A textbook trough with embedded shortwave trough will traverse the Canadian Prairies on Friday, August 11, yielding favorable CAPE and shear for tornadic supercells over southeast Saskatchewan. Substantially directional and speed shear will prevail where the mid-level jet streak and low-level jet coincide. CAPE values of 3000 J/kg and greater will also develop by mid-late afternoon, setting the stage for potentially explosive supercell development. I (Reed) attempted to find someone to accompany me on the 27 hour drive to my target area in Saskatchewan, but failed to do so. I am very tempted to fly solo on this chase, but it could be physically impossible to endure a 27 hour drive followed by a 4-6 hour stormchase without sleep. Updates will follow as this event unfolds, and if a tornado outbreak occurs, Joel's profile may be deleted from this site, as his stormchasing range is in question!

As seen above, a 50 knot mid-level jet streak will be superimposed on a 30-40 knot low-level jet and 3000+ J/kg CAPE axis. I should have left Wednesday.

An incredible supercell has been churning across the high plains of Alberta today (Thursday) for the last few hours. Definitely a sign of things to come tomorrow. It appears that additional supercells may form along a line south of this monster as well. This storm also has split twice, confirming its supercell characteristics, and likely has baseball or larger hailstones.

Super Typhoon Saomai, a category 5 tropical cyclone by Atlantic Ocean standards, is tracking towards the China coast at 20 mph. The powerful typhoon will make landfall just south of Shanghai around midnight EDT, with the highly populated city of Wenshou (2.5 million) directly in its path. Saomai is packing sustained winds of 160 mph, and was located 150 nm west-southwest of Naha, Okinawa as of 4 pm EDT according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Average wave heights in the vicinity of the storm were reported at 40 feet. The last tropical cyclone of this intensity to make landfall on the U.S. coast was Andrew in 1992 (Katrina was a category 3 at landfall).