Another chance of severe storms Thursday

Thursday’s Severe Thunderstorm Forecast map (Photo from www.Weather.com)

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service and www.Weather.com are predicting the chance again for severe weather in our region this afternoon and into the evening.

These storms have the potential to bring damaging wind gusts, hail, heavy rain and the chance of tornadoes, although with this complex storm system it is hard to predict how severe the weather will be, but the ingredients for thunderstorms are in place over our region.

Some meteorologists are calling this another severe thunderstorm and tornado outbreak that started yesterday, but so far only thunderstorm warnings and tornado watches have been issued with this system.  There are currently no weather advisories issued for Northeast Texas, but we will monitor this activity as it approaches from our west.

There will be showers early in the day today, which could cool down our atmosphere and not allow the storms this afternoon to reach the severity that they could in warmer temperatures, but it is quite likely that it will storm this evening, however, too early to say how severe these storms will be.  Keep an eye on the Extra! for updates as they are made available.

To sign up for the eParis Extra! Text Alert System, which will alert you if any warnings are issued for Lamar County, send you cell phone number to josh@eparistexas.com.

There is another slight chance of thunderstorm activity on Saturday, shown in the photo below.  This prediction could change as the current system moves through.  More to follow soon on Saturday’s forecast.

Saturday’s Thunderstorm Forecast map (Photo from www.Weather.com)

Salvation Army releases National Fact Sheet of their response to Oklahoma tornado disaster

The Salvation Army – National Fact Sheet

Oklahoma Tornadoes – May 21, 2013

Updates

The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) is providing food, beverage, and spiritual support to survivors and first responders following the severe tornado activity in Moore, OK and surrounding impacted areas on May 20.

• The Salvation Army is on the ground in Moore, OK, with multiple disaster response units (canteens) and personnel coordinating with Local and State Emergency Management to serve first responders and those affected by the tornado.

• Canteens involved in the response from Oklahoma include:
• • Central Oklahoma Area Command (Oklahoma City)
  • Ardmore
  • Enid
  • Lawton
  • McAlester
  • Muskogee

• • Disaster response teams from Pine Bluff, Jonesboro, and Hot Springs, Arkansas are en route to the Oklahoma City metropolitan area to assist in response.
  • Personnel from across the Arkansas and Oklahoma Division are also traveling to the area to form a Divisional Incident Command Team, which helps coordinate the overall response for The Salvation Army.
  • The Salvation Army is continuing to provide service to hard-hit areas from Monday’s and the weekend’s storms, which include:

• • In Pottawatomie County: The McAlester, OK and Shawnee, OK disaster response teams served multiple locations in the Shawnee area, including devastated neighborhoods and rural areas throughout the night and day. 

• • In Lincoln County: The Enid, OK canteen provided breakfast, lunch & dinner to the Carney, OK area throughout the early morning hours and all day Monday.

• • In Cleveland County: The Central Oklahoma Area Command Disaster Service Unit responded to the Little Axe area with breakfast, lunch & dinner yesterday.  The Salvation Army was responding, even as one of our Salvation Army family member’s home was destroyed.

Monetary donations are the most critical need, as supplies and personnel are mobilized.

• Donors are encouraged to give online at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).
• You can also text the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation through your mobile phone; to confirm your gift, respond with the word “Yes.”*
• Donations in the form of checks designated to Oklahoma Tornado Relief may also be mailed to:

The Salvation Army

PO Box 12600

Oklahoma City, OK 73157

YOUR DONATIONS MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE!

• A $10 donation feeds a disaster survivor for one day.

• A $30 donation provides one food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies

• A $100 donation can serve snacks and drinks for 125 survivors and emergency personnel at the scene of a disaster

• A $250 donation can provide one hot meal to 100 people or keep a hydration station operational for 24 hours

• A $500 donation keeps a Salvation Army canteen (mobile feeding unit) fully operational for one day

  For the latest updates on The Salvation Army’s response to this disaster, please visit http://blog.salvationarmyusa.org, www.facebook.com/salvationarmyusa or www.twitter.com/salvationarmyus.

Salvation Army Statements

Major Steve Morris, Arkansas-Oklahoma Divisional Commander

• “The devastation is far reaching in both human life, property and livestock loss. The Salvation Army is honored to serve and provide sustenance to first responders involved in search and rescue, coordination efforts and more. And, of course, all survivors will be provided spiritual and emotional care to help them through this tragic time.”
• “The Salvation Army is calling on everyone to pray for all of those impacted by the devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma.”
•  “Many of these impacted communities will take months or even years to recover. The Salvation Army is committed to being there with them throughout and providing aid wherever it’s needed.”

