Vigilance Rouge!!!!
Posted At: January 23, 2009 @ 1:00 PM
Posted By: Reed Timmer
Related Categories: Tornadoes
While the weather may be quiet here in North America, quite the opposite is true on the other side of the Atlantic in southwest Europe, and especially extreme northern Spain into Southwest France. An intense storm system is currently barreling toward the Bay of Biscay, with a 50+ knot low-level jet pumping moisture northward ahead of a surging cold front. This same LLJ will also create extreme low-level shear, especially where oriented in the appropriate direction for the expected easterly-southeasterly storm motions..which will happen in southwest France and extreme northeast Spain. The intensity of this storm system is very apparent in this satellite loop:
The European Storm Forecast Experiment has issued the equivalent of SPC's high risk for southwest France, extreme northeast Spain, and much of the Bay of Biscay. As of around 19z, storms were already firing along the cold front in the central Bay of Biscay, and were moving rapidly toward the coast of France (will probably arrive around 00z). The storm motions appeared fairly normal to the front, so they could maintain persistent supercellular structures. I would not be surprised if several tornadoes touched down tonight over the high risk area, especially given the intensity of this storm system and the magnitude of low-level shear (near and just south of the surface low track).
Meteo France has also issued a Vigilance Rouge, which is equivalent to a high risk as well, over extreme southwest France. While strong straightline winds from a massive squall line are indicated as the main threat, I think long-track supercells are very possile over this area given the more northerly orientation of the cold front, and easterly storm motions.
Posted At: January 23, 2009 @ 1:00 PM
Posted By: Reed Timmer
Related Categories: Tornadoes
While the weather may be quiet here in North America, quite the opposite is true on the other side of the Atlantic in southwest Europe, and especially extreme northern Spain into Southwest France. An intense storm system is currently barreling toward the Bay of Biscay, with a 50+ knot low-level jet pumping moisture northward ahead of a surging cold front. This same LLJ will also create extreme low-level shear, especially where oriented in the appropriate direction for the expected easterly-southeasterly storm motions..which will happen in southwest France and extreme northeast Spain. The intensity of this storm system is very apparent in this satellite loop:
The European Storm Forecast Experiment has issued the equivalent of SPC's high risk for southwest France, extreme northeast Spain, and much of the Bay of Biscay. As of around 19z, storms were already firing along the cold front in the central Bay of Biscay, and were moving rapidly toward the coast of France (will probably arrive around 00z). The storm motions appeared fairly normal to the front, so they could maintain persistent supercellular structures. I would not be surprised if several tornadoes touched down tonight over the high risk area, especially given the intensity of this storm system and the magnitude of low-level shear (near and just south of the surface low track).
Meteo France has also issued a Vigilance Rouge, which is equivalent to a high risk as well, over extreme southwest France. While strong straightline winds from a massive squall line are indicated as the main threat, I think long-track supercells are very possile over this area given the more northerly orientation of the cold front, and easterly storm motions.
@wthus (Twitter/Insta/Vero/Facebook) | Keerl, e-j zol eens wat meer moet’n doetinchemm’n | Bezoek ook: www.weerstation-dichteren.nl | www.buurmaaktnatuur.nl