May 1-2, 2008 tornado outbreak

Infobox tornado outbreak|name=May 2008 tornado outbreak
image location=Damage in Damascus.jpg

Damascus, Arkansas on May 2, 2008
date=May 1—2, 2008
duration=29 hours, 51 minutes
fujitascale=EF3
enhanced=yes
tornadoes=62 confirmed
total damages (USD)=$82.8 million
total fatalities=6 + 1 non–tornadic
areas affected=Most of the Central and Southern United StatesThe May 1–2, 2008 tornado outbreak was a tornado outbreak that took place across the Southern and Central United States on May 1 and May 2, 2008. The outbreak was responsible for at least seven fatalities (six from tornadoescite web | title = Severe Weather/Heavy Rain on May 2, 2008 | publisher = NWS - Little Rock | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/svr0508.htm | accessdate = 2008-06-01] ) and 23 injuries in Arkansas.cite web | title = STATE SITUATION SUMMARY 05/09/2008 | publisher = ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT | date = May 2, 1998 | url = http://www.adem.arkansas.gov/documents/Situation%20Reports/2008/SIT%20SUM%20STORMS%205-2-08.htm | accessdate = 2008-06-01] There were at least 29 tornado reports from Iowa to Oklahoma on May 1 and 67 more in Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas on May 2.cite web | title = Storm Reports for 05/01/08 | publisher = Storm Prediction Center (SPC) | date = May 1, 2008 | url = http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/080501_rpts.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01] cite web | title = Storm Reports for 05/02/08 | publisher = SPC | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/080502_rpts.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01] At least 63 tornadoes were confirmed by weather authorities.

Meteorological synopsis

On May 1, 2008, a large low pressure system developed over Nebraska, with a long warm front stretching east towards the Great Lakes. A cold front and dry line were situated across Oklahoma and Kansas during the late afternoon. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued a moderate risk of severe weather for eastern Kansas and a small part of Missouri, which included Kansas City.cite web | title = May 1, 2008 2000 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook | publisher = SPC | date = May 1, 2008 | url = http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2008/day1otlk_20080501_2000.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01] On May 2 another moderate risk of severe weather was issued by the SPC from Central Illinois to northern Louisiana.cite web | title = May 2, 2008 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook | publisher = SPC | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2008/day1otlk_20080502_1200.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01] The risk area was later revised southward to only include eastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, and northwestern Mississippi.cite web | title = May 2, 2008 1300 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook | publisher = SPC | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2008/day1otlk_20080502_1300.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01] Most of the severe weather shifted into Arkansas where dewpoints were near convert|70|F|C|0 with CAPE values over 2000 j/kg (in some places up to 3000 j/kg) and helicity values (potential for rotating winds) were exceeding 200 m2/s2. [cite web | title = Severe Weather/Heavy Rain on May 2, 2008 | publisher = NWS - Little Rock | date = May 5, 2008 | url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/svr0508a.htm | accessdate = 2008-06-01]

While most of the severe activity was situated across the southern states, tornado watches were also issued for portions of southern Wisconsin, southern Michigan and northern Indiana as activity developed near the center of the low.cite web | last = Hales | title = Tornado Watch 252 | publisher = SPC | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/ww0252.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01] cite web | last = Hales | title = Tornado Watch 256 | publisher = SPC | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/ww0256.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01] No tornadoes were reported in this watch area.

