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Special Post For Kansas City Area Residents

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Tuesday is the 68th anniversary of the F-5 Ruskin Heights Tornado.  It killed 44 residents of eastern Kansas and south Kansas City, Missouri. Last autumn, I wrote about the Ruskin Heights Tornado Monument being destroyed when a car occupied by four uninsured teenaged boys missed the corner slammed into it.  There is good news.  There is now a firm plan in place to replace the memorial. The story about the replacement is here . The tornado was historic, because it directly led to the Weather Bureau finally issuing tornado warnings . 

4:30pm Saturday, Note to Readers...

There are posts with the tornado forecast for the rest of the day, Sunday and Monday, and tornado safety rules just below these. 

Saturday's Tornado Forecast - Updated 4pm Saturday

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Tornado watch valid until 10pm. Note: this does not include the DFW Metroplex. It is covered by a lesser severe thunderstorm watch but it includes the forecast, "a tornado or two possible." -- original forecast, still valid -- The brown area -- which includes the DFW Metroplex as well as Oklahoma City and vicinity -- has a significant risk of tornadoes this afternoon and tonight. Please keep up on the weather in these areas. 

Tornado Forecast for Sunday and Monday

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Sunday's Tornado Risk The yellow, hatched area Sunday has an enhanced  risk of strong tornadoes during the afternoon, especially during the evening, and possibly, in the overnight hours.  Monday's Tornado Risk There is clearly a risk of tornadoes Monday but pinning down the locations is difficult at this point. Over the entire area, any thunderstorm has the potential to produce very large hail. The area in hatching is where people should plan to monitor the weather all day and into the night. So, please consider this a preliminary heads-up. 

Tornado Safety Recommendations

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[Originally Posted Wednesday, 14th] Looks like we are getting into another period where tornadoes will occur at various times over the next two weeks. Just a couple of reminders (please click to see both graphics).......

Friday's Tornado Toll

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Based on various news reports this morning, the death toll from yesterday's tornadoes ranges appears to have been 22.  CNN, London, KY The worst damage was in Kentucky, involving the towns of Somerset and London. That was nighttime tornado with 15 killed.  Marion (southern), Illinois was also hard-hit.  St. Louis, the city where more people have been killed by tornadoes than any other, reports five fatalities this morning. The blue area on the map above show approximate area affected by the tornado which first touched down around Clayton, went across north City and then into the Metro east near Alton. I am concerned about tornadoes the next few days, especially Sunday and Monday. I'll have separate forecasts up later today.  

Updated Tornado and Damaging Wind Forecast: 8:25am

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This is an important day to keep up on the weather in parts of the Ozarks,  Ohio Valley and into the Middle Appalachians. Tornado Risk On my 4-point scale (the highest is the rare "extreme" which is not in today's forecast), here is the legend: Red, hatched = high  risk of tornadoes with some of the storms strong (EF-2 intensity or greater). Yellow, hatched = enhanced  risk of tornadoes, some strong.  Brown = significant risk of tornadoes.  Damaging Wind Risk Map legend: Pink, hatched = high risk   of wind gusts, some 75 mph or stronger.  Red, hatched = enhanced  risk of wind gusts, some 75 mph or stronger. Yellow = significance risk of wind gusts of 60 mph or stronger. A derecho is possible. Please keep in mind that wind force is logarithmic which means that an 80 mph gust is significantly more damaging than a 60 mph gust.  Safety Recommendations If you live in a mobile home or need a public shelter, you will find lists and maps  ...