11/18/2013 Daily Update: Morning Showers/Storms Clear, Tornadoes Strike the Midwest, One Last Gasp for the Tropics

Good morning everyone!

Hope you had a great weekend. We're dealing with gusty showers and storms to start the day from the leftover energy associated with the tornado outbreak in the Midwest. Rain should quickly move out of here by lunchtime and we can look forward to sunshine in the afternoon.

TODAY: Morning showers and storms, then clearing in the afternoon. Mild with highs in the lower 60s. Windy with winds from the SW at 10 to 20 mph, gusting up to 40mph in storms. Winds gradually decrease in the afternoon.

TONIGHT: Mostly clear skies with lows in the lower 30s. Winds from the W at 5 to 15 mph.

TOMORROW: Sunny and much cooler with highs in the lower to mid 40s. Winds from the NW at 5 to 15 mph, with higher gusts possible.

• Scenes of destruction in the Midwest with more than 70 tornadoes reported, killing at least 6 and injuring dozens. An EF4 tornado touched down in Washington County, Illinois, destroying homes and leaving a 3-mile wide path of destruction according to the National Weather Service. The severe outbreak delayed the NFL game between the Ravens and the Bears for 2 hours. Incredible and heartbreaking to see the devastation unfold... thoughts and prayers to those affected. http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/18/us/midwest-tornadoes/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
• The U.S. is not the only one dealing with tornadoes - the coast of New South Wales in Australia also had one.

  

  Tornado touches down in New South Wales (Credit: RSOE EDIS)

• It's likely we'll see Melissa named in the Atlantic out in the middle of the ocean.

Credit: NHC

• U.S. - Gusty morning downpours in the Northeast, cooler air working down to the Midwest and the tornado-ravaged regions,  milder for the Rockies, rain chances increasing in the Northwest
• Europe - Low impacting SW Europe and another disturbance producing rain in the English Channel
• Australia - Severe storms exiting the coastlines, but more storms on the way - impacting the interior right now.
• Solar activity is low. No flaring above C-class yesterday. That big sunspot 1899 is ominous but not producing. 1897, 1899, 1900 present threats for M-class flares. M-class flare chances: 60%, X-class chances: 15%.

1897, 1899, 1900 have energy for M-class flares
(Credit: SpaceWeather.com)