Be prepared for severe weather today

UPDATE, 8:20 a.m.:  Meteorologist Kerry Dean adds this very important bit of information - for which I thank him: "All SPC and NWS outlooks. watches, etc. use solid lines. Storms do not respect those lines so please don't forget, if you live in OR NEAR a watch box be prepared."  Thank you, Kerry!

As of 7:55 a.m. this morning, the Storm Prediction Center has all of the Tri-State area under at least a MODERATE risk of severe weather, with the east and southeast portions of the area under a HIGH risk.

Now is the time to know what you will do in case of severe weather, folks.  The time for suggesting this is long past, now I INSIST that you have a NOAA Weather Radio in your possession and ready to help warn you of any and all watches and warnings which may be issued today.

In addition, after the jump, I've posted an explanation from the National Weather Service in Paducah of what a Particularly Dangerous Situation watch is, and how it differs from your "garden variety" severe thunderstorm watch or tornado watch.

Any new watches which are issued today will scroll across your computer screen directly below the banner at the top here at JDTVB.  You can also find a handy weather radar on the Weather page, and weather radio info on the NOAA Weather Radio page.

Please, folks ... be watchful today, and stay safe, wherever you may be.

...THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION CONVECTIVE
WATCHES ISSUED BY THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER...

THERE ARE RARE OCCASIONS WHEN THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OKLAHOMA WILL ISSUE TORNADO OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES EMPHASIZING THAT THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THESE UNIQUE P D S OR PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION CONVECTIVE WATCHES ARE ISSUED WHEN THERE IS A WIDESPREAD AND SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

THIS SPECIFIC WORDING IS USED IN RARE SITUATIONS WHEN LONG LIVED...STRONG...E F 2 OR E F 3...AND VIOLENT...E F 4 OR E F 5... TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. THE ENHANCED WORDING MAY ALSO BE FOUND IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES FOR EXCEPTIONALLY INTENSE AND WELL ORGANIZED CONVECTIVE WIND STORMS...SUCH AS DERECHOES.

THE DECISION TO ISSUE A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION OR P D S CONVECTIVE WATCH IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER FORECASTER WHEN ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE QUITE HAZARDOUS. P D S WATCHES ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE ISSUED IN A HIGH RISK AREA IDENTIFIED IN A CONVECTIVE OUTLOOKS ISSUED BY THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN ACTUAL P D S EVENT.

SEVERAL P D S TORNADO WATCHES WERE ISSUED FOR THE APRIL 27TH 2011 TORNADO OUTBREAK THAT COVERED PARTS OF MISSISSIPPI...ALABAMA...GEORGIA... TENNESSEE AND THE CAROLINAS. ON THAT DATE...NEARLY 200 TORNADOES WERE REPORTED RESULTING IN 316 FATALITIES. EIGHTEEN OF THESE TORNADOES WERE CONSIDERED VIOLENT...E F 4 AND E F 5.

IF YOU FIND YOUR HOME...SCHOOL OR BUSINESS IS PLACED UNDER A P D S WATCH...MAKE SURE YOUR EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS ARE READY FOR IMMEDIATE USE. IF A TORNADO OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS ISSUED...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT WASTE TIME LOOKING FOR THREATENING WEATHER...YOU MAY END UP LOSING YOUR LIFE.