WDRB Weather Blog

Chilling Video: Couple Caught in Tornado on Highway

Savannah and Brandon Boerjan were out buying out a new camper two weeks ago in Arkansas when their day took a scary turn.  A tornado crossed their path on the highway and tossed their car, with them inside, off the road.

The video is terrifying and Savannah's screams are downright bone-chilling.  

Video Credit: Savanna Boerjan and Storyful Rights Management 

Savannah said on her Facebook page that, thankfully, they are both okay. She is a little sore and her husband came out of the crash without a scratch. Boerjan said everything happened very fast and she was filming because the clouds were moving quickly and she thought it was pretty. But little did she know it would turn from pretty to scary. 

You are probably watching the video and wondering why they didn't stop or turn around. Savannah claims there was no time for any of that. The camper they had just purchased was attached to the back of the car and the tornado pulled them up by the  camper and tossed them into a nearby ditch.

She says she now knows the dangers of tornados. I hope by sharing her video that you don't have to experience it first hand, like Savannah and Brandon, to learn of the dangers. Always be aware of the threat of severe weather BEFORE you go out for the day. Check the radar before you get on the road. Being informed could potentially save you and your family. 

One other important note from Savannah's post: "Also we want people to take away from this the importance of a seatbelt. Seatbelts helped save our lives. We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t wearing them."

The pictures below are of the damage that resulted via Savannah's Facebook Page. 

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-Katie McGraw 

Early Look At Derby Week Forecast

From Jude Redfield...

    BIG changes coming for the week leading up to Derby. The main change will be the large amount of warmth expected. High temps are expected near 80 on Monday with a push into the low-mid 80s Tuesday and Wednesday. We should have high temps averaging near 80 all of next week.

    The high pressure pumping in the explosion of warmth protects us from rain the first few days of the week. You'll see some showers and storms showing up out west (on the map above). This is important because the area of unsettled weather gradually breaks down the quiet start to the week. By Thurby, Oaks and Derby we could have a few waves of showers and storms to deal with.

    It does appear much of next week will end up with positive vibes. The rain/storm chances come in late week. This COULD lead to a few storms during the big race days. Don't get too down just yet, It's more than a week away and we aren't going to have cold and snow so that is great news! -Jude Redfield-

EF-1 TORNADO SLAMS INTO SONIC...

Surveillance footage camera captured a tornado slamming into a Sonic Drive-In in Galliano, Louisiana. It touched down mid-morning Sunday and also caused damage to at least 12 homes near South Lafourche High School, according to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office. The National Weather Service reports the tornado was an EF-1 with maximum estimated winds of 100 miles per hour. Watch how it tosses around cars like toys...

Video Credit: WWLTV

This video shows busted menu boards and parts of the building scattered around after the tornado passed..

Video Credit: WWLTV

 

 

-Rick DeLuca

https://www.facebook.com/RickDeLucaWeather

Historic Oaks and Derby Weather

The National Weather Service compiled stats about weather for all the of the Oaks and Derby races to give us an idea of what is normal and what is possible. 

OAKS

Coldest temperature:  36° May 1, 1903
Coldest high temperature:  47° May 3, 1940
Coldest average daily temperature: 42.5°  May 22, 1883

Warmest temperature:  94° May 6, 1949
Warmest low temperature:  72° May 21, 1877
Warmest average daily temperature:  80.5°  May 5, 1895

Wettest:  1.40" May 5, 1961
Out of the 143 Kentucky Oaks Days, 79 (55%) experienced rain at some point during the day.

DERBY

A lot of you remember the winter weather we saw in 1989. 

Coldest temperature:  36° May 4, 1940 and May 4, 1957
Coldest high temperature:  47° May 4, 1935 and May 4, 1957
Coldest average daily temperature:  42° May 4, 1957
(The cold temperatures on May 4, 1957 were accompanied by 20 to 25 mph north winds!)

Warmest temperature:  94° May 2, 1959
Warmest low temperature:  72° May 14, 1886
Warmest average daily temperature:  79° May 14, 1886

Wettest:  2.31" of rain May 11, 1918
Out of the 143 Derby Days, 67 (47%) experienced rain at some point during the day.

What does all of this mean? Pretty much any weather is possible in Kentucky in early May, but at this point I am not expecting snow for the races this year. Normal high temperatures for May 4th and 5th is 74º, and the normal low temperature is around 53º. Records show you have pretty much equal chances to see rain or no rain; we're keeping an eye on a system coming in next week. 