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

*A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Message & Data Rates May Apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and TMobile. By participating you certify that you agree to the terms and conditions, that you are 18 yrs. or older, or have parental permission, and have authorization from the account holder. Donations are collected for the benefit of The Salvation Army by the Innovative Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at igfn.org/t. Privacy policy: igfn.org/p. Text STOP to 80888 to stop; Text HELP to 80888 for help.

Thunderstorms roll through Paris

This photo — facing west — shows a shelf cloud as it moves over downtown at around 3:10pm on Tuesday, May 21. (Photo by Josh Allen, eParis Extra!)

As predicted, it did storm on Tuesday afternoon and by 3pm, the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Lamar County.

While these storms were a part of a weather system that has been considered a tornado and severe thunderstorm outbreak since Sunday, the severity lessened as they approached Northeast Texas.

(Photo by Josh Allen, eParis Extra!)

There was reason to worry though, these storms had potential to be worse, and Paris schools, as well as many other schools in the region, sent students home early due to the threat of the severe weather with this storm system — preparing to avoid a situation like Moore, Oklahoma, where a massive tornado devastated the suburb of Oklahoma City, claiming the lives of 24 — 9 of which were children.  (Click here to read about the devastation brought by the Tornado Outbreak of May 19-21 — from www.Weather.com.)

Although the storms that we saw today were a part of this exact system that dropped tornadoes in several states since Sunday, there were no tornadoes reported in the Northeast Texas region with this storm system, but it did bring a very severe storm unleashing damaging winds and dropping hail and heavy rains on Paris and Lamar County before continuing its trek eastward.

There was minor damage around Paris from this storm and lucky for us, much of the severity of this storm system had lessened.  The weather pattern will now trudge east and the skies should clear after midnight, although it would be safe to stay alert.

According to meteorologists with www.Weather.com, the forecast for Lamar County tomorrow (Wednesday, May 22) is sunny all day with a high temperature of 87 degrees.

This photo shows a tree thrown through the side of a house on FM 196, northeast of Paris, after the severe thunderstorm went through Lamar County on Tuesday, May 21. (Submitted photo)

Paris Fire Department personnel responded to a house in Morningside that was struck by lightning during the storm on Tuesday. (Submitted photo)

Paris firefighters also responded to a different house in Morningside that was on fire directly after the storm. The fire could have possibly been started by lightning. (Submitted photo)

(Photo by Josh Allen, eParis Extra!)

Paris ISD to dismiss 30 minutes early Tuesday due to severe weather

Paris ISD Superintendent Paul Jones and Robert High made a decision to dismiss campuses 30 minutes early Tuesday. The PHS Choral Concert was canceled as well.

Severe weather likely Tuesday

This photo shows the thunderstorm forecast for TODAY, Tuesday, May 21 — severe is in red shading. (Photo from www.Weather.com)

Meteorologists are predicting a likely severe weather potential for our region this afternoon and this evening.

According to the www.Weather.com, we have an 80% chance of strong thunderstorms today and tonight.  Paris and other areas of Northeast Texas are under a Tornado Watch until 7pm and many communities in the path of this storm are already taking precautionary measures.

These storms are a part of the system that many meteorologists have considered to be a severe thunderstorm and tornado outbreak.  This storm system dropped tornadoes in at least five states starting on Sunday, May 19, and has led to the devastation of several Oklahoma communities with Moore, Oklahoma taking the worst hit.  (Click the link to track the severe weather on www.weather.com as it happens now.)

There is a moderate potential for tornadoes today with some of these storms.  Severe thunderstorms likely to produce damaging winds, hail, lightning, heavy rains and some tornadoes are likely this afternoon and evening.  The exact timing is difficult to predict at this moment, but you will be updated as a more precise forecast is available.

Severe storms are imminent today and this evening.  Be alert and take precautions.

To stay safe, many schools in our region have called to have parents pick their children up, as this afternoon and evening looks to be when the severity will approach our area.

Please sign up to the eParis Extra! Text Alert System, which will alert you at any time a severe weather alert is cast for our area.  Just send your cell phone number to josh@eparistexas.com.  (We will not disclose your number to anyone and will not use it for any other reason than to send weather alerts.)

It is safe to say that it will storm — with the high likelihood of severe storms — sometime possibly this afternoon and/or evening.  Stay alert and be prepared to take shelter.  Check the Extra! for any weather updates as they are made available.