Civil Emergency Message from MSCEMA regarding flooding

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED...CORRECTED
CIVIL EMERGENCY MESSAGE
MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
332 PM CDT SAT APR 30 2011

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

FLOOD WARNING

ALL SHELBY RESIDENTS SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTION NOW...ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE WITHIN THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN OF RIVERS AND STREAMS...TO BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE HOMES AND BUSINESSES IF FLOODING OCCURS.

NEAR RECORD FLOODING IS FORECAST ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AS IT BORDERS SHELBY COUNTY.

A MESSAGE FROM THE SHELBY COUNTY MAYOR MARK H. LUTTRELL...THIS IS THE TIME TO GATHER ALL IMPORTANT ITEMS AND BE READY TO LEAVE YOUR PROPERTY. THERE IS A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY PORTIONS OF SHELBY COUNTY COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE RISING WATERS.

A C WHARTON...THE MAYOR OF MEMPHIS ADDED...WE WANT TO REASSURE OUR CITIZENS THAT DISASTER TEAMS ARE IN PLACE AND WILL BE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.

SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN ARE PREDICTED DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. RIVERS AND CREEKS ARE QUICKLY RISING IN THE WESTERN AREA OF SHELBY COUNTY AND WILL LIKELY BACK UP INTO NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR CREEKS AND STREAMS. FLOOD WATERS MAY ALSO RISE INTO NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH STORM DRAINS. CONDITIONS MAY WORSEN EACH DAY WITH THE CONTINUAL RISE OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

GO IMMEDIATELY TO HIGHER GROUND IF WATER STARTS TO RISE. AVOID FLOOD WATERS.

Recap of April 27-28 tornado outbreak

AP Photo, Tuscaloosa, AL

A tidal wave of information is available on the web and in the media surrounding what has become the deadliest tornado outbreak since the Great Depression (surpassing even the 1974 Super Outbreak).  There are so many sources and information, especially with regards to numbers, that it is nearly impossible to keep up, or even to know who or what is right.  In that vein, I have re-printed below a news article from the horse's mouth - NOAA.  Though it was released just yesterday afternoon, there are already a couple pieces of information that are outdated. I have updated those if I have a reputable source (updates in red). This is being published at 1pm Saturday, April 30.

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April 2011 tornado information
Updated, April 29, 2011, 4:50 p.m. EDT

April 27-28, 2011, tornado outbreak statistics

NOAA's preliminary estimate is that there were 211 tornadoes on April 27-28, 2011.

• During the multi-day period of April 26-28, The National Weather Service (NWS) estimates there were a total of 288 tornadoes.
• NWS issued outlooks five days in advance, watches hours in advance, and tornado warnings with an average lead time of 24 minutes. NWS issued warnings for more than 90 percent of these tornadoes.
• The largest previous number of tornadoes on record in one event occurred from April 3-4, 1974, with 148 tornadoes.

Current media reports indicate the death toll is 318 337 people, and rising. This makes the event the third second deadliest tornado outbreak on record [CNN].

• The April 27-28, 2011, tornado outbreak is the deadliest since the March 21, 1932 March 18, 1925 tornado outbreak that had 332 747 fatalities [CNN].
• Based on combined NOAA, historical research records and current fatality estimates, the April 27-28, 2011, tornado outbreak ranks 6th in single day total fatalities in the United States history. The historic research records extend back to 1680.
• The deadliest single tornado on record was the Tri-State Tornado (Mo., Ill., Ind.) on March 18, 1925, when 695 died.
• Based on combined NOAA and historical research records, the deadliest single day for tornadoes was March 18, 1925, with 747 fatalities across 7 states (including the Tri-State Tornado).

Month of April 2011 (and record monthly) tornado statistics

NWS’s preliminary estimate is that there have been more than 600 tornadoes thus far during the month of April 2011.

• The previous record number of tornadoes during the month of April was 267 tornadoes set in April 1974.
• The previous record number of tornadoes during any month was 542 tornadoes set in May 2003.
• The average number of tornadoes for the month of April during the past decade is around 160.

2011 Year-to-Date (and record annual) statistics

NWS’s preliminary estimate is that there have been 835 tornadoes so far this year.

• The previous yearly record number of tornadoes was set in 2004 with 1,817.
• May is historically the most active month for tornadoes.

Tornado reports for April 2011 - more than 600

"Rotation tracks" for April 27, 2011 - tracks of storms that were rotating (not necessarily producing tornadoes).  Click here for more information.

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