First off I would like to highlight the fact that the NWS of Green Bay and La Crosse have finished their storm surveys from Sunday’s tornado event and have added some content to their summary pages. Green Bay has added a nice little graphic indicating the track of the tornado through Wood and Portage counties. La Crosse has added a radar loop of the same storm as it passed through Monroe and Juneau counties. They also have a graphic of the track. The NWS Duluth does not have a dedicated page for the tornado surveys in Price county but have released a public information statement describing 5 seperate weak tornado touchdowns.

As to the question of how the length of the Saratoga tornado here is a preliminary statement from the NWS of Milwaukee:

A very long-track tornado spun up in Monroe County northwest of Tomah on May 22, 2011, and moved northeast into southern Wood County and traveled through the area south of Wisconsin Rapids and then into southern Portage County and ended about 9 miles southeast of Plover.  This track is on the order of 70 miles….one of the longest tornadoes in Wisconsin’s recorded history. Preliminary results indicate that this tornado was the 15th longest tornado in Wisconsin.  The longest-tracked tornado in Wisconsin was 170 miles in Pierce and Iron Counties on April 5, 1929.   The 1929 tornado killed 12 people and injured 100 on a track from southwest of River Falls to the Van Buskirk area.

I was surprised to learn that the northwestern Wisconsin 1929 tornado was on the ground for 170 miles! So it looks like the Saratoga tornado could end up in the top 15. 

Having such strong and frequent tornadoes this year in our area and around the nation reminds me to remind you that there are many ways you can keep track of and stay safe from severe weather. The most crucial aspect is keeping track of the weather as it evolves. Pay attention to the National Weather Service and StormTrack 9 severe weather outlooks to get a good idea of when and where severe storms will occur. If a tornado warning is issued for your area, make sure you know where to go to stay safe. Don’t go shopping when a tornado warning is in effect. Postpone activities that would take you away from shelter. Wait until the storm passes before venturing out. As we saw during the Alabama and Joplin, Missouri tornadoes, it is not a good idea to be out driving, at the gas sation, or in a big box store during a tornado warning.

 As far as keeping in touch with the latest severe weather information, StormTrack9 offers several tools for viewers in Northcentral Wisconsin.

 First and foremost it is our policy that we will break into live programming when there is a tornado warning (or other signifcant dangerous storm) for the area. Depending on the nature of the threat we might stay on the air continuously until the warnings have expired. If you hear tornado sirens, you can turn on StormTrack9 and we will be on the air with the latest information. For tornado warnings and all other weather advisories we also will run a crawl on the screen that contains pertinent information.

 If you happen to be driving around Northcentral Wisconsin and severe weather threatens, you can tune to several area radio stations for periodic live updates from StormTrack9. Those stations are Big Cheese 107-9, Today’s Best Country Y 106.5, Mix 96.7, and Classic Rock 103-3.

Our website, www.waow.com, offers a plethora of tools to keep informed. Similar to on TV, you will find crawls running on the website whenever a weather warning or advisory is in effect. During times of significant severe weather you will find our live TV broadcast streaming on waow.com.

On our weather page (http://www.waow.com/weather) you will find several links to additional useful tools. The Personal Forecast offers an hour-by-hour daily forecasts as well as severe weather alerts that are delivered to your email inbox or to your cell phone/wireless device. The newest feature of the Personal Forecast is the Interactive Futurecast, which is a more graphical representation of the forecast information.

Another option for getting severe weather alerts delivered immediately to your smart phone/cell phone is our “Text Alerts“. Besides getting text message alerts of warnings in your specific county you can sign up for a daily forecast and news bulletins.

Our most location specific option for staying safe during severe weather is “Weather Call”. StormTrack9 has partnered with WeatherCall to deliver phone messages to your home location whenever a severe weather warning is issued and your home lies within the warning area. Sometimes a warning might be issued for a part of Marathon county. If you have weather call, you will only be notified if your home location is within the warned area of Marathon county.

