Texas Miracle: 18 tornadoes & 0 deaths even with major damage
18 tornado reports in Texas Tuesday according to NOAA's SPC
0 deaths reported so far - a minor (perhaps major) miracle
Slight risk - SPC had only a slight risk posted but 18 tornadoes touched down
"Tornado Swarm" just missed the heart of DFW to the south & east
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(5-10 miles NW and it could have been so much worse)
Source: WFAA & You Tube
Minor Miracle?
We may have just witnessed a minor (and perhaps major) miracle in Dallas Tuesday.
A swarm of as many as 18 tornadoes skipped across the Texas sky on the south & east outskirts of the DFW area.
Check out the map below from the DFW NWS. You can see how if the tornadoes had tracked just 5-10 miles north & west they would have moved right through the heart of the more densely populated core of DFW area.
(click to enlarge)
Source: Forth Worth NWS
The tornadoes tore through a mix of suburbs and open country. While major damage did occur, it's amazing there were few injuries and no deaths reported.
It appears a combination of timely tornado warnings and just plain dumb luck saved lived Tuesday.
One interesting aspect of the storms is the "Twin Tornadic Supercells" that put down simultaneous tornadoes just a few miles apart near Dallas Tuesday.
Source: Capital Weather Gang
You can access the cool DFW NWS storm report event map here.
Source: Forth Worth NWS
Survey teams from the DFW NWS are out today investigating damage.
Source: Fort Worth NWS
Last spring massive tornadoes cut a swath right through the heart of cities like Tuscaloosa and Joplin, If Tuesday's DFW tornado tracks are just plain lucky, we'll take it in 2012.
Our Forecast: San Diego, with lakes
Source: Twin Cities NWS
The rest of this week looks absolutely pleasant for Minnesota. Cool nights with frosty temps north of the metro and mostly sunny days with highs in the 50s north and 60s south will be the rule.
Source: Twin Cities NWS
This is great early April weather, but we really need some good soaking rains.
The next chance for much needed rainfall arrives on ...Saturday. Oh well!
PH