National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Heavy to Excessive Rainfall in the Southeast U.S.; Critical Fire Weather in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest

A slow-moving storm system will continue to produce widespread heavy showers and thunderstorms which may bring excessive rainfall and flooding as it tracks across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions today into Wednesday. Gusty winds and dry fuels under potential record setting temperatures will support widespread critical fire weather in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest today. Read More >

How to report severe weather:

Via email at, ggw.wxreport@noaa.gov

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Calling: 1-800-775-5771 or (406) 228-4042

When to send a storm report?

When you can do safely, please send us a report when you observe one or more of the following:

 

Tornado

 

Hail (with size)

0.25" or less - Pea

0.50" - Mothball

0.75" - Dime/Penny

0.88" - Nickel

1.00" - Quarter

1.25" - Half Dollar

1.50" - Walnut/Ping Pong

1.75" - Golf Ball

2.00" - Hen Egg

2.50" - Tennis Ball

2.75" - Baseball

3.00" - Tea Cup

4.00" - Grapefruit

4.50" - Softball

 

Wind damage

Flooding

Snowfall

Rainfall

 

Definitions:

 

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air, usually pendant to a cumulonimbus, with circulation reaching the ground. It nearly always starts as a funnel cloud and may be accompanied by a loud roaring noise. On a local scale, it is the most destructive of all atmospheric phenomena.

 

Severe Thunderstorm: A thunderstorm that produces a tornado, winds of at least 58 mph (50 knots), and/or hail at least 1" in diameter. Structural wind damage may imply the occurrence of a severe thunderstorm. A thunderstorm wind equal to or greater than 40 mph (35 knots) and/or hail of at least ½" is defined as approaching severe.

 

Flash Flood: A flood which is caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time, generally less than 6 hours. Also, at times a dam failure can cause a flash flood, depending on the type of dam and time period during which the break occurs.

 

Please include in your report, the location (town and county) and time/date that the severe weather occurred.

 

If you can supply a picture of the severe weather you are experiencing, please do.