Worrisome Wednesday

Update--8:37 p.m.: After two days of watching and waiting, the threat for severe weather has finally passed. After the noontime storms moved through, no new storms were able to develop ahead of a cold front advancing toward the area. The front has now moved through, so thunderstorms are no longer expected. Hopefully the next severe weather forecast will be more accurate than the ones of yesterday and today.

Update--11:20 a.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Watch just issued, in effect until 6:00 p.m. Storms moving in from northeast Iowa. Biggest threats are hail and wind.

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 527
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1100 AM CDT WED JUN 21 2006

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

EASTERN IOWA
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
NORTHWEST INDIANA
SMALL PART OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA
SOUTHERN WISCONSIN
LAKE MICHIGAN

EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING AND EVENING FROM 1100 AM UNTIL 600 PM CDT.

HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.


Previous entry: Thunderstorms finally developed along the warm front last night, and continue to affect southern Wisconsin this morning. There have been several reports of wind damage, including numerous trees down in the Janesville and Beloit areas. These storms should remain south of the Kickapoo Valley, but there is a chance for more storms to develop further north, possibly bringing us a large hail threat. Additionally, a cold front will approach the region from the west early this afternoon, and if enough instability can build ahead of this front, a squall line could form along it and present a threat for some gusty winds. There is a slight risk of severe weather across the entire region today, but it does not appear that there will be widespread severe storms here. Yesterday's severe weather forecast was well off the mark, and I fear today's forecast will be the same.