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The Set Is Going Green


We haven't had many "Severe Threat" days since the unveiling of our new set. Considering when it debuted we were entering the dry part of the season, which sees fewer big scale storms, and more small-scale showers. Most people are unaware that we get a special color accent on the news set. Today, we get that cool effect. When you watch the news tonight and if Meteorologist Jill Szwed breaks in, you'll see what I'm talking about. 



While this is cool to talk about and see, it unfortunately means we have serious things to talk about. After all, more colors means more threats. This is true in many facets of meteorology. Take into account any doppler radar. Light rain is colored blue, but heavy rain is usually red. The higher the threat, the more the inflection in color.

Forecast:

We are at a 1 or “Slight” for our Severe Weather Index today. Showers and thunderstorms will arrive in a line later this evening.




Before we even get to the line of storms, wind will already be a factor. In fact, as of early this morning sustained winds were reaching 25mph with gusts to 35 at times. These values will continue to rise through the day, until the front passes. We are expecting winds to sustain somewhere between 15 and 30 mph with gusts to reach 45-50 mph, and this is outside of the thunderstorms. A WIND ADVISORY is in effect until 1 a.m. Sunday for the strong wind gusts. Keep in mind that thunderstorms themselves produce additional gusts that could exceed 60-70 mph or even higher in localized spots. If some of these thunderstorms produce massive downdrafts, we could very well see above severe wind criteria (58 mph or greater).



Be prepared, especially if you will be out and away from home this evening. Strong wind gusts, even ahead of the storms, can bring down branches and damage power lines. West-east oriented roads and interstates will be susceptible to strong cross-winds today. After the front passes, wind immediately shifts out of the west before calming down. Therefore late this evening, north-south oriented roadways will get strong cross-winds. All vehicles will have difficult driving experiences, but high profile vehicles like RVs and Semis will feel it the most. Use caution when out on the roads today.

Storm activity will die down overnight tonight. Winds will calm as well going into Sunday evening. A few residual showers can't be ruled out Sunday morning as the leftover moisture from the storms moves east. Even snow flurries are possible in areas where temperatures drop quickly. Which brings be to the next result of the front...temperatures. Expect a 20-25 degree drop in temperatures after the front passes. Sunday will be a cold and raw day barely rising above freezing for the afternoon. At least we'll get the sunshine back later in the day.


Stay safe out there friends. Stay tuned to LEX 18 tonight for any updates during tonight's strong storms. More information and a complete rundown of what to expect can be found @ www.lex18.com/weather 

- Meteorologist Seth Phillips

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