Storm threat today prompts preparation
By ERIC WALKER
Editor
With the potential for severe weather later today and perhaps even during the overnight hours, emergency management officials say now is the time to prepare.
With a 90 percent chance of thunderstorms throughout the day, Calloway County and western Kentucky, along with southeast Missouri and southern Illinois, have been placed under a flash flood watch. The region was also placed under a tornado watch around 3:30 this morning that expired at 11 a.m.; however it could be extended or renewed later as strong weather moves through the area.
Bill Call, Calloway County's emergency management director, said their concern mainly stems from storms in recent months that have produced tornados in western Kentucky and the surrounding areas.
“The setup is similar to Feb. 5 when we had a F-1 tornado touch down in the county and went about 1.2 miles,” he said this morning. “We'll be watching. We'll have our storm spotters out.”
That early February system is the same one that struck Jackson, Tenn., and destroyed Union University there, and also killed several people in and around Muhlenburg County in western Kentucky.
Locally, there were reports of some structure damage to county property and numerous uprooted trees.
While severe weather may begin to move through the area later this afternoon, the threat is also forecast for later tonight and perhaps even lapping over into the early morning hours Friday. Call said safety amid the possibility of bad weather and even tornadic activity at that time can be a double-edged sword.
“It's a concern but at the same time, people are generally at home so it gets some off the road,” Call explained. “The disadvantage is at night people may not be willing to get up from bed and move away and (tornados) are hard to spot.”
He said weather spotters rely on viewing rotation in clouds for signs of tornadic activity. But at night, “we have to rely on lightning flashes (to see the clouds) and what's happening on the ground.”
Call said people should make preparations now in the event of severe weather. He recommended if people have weather radios that they should be turned on.
“If it sounds, listen to the details and seek a safe place,” he added, noting basements, interior hallways or small interior rooms.
“Mobile homes are different,” Call said. “It may be a good idea to make plans to spend the night with grandma“ or place with a secure structure.
According to the National Weather Service, the chance of rain is expected to run through Friday with another chance of rain Saturday. A slight chance of snow showers are even being forecast for Saturday night as lows dip into the 30s.
Story created Apr 10, 2008 - 11:51:20 EDT.
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