For those who like to take a more active role in monitoring severe weather we also offer Itrack Interactive Radar. This tool allows you to track and analyze storms as they happen. You can even zoom down to street level!

Besides on TV and our website you can also get interesting and informative weather updates on Twitter and Facebook. You can follow each meteorologist on the StormTrack 9 team on Twitter (just search our names), and you can check out our facebook page here.

 Have a nice Wednesday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under iTRAK, new media, Severe Weather, Tornadoes, Weather Safety

Lately when Friday rolls around it always seems like we will be dealing with the potential for severe thunderstorms, and tomorrow will be no different. 

Here at Storm Trak 9, we are closely monitoring the potential for several rounds of storms to affect the area starting early Friday morning.   The first round of storms is expected to develop ahead of a warm front which crawls northward heading into Friday.  Some heavy rain will be possible with this round of storms, especially in the Northwoods.  But due to the storms timing during the early morning hours, the severe potential appears minimal.

Much of North Central Wisconsin will be in the warm sector of this storm system through the day tomorrow.  Dew points will surge above 70 degrees, and if we see an extended period of sunshine, instability could skyrocket.  Whether we see this window of sunshine is still in question.  If there are ongoing storms in the area through midday, then this would hamper the instability to grow.   In this case, the severe potential by evening would be much less.

Taking a look at the SREF model data (pretty much a combo of all relative forecast models)….

SREF indicates by Friday afternoon the CAPE(instability or storm energy) values climb above 2000.   This would be more than enough to support severe storms.  Multi-cluster storms are more likely of an outcome than individual super cells, except in NE Wisconsin where it appears the shear will be strongest.

Here’s the tricky part.. so much can change depending what earlier storms do to our atmosphere by the time the late afternoon rolls around. 

In summary: 

Storms are expected to move into the area early Friday morning.  Some of the storms could be strong with heavy rain and frequent lightning.  We should catch a break from the storms through much of the day.  Then more storms will fire up late tomorrow afternoon and into the evening.  If conditions come together just right, this second round of storm could be severe. 

We will of course update you with the storms on Newsline 9 and www.waow.com

You can also trak the storms yourself using iTrak interactive radar.

And also follow my extensive storm updates via twitter and facebook..

http://twitter.com/BNiznansky_waow

http://www.facebook.com/pages/StormTrak9/105833866118472

Meteorologist Brian Niznansky

Posted under iTRAK, Severe Weather, Storms, Summer

Thursday is of course the day that we get the latest US Drought Monitor. I expected a decrease in amount of drought in the state but officially things have not changed since last week. Still, we did just get some heavier rain Wednesday morning and that will be included in next week’s Drought Monitor. Also, there could be some very heavy rain once again on Friday evening and this should help erase some of the drought that remains in the far northeastern corner of the state. Besides the potential for heavy rain there could also be some severe weather in the form of high winds and I would not rule out a tornado or two. Stay tuned to StormTrak9 tomorrow in case there are watches and warnings. Also remember that there are a lot of tools on waow.com. Our live local radar is now on the home page and weather page with a north, central, and south view. We also have Itrak interactive radar software that allows you to zoom in and analyze individual storms. You can also sign up for text alerts regarding severe weather.

Have a nice Thursday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under Drought, iTRAK, new media

On Friday I mentioned a new way to keep track of StormTrak9 weather forecasts and other interesting information like the blog. If you are a fan of Facebook just search “StormTrak9″ and you will find the fan page of our wether department. I also want to remind you about our Itrak interactive radar on WAOW.com. You can find it here: http://www.waow.com/Global/category.asp?C=162028 Be sure to bookmark it on your computer or smartphone so you can get quick access if any storms are developing around your home or work. Itrak interactive allows you to analyze each thunderstorm or rain cell in not only Wisconsin, but all over the U.S. Whether you are trying to keep your family safe from severe weather or just trying to plan a soccer match around some rain showers, you will find Itrak an indispensable tool. Go here to bookmark the page.

