Lack of News

The beat of local, national, and international has been beating fast a furious over the last couple of weeks.

One thing I have noticed from all of the news is sometimes the lack of news from international stories. For example, have you heard much about the coup in Honduras? Probably not.

I have a couple of theories as to why there hasn't been much covered with this story.

• The 3 Deaths (they always come in three's).

1. Ed McMahon
2. Farrah Fawcett
3. Michael Jackson

The Michael Jackson story has equaled HUGE ratings for television networks. As it should in my opinion. It is a huge story and a huge loss that has a global reach.

• The coup in Honduras story also occurred over a weekend. Have you seen network tv/ 24/7 "news" networks on the weekends? It is all re-runs and talking heads. Very little new "news" is being shown. I am sure this is primarily due to the economy. It is expensive to keep producers, reporters, photographers, anchors, production technicians, and engineers working over the weekend. Especially when they can just throw on a re-run of the life of prisoners in "Lockup".

• I think the biggest reason for the lack of news is the cut-back by the US news networks of the international bureaus. For over a decade the networks have been taking people out of their foreign offices. Some even closing them. Now you might have one producer, a reporter, and a photographer covering an entire continent. That makes it hard to jump on stories when they happen.

Do I think this is a good thing? Absolutely not. International news is important, especially in a global community.

Do I see this changing? Not anytime soon. Networks are in the business of making money. Staffing foreign offices with 10-15 people and paying for the office space is not cheap.

I would enjoy hearing your thoughts. Do you want to see international news? Do you think it is important?

Severe Thunderstorm Watch #432

The Storm Prediction Center has issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch #432 for parts of southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, western Kentucky, northeast Arkansas, northwest Tennessee, and southwest Indiana. The watch is in effect until 5:00pm CT.


The main threat will be damaging winds from the line of storms.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch #430

The Storm Prediction Center has issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch #430 for parts of eastern Missouri (including southeast Missouri) and southwestern Illinois. The watch is in effect until 6:00am CT Tuesday.

A large complex of storms is moving east across the state of Missouri. You can see in the above image that the entire line is already starting to bow. The main threat from the line that is moving east will be damaging winds.

I think the storms will start to move in the the "Heartland Counties" around 3:00am'ish.

Storms are expected to move east at 45mph.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch #419

The Storm Prediction Center has issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch #419. The watch is in effect until 6:00pm CT Monday.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means that conditions are favorable for the development of thunderstorms capable of producing large hail, damaging wind, and dangerous lightning.

Storms that develop are expected to move slight south of east at 28 mph.

Back to the 90's?

After we get past the near daily chance for thunderstorms (some severe), the rain should taper off and the heat will get turned up.

Forecast models have been advertising an upper-level high developing over the southern US. This high will allow for compression in the atmosphere causing temperatures to rise. Take a look at the 12z GMT (7am CT) weather service Global Forecast model's depiction of temperatures over the next week.

The red line indicates the surface temperature. The green line indicates the dew point temperature. The green columns are accumulated rainfall amounts.

Note the temperatures climbing in to the low 90's by mid-week. I think the models may be slightly underestimating the heat coming in. I wouldn't be surprised to see some mid 90°'s (94°) by Thursday or Friday.

When you combine the surface temperature with the dew point, the heat index will be in the upper 90°'s.

I'm really not a fan of these temperatures...

10am Storm Update

This will be brief as I have some errands I need to take care of today. The Storm Prediction Center has parts of southeast Missouri, northeast Arkansas, and northwest Tennessee are under a "Slight Risk" for today. Below is a look at the 7am Day 1 Outlook. The outlook covers now through 7am Saturday.

The look of the Day 1 Outlook is expected to change when they update it at 11:30am CT. SPC has already said they will be upgrading most of Arkansas to a "Moderate Risk". Where exactly the lines will lay is to hard to tell. I suggest checking back on the Storm Prediction Center's website for the latest information.

The threat of thunderstorms continue after today. Below are the Day 2 and Day 3 outlooks.

Day 2 Outlook 7am Saturday - 7am Sunday

Day 3 Outlook 7am Sunday - 7am Monday

Fun... Fun... Fun...

Tornado Watch #369

The Storm Prediction Center has issued Tornado Watch #369 for parts of southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. The watch is in effect until 3am CT Thursday.

A Tornado Watch means that conditions are favorable for the development of thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, large hail, damaging wind, and dangerous lightning.

Storms are expected to move slightly north of east at 45mph. Storms could produce tornadoes, hail 1.5 inches in diameter, and wind gusts over 60mph.

Unfortunately, the storms will be moving through after sunset so I won't be chasing. I don't like to chase at night. I've done it before, just don't like to do it. Especially around here where there are lots of trees and hills to obscure the view.

As mentioned earlier, tonight is a night to turn on your NOAA Weather Radio before you going to bed. Warnings could be issued during the overnight while you are asleep. Turn up the alarm on your weather radio so it will wake you up.

Tornado Watch #367

The Storm Prediction Center has issued Tornado Watch #367. The Tornado Watch is in effect until 1:00am CT Thursday morning.

A Tornado Watch means that conditions are favorable for the development of thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, large hail, damaging wind, and dangerous lightning.

All of southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, western Kentucky, northwest Tennessee, and northeast Arkansas remains under a "Slight Risk" of severe weather from SPC's Day 1 Outlook.

I think it is probably a good bet that we will see more watches issued for parts of the area later tonight (or overnight).

It will be a good night to turn on your NOAA Weather Radio before you go to bed.

9am Weather Update

We have continued chances for thunderstorms today and Wednesday. Here is a look at the updated Day 1 and Day 2 outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center.

Day 1 Outlook 7am Tuesday - 7am Wednesday

It appears that today's biggest threat will be large hail. However, damaging winds and a tornado or two are possible. Most of the "big" activity will be out over southeast Kansas.

Day 2 Outlook 7am Wednesday - 7am Thursday

The biggest threat for Wednesday will be damaging wind.

No chasing for me today. I will be handling weather duties this afternoon and for Heartland News at 5pm and Heartland News at 6pm.

Unsettled Week Ahead

It appears that we could have an active week in the weather department.

We are going to have several front try to push through southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and northwest Tennessee. But as usual, the fronts won't push all the way through the area. Instead, they will stall out over the area and act as a boundary to fire up storms. Then the stalled front will lift north in advance of another front.

This will allow for nearly daily chances of severe thunderstorms. Take a look at the outlooks over the next couple of days by the Storm Prediction Center.

Day 1 Outlook - 7am Monday through 7am Tuesday

Day 2 Outlook - 7am Tuesday through 7am Wednesday

Day 3 Outlook - 7am Wednesday through 7am Thursday

Generally speaking, the main threat from storms over the next couple of days will be large hail.

Severe Storms Monday

The Storm Prediction Center has included all of southeast Missouri, northern Arkansas, most of Illinois, and most of Indiana in a "Slight Risk" for severe weather 7am Monday through 7am Tuesday.

SPC is looking for individual storms to begin firing up by mid-afternoon and eventually the storms to become more linear (or a line) and move southeast by late Monday night.

The main threat is damaging wind and large hail, but a couple isolated tornadoes can't be ruled out in the individual/discreet storms.

If I can get the boss to buy in to it, I might go out chasing Monday. It isn't a great chase day, but it would be nice to get a few storms under our belts. Plus, I have got some new technology put together that will allow you to see exactly where I am located while I am driving.

Once again, sorry about the lack of posts lately. Between being on vacation, work pulling in a few different directions, Twitter, and relatively quiet weather I haven't had much of a chance to update things on "New at Dis Hour."