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A Downburst Did Not Cause the 787 Crash in India

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There was a tragic crashed of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner earlier today and the Daily Mail  says "wind shear cannot be ruled out." Yes, it can, if they define wind shear as a downburst -- which was the cause of more than a dozen airliner crashes from the late 60's through the 80's. Specifically, they wrote: 'There are a number of possible scenarios: thrust or engine performance issues, excessive aircraft weight, poor trim or flap configuration, or a more critical failure that affected the aircraft's ability to climb,' he said. 'Weather, windshear or even bird strike can't be ruled out either at this early stage.' There is video of the crash here . There was no rain occurring -- which rules out a "wet" downburst. There were no altocumulus clouds or dissipating towering cumulus which rules out a dry downburst. While the contrast in the video is not ideal, it appears the sky is clear of clouds.  There is no reason to believe that wind shear ...
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Saturday: The Final "Symphony in the Flint Hills"

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Saturday will be the final Symphony in the Flint Hills . It is a magnificent event that features not only the music of the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra along with original art highlighting the amazing Kansas prairie. Of course, the real star is the venue. "Symphony" will be sorely missed.  While the event, as usual, is sold out, there are some unconventional ways to get to enjoy it . Hope you get a chance. 
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Gary England, Rest in Peace

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Some sad news this evening. Gary England, " The Weather God of Oklahoma City ," has passed away at the age of 85. The report came via his daughter, Molly England.  Gary was known for his extensive severe weather coverage as well as his pioneering use of Doppler radar for tornado detection as well as other innovations.  I was working for KFOR TV (NBC, then WKY-TV) in Oklahoma City when he began his career at KWTV (CBS) in October of 1972. He was a tough competitor who worked hard to provide quality severe weather coverage for his viewers. He finally retired August 28, 2013. His  40+ year career duration in the capital of tornado alley was remarkable .  He appears early in the movie Twister.  The movie producers used KWTV archival footage of his coverage of the tornado in Moore and Oklahoma City on November 19, 1973.  May Gary rest in peace and may his family be comforted in the outstanding, lifesaving, work he did for the people of Oklahoma.  Addition a...
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Continued Flood Threat in Texas

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As much as seven inches of rain is forecast to fall near Waco in the next five days. Flooding is likely in the region. 
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Stock Photography For the Season

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Tornado sirens, tornado shelters, wildfires, rural America, tornado damage, aviation navigation, agriculture, and photographs of a wide variety of other subjects are all available in my collection.  You will find my collection of weather and nature-related photographs, ready for licensing , here .  I hope you will take a look, regardless of whether you are shopping for stock photography.
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About 300,000 People Without Power

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Oklahoma has around 45,000 without power with the rest in Texas. 
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"Particularly Dangerous Situation" - Update 5:35pm

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A major windstorm is forecast for Oklahoma and Texas Sunday.  This has the potential to cause widespread power failures.  Please prepare now. More information below.  5:35pm:  Particularly Dangerous Situation watch due to wind gusts forecast to reach 105 mph and  with hail 5" in diameter. Tornadoes also possible.  If you live in a mobile home, now is the time to determine your sheltering situation. I urge you to shelter before warnings are issued (spend the evening with friends or family). Power outages are likely. A mobile vehicle from the National Severe Storms Laboratory has already measured a gust of 90 mph! 3:05pm Update: Computer models have consistently increased their forecasts of peak wind gusts pertaining to north central Texas this evening. Wind gusts of 110 mph are possible. If correct, widespread power outages are likely.  First Watch of the Day Pertaining to the  Derecho   In addition to the threat of tornadoes, wind gusts of 80...
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