You will have a chance to test Itrak out tonight as we are expecting some storms in southern Wisconsin  – at the least, and a few might move into central and northern Wisconsin (50% chance). More rain will develop on Tuesday and once again there could be a couple thunderstorms (70% chance). A few light showers could even continue into Wednesday. Even though some thunderstorms could develop, the risk of severe storms is very low because temps will be on the cool side. Around Madison and the southern third of the state there could be some large hail or gusty winds. The most I would expect in our area is pea-sized hail. You can keep track of all the latest severe weather outlooks, watches, and warnings at the SPC website.  If we are lucky, the rain amounts could end up in the 0.50 to 1.0 inch range. You know I will be smiling. April showers bring May flowers (and a good start to the growing season)!

Have a nice Monday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under iTRAK, new media

As Brian mentioned yesterday, we smashed the record highs across northcentral Wisconsin yesterday. High temps were in the upper 70s to low 80s. We will likely break the record for record warm low temps today as well. The record in Wausau is a very vulnerable 47 set back in 1963. Our low this morning was 61 and if the temperature does not drop down to 47 before midnight tonight then we will have another record. As far as the record high today, I don’t think we will break it. The record is 76 set back in 1963. Even though temps started out very mild, the clouds are a bit thicker today and this will probably keep a lid on the temps. I expect low to mid 70s in the area but not quite 76.

People tend to welcome the out of season warmth and I would certainly welcome some out of season precipitation – something (rain or snow)  heavy. Unfortunately, the front that is moving through tonight and Saturday has picked up speed. It is now starting to look like rain amounts will be less than a half inch and it will be overwith by midday Saturday. Boo! Yesterday it had looked more like a soaking rain for most of the day on Saturday and up to an inch in the rain guage. Now it looks more meager and short-lived. However, there is still hope! Another significant storm system will be moving through the upper Midwest on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. This one again has the potential to produce heavier rain. Keep your fingers crossed.

Even though it feels like summer outside, we haven’t experienced any summer-like severe weather yet, which gives us more time to prepare by learning how to identify severe storms. The NWS is traveling across the viewing area this Spring offering free Severe Storm Spotting Classes. Next week there is a session in Manawa (Monday, 6:30pm) and in Waupaca (Wednesday, 6:30 pm). You can find more details here

Some other reminders:

With the rain coming into the area later tonight and Saturday morning, remember that you can keep “trak” of it by using iTrak – our interactive radar technology on the weather page at waow.com. It is really handy during severe weather when you can zoom in on individual storms and find out what type of threat each storm represents.

Also, starting today we now have a StormTrak9 fan page on Facebook. If you are on facebook just search StormTrak9 and you will find the page. We will be using this page for announcements and forecasts in the future.

Have a fine Friday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under iTRAK, new media, Records

The elements are coming together for a widespread severe weather outbreak that will be centered to our south and west.  Warm and moist air continues to surge in from the south this late afternoon and evening.  Our atmosphere will soon be primed for storms.  I think the greatest severe threat for us will be across our southern and western counties.  The strongest storms will likely miss us completely; initially firing up in Iowa, then tracking through southern Wisconsin.  Along with strong wind and large hail, the possibility of tornadoes is a big concern for Iowa, southern Minnesota, and southern Wisconsin. 

The Storm prediction Center has southern Wisconsin under a moderate risk for widespread severe weather, with most of Northern and Central Wisconsin under a slight risk.  Cape Values(simply energy for the storms) are starting to skyrocket. especially across Iowa where storms are expected to fire.

Again, the worst appears like it will unfold south, but we will certainly keep you updated right here at Waow.com and channel 9 and 34.