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-Hannah Strong

TERRIFYING TORNADO VIDEO Filmed In Fort Walton Beach On Sunday...

A waterspout/tornado moved from Okaloosa Island to Fort Walton Beach just after 4 PM Sunday afternoon. According to authorities, numerous homes, cars and power lines were damaged. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Look closely and you can see debris splashing into the water!

Video Credit: Extreme Unknown Facts

 

***CONTENT WARNING*** This is the same video, but the audio includes profanity so please be advised... 

Video Credit: nico bellic

 

 

 

-Rick DeLuca

https://www.facebook.com/RickDeLucaWeather

Rain Continues With a Few Storms Tonight

Monday has started rainy, cloudy, and generally gloomy. Don't expect that to change in the next day or so. This pesky low pressure doesn't leave us alone until Wednesday. 

As the Low spins closer to us tonight, we could see a few thunderstorms develop.  The best place to see those is west of I-65 and south of the Ohio River (closer to the Low).  This really only covers our southern and western WDRB counties, and it's important to know we are not under a risk for severe weather. 

We have weak instability and non-impressive wind shear, so don't expect tornadoes or damaging wind.  This is a good setup for small hail, so watch out for that tonight if you're in the area mentioned above. The National Weather Service is also advising "cold air funnels" will be possible tonight which are NOT the same as tornadoes. By definition a funnel cloud does not reach the ground which is why it's important to make the distinction between this and a tornado. 

From NWS Louisville:

"Cold air funnels form beneath showers or weak thunderstorms when the air aloft is especially cold.  The funnels are most common in the fall and spring when the sun is able to heat up the lower levels of the atmosphere, causing convection to bubble up and form showers, but temperatures around 15,000 to 20,000 feet above the ground are quite cold.  Cold air funnels are usually harmless(...)" 

The storms lose the instability overnight, so we switch back to scattered rain.  Tuesday's rain will be more isolated than Monday's. We won't see such a big area of rain. Instead there will be smaller showers scattered across Kentuckiana. 

That pattern continues all day Tuesday as the low pressure slides through our area. 

As it moves east, it could still bring us a few sprinkles early Wednesday.  Wednesday has a very small rain chance, though, so most of you will be dry all day. 

By the end of this event, 1"-2" of rain are possible.  The numbers below include the rain that has already fallen Monday. 

Bottom line: the clouds could look more scary tonight than they did this morning as rain continues to fall across the area. Marc and Rick will be in the weather center all night tracking any storms that pop up and alerting you to the threats those bring. WDRB News is on 4-5, 6-7, and 10-11:30. 

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-Hannah Strong

Happy Earth Day!

This is the 48th Earth Day where we work toward a cleaner environment.  On the first Earth Day (April 22, 1970) 20 million Americans took part in rallies for a more sustainable, healthy environment.  Senator Gaylord Nelson created the day to raise awareness about environmental dangers which lead to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the passing of the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. 

Image Credit: NASA

EarthDay.org put together this list of ways you can participate in making the environment cleaner: 

