UPDATE: The Map Widget has been restored to full status.
It seems that something …

Today’s severe outbreak is setting up. However tomorrow could be the bigger severe event in Oklahoma. It’s going to depend on what happens this evening and if there are outflow boundaries leftover from today’s storms.

We thought it might be a good idea to create a special page on StormChase.com with a link to all the Spotter Network widget’s running around out there. So send us the link to the page where you’ve installed your widget and sometime in the near future, we’ll get that put together and update it once a month (or so).

Things are getting a bit punchy in Oklahoma at this hour. SPC issued a Mesoscale Discussion just a short time ago – Tornado Watch will likely follow shortly.

Over the past decade a lot of technological innovations has changed the way we chase storms. While I still consider ham radio communications to be an extremely important part of my chase rig for emergency communications, I no longer depend on my ICOM dual-band radio as much as I did just five storm seasons ago.

Oklahoma University and the National Weather Center cut the ceremonial ribbon on the first NWS quality Dual-Polarization radar this week.

The map widget is an overwhelming success. In the past month it has averaged 4 new users per day. That may not sound like a huge number, but considering the number of chasers/spotters out there and those who are using SN – we’re thrilled with those results. We obviously don’t want to create projects that people don’t like and a lot of people have written in with their appreciation for the widget as well as their recommendations for improvement.

Tornado watches are currently in effect from Louisiana to the east coast of Florida and tornado warnings are lighting up the map across the gulf states.

The DOD recently revealed a new vehicle specifically designed for use in the harsh war-torn environment in Afghanistan, but maybe someday there will be some hope that these vehicles can be acquired for use by private citizens, just as the original Hummer was. Why? Because it would be the perfect vehicle to hunt down nature’s most violent storms.

There is a Moderate Risk for severe storms this morning spanning across much of the south as a major tornadic event is currently organizing into what appears will be a widespread event.