that is on a record setting pace.
"Nearly 1200 reports of tornadoes, some of those are duplicates, so I'd estimate that we're somewhere between 900 and 980 actual tornadoes for the year," said Dan McCarthy of the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.
"What's really notable is the number of fatalities we've had this year, we're already over 100 fatalities which is double the national average," said McCarthy.
McCarthy, who worked at the storm prediction center in Norman, Oklahoma before coming to Indianapolis, says the record numbers of tornadoes back in February are to blame for the high death toll.
"Many of your fatalities are heightened in February and November when people in the general public don't expect it," said McCarthy.
Report by Steve Bray, WISH. Edited by Hyacinth Williams.