1. Join Earth Day Network’s campaign to End Plastic Pollution.
2. Reduce your carbon footprint and take our Carbon Footprint Quiz.
3. Plant a tree or donate a tree through our Canopy Project.
4. Join a local park, river or beach clean-up.
5. Use environmentally-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products.
6. Replace inefficient incandescent light bulbs with efficient CFLs or LEDs. Reduce your carbon footprint by 450 pounds a year.
7. Carpool, ride your bike, use public transportation or drive an electric or hybrid car. Reduce your carbon footprint by one pound for every mile you do not drive.
8. Keep your tires properly inflated and get better gas mileage. Reduce your carbon footprint 20 pounds for each gallon of gas saved.
9. Change your car’s air filter regularly.
10. Teleconference instead of traveling. If you fly five times per year, those trips are likely to account for 75% of your personal carbon footprint.
11. Stop using disposable plastics, especially single-use plastics like bottles, bags and straws.
12. Recycle paper, plastic and glass. Reduce your garbage by 10% and your carbon footprint by 1,200 pounds a year.
13. Donate your old clothes and home goods instead of throwing them out. When you need something, consider buying used items.
14. Use cloth towels instead of paper ones.
15. Change your paper bills to online billing. You’ll be saving trees and the fuel it takes to deliver your bills by truck.
16. Read documents online instead of printing them.
17. When you need to use paper, make sure it’s 100% post-consumer recycled paper.
18. Set your office printer to print two-sided.
19. Collect used printer, fax, and copier cartridges to recycle.
20. Convince your school district or office building to choose reusable utensils, trays, and dishes in the cafeteria.
21. Use reusable bottles for water, and reusable mugs for coffee.
22. Bring reusable bags when you shop.
23. Pack your lunch in a reusable bag.
24. Organize to have healthy, locally-sourced food served at in your school district.
25. Buy local food to reduce the distance from farm to fork. Buy straight from the farm, frequent your local farmers’ market, or join a local food co-op.
26. Buy organic food to keep your body and the environment free of toxic pesticides. Support farmers and companies who use organic ingredients.
27. Grow your own organic garden, or join a farm-share group.
28. Reduce your meat consumption to curb carbon emissions from the livestock industry.
29. Compost kitchen scraps for use in your garden — turning waste into fertilizer.
30. Take a shorter shower and use a water-saving shower head.
31. Fix leaky faucets and shower-heads.
32. Run your dishwasher only when it’s full to save water and energy.
33. Conserve water outdoors by only watering your lawn in the early morning or late at night. Use drought-resistant plants in dry areas.
34. Wash your clothes only when necessary, use cold water and line dry.
35. Form a “green team” at your office to find cost-effective ways to conserve resources and promote sustainability.
36. Volunteer for a local environmental group and/or make a donation.
37. Pull out invasive plants in your yard or garden and replace them with native ones.
38. Turn off and unplug electronics you’re not using. This includes turning off your computer at night.
39. Turn off lights when you leave a room.
40. Install solar panels on your roof.
41. Take the stairs instead of the elevator to save energy (and get exercise!).
42. Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer to reduce your carbon footprint by 2,000 pounds.
43. Lower the temperature on your water heater.
44. Contact your utility company and find out about renewable energy options.
45. Use energy-efficient appliances and electronics.

There are also some stores and chains offering deals for Earth Day! Click here to see those.  Share your pictures and plans with me using the links below of how you enjoyed Earth Day 2018.  Every small step you take and change you make helps us all work toward a cleaner environment! 

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-Hannah Strong

Rain Returning: Active Week Ahead!

SUMMARY:

After a gorgeous Saturday and Thunder Over Louisville... it all is changing today! Rain returns for some of the area this afternoon and spikes later tonight and tomorrow morning as a slow moving low pressure storm system approaches from the west. The low will track south of our viewing area, offering the heaviest rainfall totals for southern Kentucky. Lower totals will be expected as you go north. 

TIMING: 

With the low in its nearest proximity, our best rainfall chances will be later today for central KY and it will spread north tonight to include metro and southern IN into Monday morning. We will continue to see scattered showers that will be hit or miss through the rest of Monday afternoon/evening and a large chunk of Tuesday. Rain chances gradually taper off by Tuesday night as the low pressure storm system moves away.

Scroll through the images of Advancetrak to get an idea of showers for the next few days. 

Today:

Dry for now...

But showers will move slowly north into our southern counties by mid afternoon. 

And continue on and off through this evening. Rain is most likely from the KY Parkways and south, but could also be possible in a few communities to the west in southern Indiana.  

Tonight: 

Late tonight, rain will finally spread north and impact metro and our northern counties.  

Monday morning: 

It could be a soggy start to the day. Have the umbrella at the ready. Rain could be heavy at times and it will be rather widespread for a period of time. 

Rest of Monday: 

Rain tapers off a bit, by late morning and early afternoon, and it will be scattered showers, on and off for the rest of the day. 

Tuesday:

Hit or miss showers will continue into Tuesday. 

On and off.. 

...through Tuesday evening and finally ending by Tuesday night. 

RAINFALL TOTALS: 

Rainfall totals will be over a 48 hour+ period from this afternoon - Tuesday evening.  As mentioned above, southern parts of our viewing area will see the highest rain fall totals. This is due to duration and also because it will be closer to the low so there could be heavier rounds of rain leading to higher totals. South of the KY Parkways and a few areas in western S. IN (Jasper, Tell City, etc.) you could see 1-2'' of rain and locally higher amounts. Along 1-64 and metro, expect around 0.5''-1.5'' of rain and in the most northern part of our viewing area expect about 0.5-1'' of rain.  

