Southern Skies Storm Chasing

10/14/2026

🌪️ SOUTHERN SKIES WEATHER BRIEFING | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14

The atmosphere is staying warm and moisture-rich across central Arkansas today, with scattered showers and thunderstorms possible through the day.

📡 THE SETUP:
🌡️ Temperatures approaching 90°F
💧 High humidity and warm surface conditions
🌧️ Morning showers possible
⛈️ Additional thunderstorm development possible this afternoon

🔎 WHAT WE'RE WATCHING:
The primary focus today is on afternoon convective development and whether any storms become locally strong. The National Weather Service has highlighted the potential for isolated storms to become briefly strong to severe in portions of northern Arkansas, with gusty to strong thunderstorm winds being the main concern.

That does not mean severe weather is expected everywhere. Storm intensity and coverage will depend on how conditions evolve throughout the day.

🚗 CHASER REMINDER:
Don't chase the forecast alone. Watch radar trends, monitor official warnings, and assess road conditions before repositioning. Never let a developing storm turn a safe intercept into a dangerous one.

And yes, it's mid-October. Apparently, the atmosphere is still negotiating its summer vacation extension. 😂

We'll be watching the trends as the day progresses. Stay weather-aware, keep your situational awareness sharp, and remember: the best chase is the one where everybody makes it home.

10/12/2026

10/11/2026

🌪️ HISTORIC SUNDAYS | OCTOBER 11, 1846

⚓ THE GREAT HAVANA HURRICANE

Imagine standing in Key West, Florida, in October 1846. There are no weather satellites, no Doppler radar, no hurricane hunter aircraft, and no modern warning systems.

Then the ocean begins coming into town.

On October 11, 1846, one of the most destructive hurricanes of the 19th century tore through Havana, Cuba, and the Florida Keys.

🌊 THE DESTRUCTION

According to historical records, approximately five feet of water rushed through the center of Key West at an estimated six miles per hour.

Nearly all of the town's roughly 600 houses were unroofed or blown down. The harbor was filled with wrecked vessels, and the Key West Lighthouse was destroyed.

Fourteen people died at the Key West Lighthouse. The nearby Sand Key Lighthouse was also destroyed, killing six people.

The storm's destruction was so severe that a contemporary observer described Key West as being left in ruins.

🌡️ THE METEOROLOGY

Historical barometric observations from Havana recorded an exceptionally low pressure during the hurricane. A later NOAA historical analysis revised the often-quoted reading from 27.06 to 27.70 inches of mercury.

Remember, this was 1846. Weather observations depended on instruments, ships, and people reporting what they experienced. Reconstructing the storm's exact intensity using modern standards is difficult.

🌪️ WHY THIS STORM MATTERS

Today, we track hurricanes using satellites, aircraft reconnaissance, ocean buoys, computer models, and advanced forecasting systems.

In 1846, communities had none of those advantages.

The Great Havana Hurricane is a sobering reminder that hurricanes have always possessed tremendous destructive power—and that understanding the atmosphere and communicating warnings can save lives.

📅 October 11, 1846
📍 Havana, Cuba, and Key West, Florida

Welcome back to Historic Sundays, where we explore the remarkable events that shaped weather history.

What historical weather event should we investigate next?

10/09/2026

🌩️ SOUTHERN SKIES WEATHER BRIEFING
TROPICAL MOISTURE, ARKANSAS HEAT & THE WEEKEND OUTLOOK

Good Morning!

Let's look beyond the temperature and talk about what's happening in the atmosphere.

🌡️ CENTRAL ARKANSAS: TODAY

Expect mostly sunny skies with temperatures climbing into the lower 90s. Rain chances remain very low today.

🌀 SATURDAY: WATCHING THE MOISTURE

Hurricane Isaias and its associated tropical moisture are part of the larger weather picture we're monitoring.

For Central Arkansas, the current forecast indicates a chance of showers Saturday afternoon into the evening, with precipitation chances around 55%.

A few important distinctions:

💧 More moisture does not automatically mean widespread rainfall.

🌬️ Tropical moisture alone does not guarantee severe thunderstorms.

⛈️ Storm development depends on how moisture, instability, lift and wind profiles come together.

📡 WHAT ARE WE MONITORING?

• The track and evolution of Isaias
• The northward transport of tropical moisture
• Cloud cover and daytime heating
• Atmospheric instability and vertical wind shear
• The timing and coverage of any developing showers or storms

These ingredients help us determine whether the result is simply scattered showers or whether stronger convection becomes possible.

☀️ SUNDAY

Current guidance brings sunshine and another hot day, with temperatures approaching 92°.

October apparently skipped the memo about autumn. 😂

🌪️ LET'S TALK METEOROLOGY!

When evaluating a tropical system's influence hundreds of miles inland, which do you examine first?

A. Moisture transport
B. Instability and CAPE
C. Wind shear and storm-relative helicity
D. Large-scale forcing and upper-level dynamics

Tell us your answer and why in the comments! Let's get a real weather discussion going.

Southern Skies Storm Chasing
Watching the skies. Chasing the science. Telling the story.

10/07/2026

🌪️ TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS: THE GULF COAST NEEDS TO PAY ATTENTION

What started yesterday as Tropical Depression Nine has now become Tropical Storm Isaias — and this system is becoming increasingly important for the Gulf Coast.

The National Hurricane Center is forecasting Isaias to strengthen rapidly, with hurricane intensity expected Thursday as the system moves north through the Gulf.

🌀 SO WHAT ARE WE WATCHING?