This will also be a great chance to try out the new ITRAK radar available at waow.com

Meteorologist Brian Niznansky

Posted under iTRAK, Severe Weather, Storms

Not only will today be the warmest day of the year so far, we already had our first hail of the season (pea-sized here in town, a few in the 0.50 inch to 0.88 inch range in Marathon City – about nickel to quarter sized). In past years, any hail over 0.75 inches could have prompted a severe thunderstorm warning, but this year the criteria has been raised to 1.0 inch. Based on the extremely small sample size of “the storm this morning” it seems the criteria change has worked out well. Even though there was one report of hail over 0.75 inches, there wasn’t a need for a severe thunderstorm warning. So far I have not heard of any wind damage or other ill effects around the area – just hail reports. One of our photographers shot some video of the hail this morning in Wausau. Take a look on the homepage in the video player section.

The super-duper best thing about the thunderstorms is that we received some beneficial rain. Here in Wausau it was 0.35 inches. Judging by radar, it looks like a portion of northeastern Marathon county ended up with over a half inch, possibly as high as 1.0 inch. More rain is likely late this afternoon through Saturday morning and again from Sunday afternoon through midday Monday. Amounts could range from 1 to 2 inches. Rainfall in this range would bring us up to, or above normal for the month of April. Yay!

The downside is that we could have a bit of severe weather. Check the latest SPC convective outlook here. For late this afternoon through early evening (about 3pm to 9pm), it doesn’t look like all the severe weather parameters are coming together for a big event (widespread wind damage, hail, and tornadoes) but there is enough wind shear to generate a couple of super cells. StormTrak 9 meteorologists will be watching the situation closely. You can also follow along with iTrak interactive radar. Check it out here on our website. Also notice we have a new place where you can submit weather/storm photos. It is called reportstorms.com. If you upload a picture of storm damage, hail, or thunderclouds, we will be able to use them on TV to keep other viewers abreast the situation in Northcentral Wisconsin.

So there could be a couple of severe thunderstorms this late today. The next slight chance will be Sunday night into Monday morning. The SPC does not show a severe risk in our area as of yet but the latest computer models are indicating a shift that could bring slightly warmer temps during that time frame. By Tuesday dry weather will return and it should remain dry through most of Thursday.

Space News:

I have so much AGW news that it is making my head spin but with all the interesting weather this week, school talks, and the snowmelt contest going on, I haven’t had enough time to organize it into a coherent blog entry. It will probably end up being a multi-part blog coming up during quiet time period of weather. Some good environmental news along with some bad.

Instead, how about a little update on one of my other favvorite topics: Space exploration. The Mars Rovers are gradually showing signs of wear from the rugged conditions that exist on the red planet. Spirit has recently had some computer problems. First it mysteriously rebooted its computer, then it developed amnesia. Controllers are trying to figure out what is causing this but are not having much luck so far. I figure this is to be expected. After 5 years on the planet, things are bound to start failing. What I think would be interesting is if they shut down one of the rovers before it suffered complete breakdown. Drive it to a sunny protected spot and put it in preservation mode. Maybe only waking up once a year to report that it was still alive. If it lasted a few more years, then maybe humans would be able to visit (or “rescue”) it during a future spaceflight to Mars. I know, kind-of a strange and far-out idea, just thought it would be cool.

WhiteKnightTwo of Virgin Galactic’s space fleet is continuing its testing. The only problem so far was a small problem with high winds during a landing this week. Apparently, somehow, the tail was dented by the rudders or the ground when it was landing. A tiny moment of distress in an otherwise smooth operation thus far.

I have some other interesting space news but again I am running out of time today (more next week) so I will leave you with a gallery of Hubble’s “greatest hits”. I know many of you have seen some of these before but the pics are so amazing and beautiful, I never tire of them. I suspect that for all who would like to travel to the stars someday, the images are enticing. The best part, NASA images are copyright free. Use them as you like. They make great desktop wallpaper.

Lastly, do forget to get your snowmelt contest entry in this weekend or early next week. The deadline is April 30th. I see hundreds of you have already entered. You could win a $250 gift card from the R-stores of Northcentral Wisconsin.

