KOAM TV 7 Joplin and PittsburgSunday Evening June 26th

Sunday Evening June 26th

Good evening everyone:

Just some additional chances for scattered isolated storms from now until Wednesday. A very hot air mass will stay over the area and continue to moderate due to plenty of sunshine over the next few days.

A cold front will come through on Monday night into Tuesday bring our next best chance of storms. Hail, lightning, and gusty winds will be the largest threat with these storms Monday evening into Tuesday morning.

With such a hot air mass over the area, pop up storms will be possible before and after the front comes through as well, mainly due to warm and humid conditions. Chances will range between 20% and 30% From now until about Tuesday and then chances should slowly drop from the middle of the week into the start of the weekend.

Brian Davis.  

Doug's Morning Update: 

Good Sunday morning.  I just got back from my trip to Oklahoma City.  This trip was for the AMS weather conference that I go to each year.  Because this one was so close, I actually drove instead of flew to it.  I actually learned a lot and I was on a panel for the Joplin tornado.  It was me, a chief from Wichita, Tulsa and a couple of NWS guys to discuss what went right and wrong.  I think the big discussions were the warnings that came out.  Because we had several warnings prior to the tornado, that seemed to help people become aware of what was going on.  However, a ton of people were very confused.  Here are the reasons why.  We had a couple tornado warnings that went out for different parts of Jasper county.  Then when the tornado touched down, a lot of people in that area weren't aware they were under a warning.  Also the sirens.  The sirens went off for the first warning, then got shut off.  Then the sirens go off for the second warning when the tornado was already on the ground. 

So it seemed like a lot of the talk was about ways we can do things better.  We have numerous tornado warnings that are considered doppler radar indicated tornadoes.  The big discussion on this is that most of the time they don't produce tornadoes and it causes viewers to not pay as close attention to them.  So how can we deal with those differently?  I really think we should change the wording or treat them differently.  I think we should do cut-ins for doppler radar indicated tornado warnings.  However, just cut-ins here or there stating this is just a doppler radar indicated tornado.  Then when we actually have a funnel cloud or one on the ground, we go and do wall to wall coverage.  Also the sirens, what do they mean?  Are they useful?  Some people pay attention to them and others don't.  Also because in the Joplin tornado they went off twice, that really confused a lot of people.  That needs to be addressed before next season.  A lot of people don't know what the sirens mean.  They are used to warn you about something that is going on with the weather if you are outside.  Then you are suppose to go inside and see what is going on.  Some people thought the second siren going off was the all clear, when that was a second warning.  Also some areas had a great warning and others very little warning at all.  That also needs to be addressed.  So we may do some things a little differently here in the future.  I will talk more about this in the days to come.

We have some slight chances for a few pop up thunderstorms here early this morning.  I actually think most of us will stay on the dry side.  Here is a look at any watches or warnings around the area.

Any Watches and Warnings will be displayed here:

 Here is the current regional radar in motion:

We have a warm front that will sit north of the area through most of the day today.  This will again produce scattered showers and thunderstorms, but mainly north of the area.  So again we will be partly sunny, hot and humid.  As this front starts to push farther south on Monday, we will see at least chances for scattered thunderstorms late Monday and Monday night.  I think the severe risk is on the low side right now.  Temperatures will be cooler on Tuesday and then really heat up for the rest of the week.  It will be hot as we work into the holiday weekend. 

Here is a look at your latest 7-day forecast.

Here is your updated long range forecast below.  I will also give you a pattern update here shortly.

Doug

July (3rd-9th):

Looks like a hot start to the week with temperatures staying above average.  We will have slight chances for thunderstorms around Monday and Tuesday.  This should drop a cold front through that will allow are temperatures to be more comfortable for the second half of the week.  Additional thunderstorm chances move in by the weekend.

Severe threat:  Low(Monday, Tuesday, Saturday)

 July (10th-16th):

A warm start to the week with chances for thunderstorms on Sunday and Monday.  Then a little stronger system will affect us during the middle of the week with a little better chances for rain.  Temperatures will be warm all week long.

Severe threat:  Low(Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday) 

 July (17th-23rd):

A hot week with just slight chances for rain on Wednesday and Thursday.

Severe threat:  Low(Wednesday-Thursday)

July (24th-30th):

Another hot week and mainly dry.   Slight chances for rain on Sunday and then again by the weekend.

Severe threat:  Low(Sunday, Friday, Saturday)