The ingredients are coming together for significant strengthening:

🌡️ Very warm Gulf waters
💧 A deep tropical moisture supply
🌬️ Favorable upper-level conditions
🌀 A strengthening, organized circulation
📉 Falling central pressure

The latest forecast has Isaias moving toward the northern Gulf Coast Friday.

And this is where things get serious.

🌊 COASTAL IMPACTS

For communities along the northern Gulf Coast, the biggest concerns will be:

🌊 Storm surge
💨 Hurricane-force winds
🌧️ Torrential rainfall
🌊 Coastal flooding
🌪️ Tornadoes
⚡ Power outages and infrastructure damage

And remember — a hurricane doesn't have to make a direct hit on your community to create dangerous conditions.

Rain bands can extend well away from the center, and tropical systems can produce tornadoes in their outer bands where low-level shear becomes favorable.

🔬 FOR THE WEATHER NERDS & CHASERS

This is the part we're watching closely.

As Isaias approaches the coast, we're going to be watching the interaction between:

🌀 The tropical circulation
🌬️ Low-level shear
📈 Storm-relative helicity
💧 Boundary-layer moisture
🌡️ Instability
🗺️ Any nearby frontal boundaries

That combination can become particularly interesting for tornado potential on the eastern and northeastern side of a landfalling tropical system.

For storm chasers, this isn't necessarily about chasing the eyewall.

The real meteorological story may be in the outer rain bands.

📡 THE FORECAST WILL CHANGE

The exact landfall location, intensity and structure will continue to change as we get better data.

Don't focus on one model run.

Watch the trends.

Watch the center.

Watch the pressure.

Watch the wind field.

And most importantly, listen to the National Hurricane Center and your local National Weather Service office if you're in the threat area.

If you're along the Gulf Coast and anywhere near the projected path, NOW is the time to make sure you're prepared.

Don't wait until the storm is at your doorstep.

👀 SOUTHERN SKIES WILL BE WATCHING.

We'll be tracking the satellite presentation, model trends, reconnaissance data, radar and environmental conditions as this system evolves.

If you're following Isaias, tell us where you're watching from.

📍 Gulf Coast residents — where are you?

🌪️ Storm chasers — are you watching the setup?

🌦️ Weather enthusiasts — what part of this system has your attention?

Drop your location and thoughts below. 👇

Southern Skies Storm Chasing
Watching the skies. Chasing the science. Telling the story.

10/06/2026

🌩️ GOOD EVENING, SOUTHERN SKIES!

We know we’ve been a little quieter than usual the last couple of days, but there’s a good reason for it.

It’s Fire Prevention Week, and my wife and I have been spending time at several schools doing fire prevention presentations.

We’re both members of Liberty Fire, and getting to spend time with these kids has been an awesome experience. 🚒🔥

One of my favorite parts has been watching some of the little girls get so excited when they see my wife and find out that she is a firefighter.

For some of them, seeing a woman working as a firefighter is something completely new.

And watching that realization hit them — “I can do this too” — is pretty damn cool. ❤️🚒

That’s what community service is all about.

🌡️ NOW, LET'S TALK WEATHER

We’ve had a warmer stretch over the last couple of days, but the pattern isn't staying locked in.

We’re watching the next several days for changes in temperatures, moisture and atmospheric conditions as we transition toward a more seasonable pattern.

For us as storm chasers, the interesting part isn't just whether it rains or doesn't rain.

We're watching the ingredients.

🌡️ Temperature trends
💧 Moisture availability
💨 Wind profiles
🌬️ Low-level humidity
🔥 Fuel conditions
⛈️ Convective potential

And speaking of fire...

🔥 FIRE PREVENTION TIP

If you're planning an outdoor fire, don't just look at the temperature.

Wind, humidity and fuel conditions can make a huge difference in how quickly a fire spreads.

A calm-looking afternoon can change quickly, especially when wind increases or dry vegetation is present.

Before you burn, check your local restrictions and current weather conditions. And NEVER leave a fire unattended.

Weather awareness isn't just about thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Sometimes the most important forecast is the one that tells you when NOT to light the match.

We'll be back to our normal weather coverage soon.

Until then, stay safe, stay weather aware, and keep an eye on the sky. 🌩️

Southern Skies Storm Chasing
Watching the skies. Chasing the science. Telling the story.

Send a message to learn more

10/04/2026

10/04/2026

🌪️ HISTORIC SUNDAYS 🌪️

Welcome to the first edition of **Historic Sundays** from Southern Skies Storm Chasing.

Every Sunday, we're going to take a look back at something remarkable that happened in the world of weather on that exact date in history.

And we're starting with one hell of an event.

🌪️ **OCTOBER 4, 1998 — OKLAHOMA**

On this date in 1998, Oklahoma experienced what the National Weather Service describes as the **greatest October tornado outbreak in Oklahoma history.**

A total of **28 tornadoes** tore across central and eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening.

One particularly powerful supercell produced **five strong or violent tornadoes**, including an **F5 tornado** that tracked from near Amber through Newcastle, Moore, Del City and Midwest City.

Think about that for a moment.

**October.**

While much of the country is settling into fall, this part of the Plains was experiencing a tornado outbreak more commonly associated with the heart of spring storm season.

For storm chasers, events like this are a reminder that severe weather doesn't simply follow the calendar.

When the right ingredients come together — instability, moisture, wind shear, and a strong enough forcing mechanism — the atmosphere can put on one hell of a show.

🌪️ **28 tornadoes.**
📅 **October 4, 1998.**
📍 **Central & Eastern Oklahoma.**

That's where we're starting our journey through weather history.

**Welcome to Historic Sundays.**

Send a message to learn more