On the northern fringes of the storm system heavy snow fell across northeastern Wyoming and western South Dakota. The town of Lead, South Dakota received a total of 54.5 inches, or about convert|4.5|ft|m|1 of snow from April 30 to May 2. Several other areas received one – four feet (30 – 120 cm) of snow. [cite web | title = Heavy snow in the Black Hills region | publisher = University of Wisconsin | date = May 4, 2008 | url = http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/category/winter-weather | accessdate = 2008-06-01]

Reported tornadoes

May 1 event

May 2 event

Kansas City area derecho/tornadoes

url = http://www.koco.com/news/16133182/detail.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01] Ten tornadoes also touched down from these storms in Kansas and Oklahoma.

url = http://www.kmbc.com/news/16128378/detail.html | accessdate = 2006-06-01]

It was later confirmed that much of the damage was caused by two strong tornadoes that were embedded inside the derecho; an EF2 in Gladston and an EF3 in Brookridge. According to Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser, over 300 structures were damaged. In Gladstone over 200 buildings were damaged and several destroyed according to the mayor. Tornadoes also hit Douglas County, Kansas causing locally significant damage. There no reports of fatalities with these storms. It was later reported that despite tornado warnings, many tornado sirens were not sounded in Douglas County and in other parts of the Kansas City Metro. [cite news | last = Diepenbrock | first = George | title = Storm blows through area | publisher = LJWorld.com | date = May 3, 2008 | url = http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/may/03/storm_blows_through_area/ | accessdate = 2008-06-01] [cite news | title = Why Didn't Tornado Sirens Go Off? | publisher = KMBC.com | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.kmbc.com/news/16140693/detail.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01] [cite news | title = 2 Tornadoes Destroy Northland Homes | publisher = KMBC.com | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.kmbc.com/news/16130580/detail.html | accessdate = 2008-06-01]

Five years prior to these tornadoes, areas near Gladstone were hit by an F4 tornado that caused extensive damage while a strong tornado also hit near Liberty during the same outbreak. [cite web | title = Event Record Details | publisher = National Climatic Data Center | date = May 4, 2003 | url = http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~502987 | accessdate = 2006-06-01] [cite web | title = Event Record Details | publisher = National Climatic Data Center | date = May 4, 2003 | url = http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~502996 | accessdate = 2006-06-01]

Arkansas tornadoes

url = http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8261754 | accessdate = 2008-06-01]

At around 3:30 pm CDT, a large F3 tornado hit the town of Earle, Arkansas west of Memphis causing major damage to homes, businesses and the high school, and several people were injured. [cite news | last = Brown | first = George | title = EF3 Tornado Causes "Significant Damage" In Earle, AR | publisher = WREG.com | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=8263309 | accessdate = 2008-06-01] A supercell to its north also produced a significant tornado in the Etowah area causing extensive damage to several structures including destroyed trailers. [cite news | last = Miles | first = Jason | title = Town of Etowah picks up after tornado sweeps through town | publisher = WMCTV.com | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8264858 | accessdate = 2008-06-01]

Governor of Arkansas Mike Beebe stated that in Arkansas alone about 350 homes were damaged or destroyed. Seven counties were declared disaster areas including Van Buren, Saline, Pulaski, Cleburne, Conway, Grant and Benton. National Guard were deployed to assist in the cleanup and relief efforts. About 6,000 homes lost power across much of north Arkansas. [cite news | title = 7 killed in Arkansas storms | publisher = Associated Press | date = May 2, 2008 | url = http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/may/02/severe-weather-moving-across-state/?print | accessdate = 2008-06-01]

ee also

* Tornadoes of 2008
* List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
* Mid-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence
* Late-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence

References

External links

* [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/svr0508.htm NWS Little Rock, Arkansas summary page]
* [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/meg/events/20080502/stormSurvey.php NWS Memphis, Tenneesee summary page]
* [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/eax/?n=severe-may012008 NWS Kansas City, Kansas summary page]
* [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=sgf&storyid=14511&source=0 NWS Springfield, MO summary page]
* [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/weather-events/may1-2_briefing/player.html Multimedia Review from the Severe weather event from the NWS Tulsa]
* [http://www.wmctv.com/global/story.asp?s=7984037 Severe weather outbreak gallery from WMC-TV]
* [http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8261980 Severe weather outbreak gallery from KAIT-TV]
* [http://www.fema.gov/emergency/reports/2008/nat050308.shtm FEMA analysis]