Have a nice day! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under iTRAK, Severe Weather, Space, Storms

Warm air will surge across the state tomorrow behind a warm front passing through this evening.  High temperatures Friday are expected to top out around 80 degrees.  Dew points will also rise into the 60′s by tomorrow afternoon, making things a bit muggy and also pretty unstable.  The atmosphere will likely be primed for thunderstorms once a cold front begins to slide down by tomorrow afternoon.  Some of tomorrow evening’s thunderstorms could be on the strong to severe side.  The Storm Prediction Center has the entire area under a slight risk for widespread severe weather.

Storms will initially fire up in the Northwoods tomorrow afternoon, then spread across Central Wisconsin by tomorrow evening.  Right now, I think the primary threat appears to be large hail.  We will have to watch this closely.  This will also be a good time you can use the new I-Trak Radar here on the Waow.com website.  Also if you end experiencing a storm you can submit us information or even pictures by using “Report Storms”, also available through a link on waow.com. 

Meteorologist Brian Niznansky

Posted under iTRAK, Severe Weather, Storms

We haven’t had any precipitation since we launched the new I-Trak Radar on waow.com, but I hope you had a chance to get a little familiar with some the tools the new interactive radar has to offer.  You can access I-Trak Radar by following the link on the top of the weather page.  Tonight I wanted to talk about another cool new feature added to the website.  We have now launched “Report Storms”. 

Report Storms is another way you can get involved with reporting the area weather.  Simply click on the report storm tag on the top of the weather page.  This will take you to reportstorms.com.  This page will allow you to report any kind of weather you feel should be summited.  Whether it’s a high temperature for the day, rainfall amount, or a tornado, we would love to hear about it.  And the coolest part, not only do we receive your information but it is automatically integrated into graphics so we have the ability to pull up your actual report on-air.  Once we start getting in several reports, I would love to often use this during the weather cast.  This will also help us out a ton.  We could never have too much local observation.  You will also have the ability to submit photos or even video.  I know it will take sometime to get people involved but the more reports we get the more useful it will be.  So check it out and if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment.

Meteorologist Brian Niznansky

Posted under iTRAK, Storms, Viewer pictures

During this time of drought is a good time for me to mention a new interactive tool on our website waow.com. It is called iTRAK Interactive Radar. “We track storms” is our motto here in the weather office and now YOU can track storms as well. Click here to go to the main iTRAK page. If the link is not working then you can go to the waow.com homepage and click on the iTRAK banner in the upper right-hand corner. Once you get to the iTRAK page you will see a map of Northcentral Wisconsin displaying any precipitation in the area. Underneath the banner at the top of the page you will see a couple of tutorials – one by me that explains the radar interface and one by Brian that explains the “FutureTRAK” option. With iTRAK, not only can you investigate precipitation in your hometown and in our region, you can see what is going on in other parts of the country. With FutureTRAK you can view a computer model forecast of conditions expected over the next couple of days. Check it out. Play around with it. It will be a good tool to keep track of severe storms this Spring and Summer. Let me know if you have any questions. You can leave a comment in the blog or send me an email weather@waow.com

You will notice some rain on iTRAK today, but mainly in southern Wisconsin. It looks like the far southern part of our area will have a slight chance of showers tonight, then dry weather will prevail until the upcoming weekend. On Saturday and Sunday another storm will be near Wisconsin so there is at least a slight chance of showers. Although I would love to see some rain, I am not very optimistic at this point. Not only will this week be dry, the general jet stream pattern will remain unfavorable for significant rainfall through the end of the month. We have a severe drought, but it is still a time of year when we can “get by”. Once May hits, gardens and crops will have to go in and that is the point we will definitely need rain. As long as it rains enough from May through August, we will be able to grow food. April showers would be nice but not very many are in the works this year. The upside of a drought is that there are usually a lot of sunny days. Current drought situation across the U.S. If we don’t get much rain for the rest of this month, Northcentral Wisconsin could get bumped up into the extreme drought category.

Have a good work week! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under Drought, iTRAK