Because this rain is spread out over a 48 hour period it should not cause any major flooding issues. Smaller streams, creeks, and low lands and flood prone areas could rise where the heavier rains are forecast. River forecasts may also see slower recessions in their forecasts, as this runoff precipitation impacts the broader basin over the next several days.

Be sure to join Hannah later this evening on WDRB News for the latest. She will have a radar update for you before you go to bed and what to expect for the rest of the work week. Jude will also have more for the Monday morning commute from 5-9 am. It could be a slow go to start off the week. Let's connect! The links to my social media pages are below! 

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-Katie McGraw 

Early Look at a Rainy Start to the Week

The weekend started beautifully with sun early Saturday and high temperatures in the 70s! Our next weather system is approaching, though.  A low pressure, with attached warm and cold fronts, brings rain to. Kentuckiana late Sunday.

The rain will be just southwest of our WDRB counties most of the day Sunday.  That means we will definitely see clouds, and our southwestern counties could see a few raindrops earlier than everyone else. 

The rain chances increases shortly before midnight.  The pattern of rain will be off and on showers, but some heavier downpours are possible.  You see those here in the yellow shading.

The rain chances continue (off and on) through the day Monday.  It's important to remember it won't rain on you all day, but the chance for rain continues all day. 

The low pressure actually makes it's appearance in Kentuckiana early Tuesday.  That means scattered rain showers will still continue (off and on) through the day Tuesday. 

Again, remember, this does not mean rain where you are all day.  It means the chance for rain exists all day, but the rain where you are will be off and on. 

This slow-moving system still has a few showers in the area Wednesday.  By Thursday a high pressure draws near and helps clear out the remaining moisture.  

FLOODING CONCERNS

Because the rain starts southwest of us, our southern and southwestern cities could see higher rain totals by the end of this event.  There is still a lot of disagreement between the long-range models shown here about rainfall totals.  I think most of you will see 0.5"-1.0" of rain Sunday night through Wednesday night.  Rivers are not flooded now, so I don't expect that will cause widespread river flooding.  If some spots get 2.0"-2.5" like the model suggests, we might need to reevaluate the flood potential. 

I'll have your forecast tonight at 10.  Then Katie will share the latest updates with you on WDRB In The Morning from 6 to 9 AM, and I will be back Sunday night to track the rain as it moves in.  

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-Hannah Strong

NOWCAST: Thunder Over Louisville Edition!

After a chilly and frosty (for some) start to the day... it is shaping up to be a beautiful Thunder Over Louisville! There are a few thin high clouds, creating filtered sunshine! With all this sun, we will warm into the upper 60s, even pushing 70 degrees! You will need the SPF today! Plus the shades!   

Notice that there is a disturbance out to our west and this move into our area for the second half of our weekend. We will have increasing clouds throughout the day into Sunday morning. But also notice the difference between our clouds in Kentuckiana and the clouds between St. Louis and Kansas City. We have thin and wispy clouds vs the thick white covering of clouds they have out west. 

You can see on Advancetrak, at the start of the air show, there will still be only a few mid level clouds around the region. 

In order to have a full vertical air show, our ceiling height needs to be at least 3,000 feet. Our cloud deck will be over that for the air show today, allowing for a full vertical show! It is currently 15,000+ but could drop later today as clouds increase. Temps will also be very mild, in the upper 60s! 

As the sun sets, clouds will start to increase ahead rapidly of the next disturbance and temps will begin to decrease. 

The fireworks start at 9:30 PM and it will be cooler by then. Be sure to have extra layers with you! Temps will be in the 50s and falling. For the firework show, winds become more significant than cloud cover. It looks like winds will be generally out of the east, which means it would drift down the river. Both the Kentucky or Indiana side will be good for viewing. But one spot you will not want to be is west of the downtown. There will technically be a fanning effect with the smoke drifting as winds change direction slightly at different levels of the atmosphere. 

Once the show wraps up, clouds will be much thicker and it will be mostly cloudy overnight. This will keep us more insulated overnight and therefore warmer across Kentuckiana. There is no threat for frost into Sunday morning. Everyone will be in the 40s to 50s. 

Rain returns tomorrow and remains in the forecast for most of the work week. For more details on that .... be sure to join Hannah this evening on WDRB News and yours truly on WDRB in the Morning from 6-9 am! Let's connect! The links to my pages are below! 

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-Katie McGraw