After one of the wettest four months in the city's history... Via Twitter

...if you are in charge of outdoor events. You must have a plan of action and provide shelter.  The warning was sounded but, evidently, there were not nearly enough shelters. Seems like poor planning by the PGA.

click to enlarge The tornado watch, in yellow, is in effect until 12 midnight CDT. The radar is as of 6:20pm CDT. Storms are generally intensifying. Note: this will be the last posting on this severe weather situation. For additional information, please follow me on Twitter @usweatherexpert. 

Via Twitter and "Dee," here is a screen capture taken this afternoon in Atlanta at the FedEx PGA Golf Championship. Lightning warnings had been issued, play was suspended but people were still lingering. There were two people near the trunk of the tree that appeared to fall to the ground immediately after the bolt struck. I do not know if they were injured. MOMENTS after posting the above, 11 Alive  television in Atlanta posted these.

The information in the posting immediately below is still valid, especially the safety preparations.  Here is an updated chart of the tornado, severe thunderstorm and large, even giant, hail threat. click to enlarge While all three types of severe weather (tornado, large hail and damaging winds) are possible anywhere in the orange area, I have highlighted the area with the relatively highest likelihood of each type of storm. There is also the chance of heavy rain and localized flooding. As of 3:10pm CDT, the first thunderstorms of this event are forming north of McCook, Nebraska. Please take this seriously by preparing in the way I have outlined below. For more information, please follow me on Twitter @usweatherexpert. 

As the NWS Storm Prediction Center notes, the meteorological setup today is more like late May or June than late summer. As you plan for these storms it is important to factor in the fact the worst of it will be after dark. Tornado The brown area is the significant tornado risk. Damaging Winds The significant risk area for wind gusts of 60 mph is in yellow. Red is the enhanced risk. The hatching is where gusts of 75 mph or higher are forecasted.  There will also be areas of large hail. Wind driven-hail can be quite destructive. How to prepare: Fully charge your phone and laptop now, before the storms threaten. Unplug your equipment before you hear thunder so a lightning-induced power surge does not damage them.  You can use your smartphone as a "weather alarm." Download the AccuWeather App (turn on location services). It, plus the WEA tone alerts, should awaken you in case of a tornado warning.  This is the type of situation where power failures are like...

The tragic story of this completely unnecessary death is here . Replacing plastic straws with paper and metal is a significant step backward and just plain one of the dumbest ideas ever. But, that is what we have come to expect from Big Enviornment these days. When it comes to deciding how to vote in the future, you might wish to consider whether you want to give these people more power.