Latest news with #Husted
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
What is the weakest wind speed for a tornado?
LEWIS COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tornadoes can be extremely destructive and dangerous with winds reaching in excess of 200 miles per hour. However, have you ever wondered what the weakest tornado is? The Enhanced Fujita Scale is used to determine the severity of tornadoes: from an EF-0, the weakest, to an EF-5, the strongest. According to the scale, an EF-0 tornado has winds ranging from 65 to 85 mph. One might think this would answer the question and the weakest possible tornado has minimum wind gusts of 65 mph, but it doesn't. EXPLAINER: How tornadoes get their ratings Recently, the National Weather Service in Nashville confirmed an EF-0 tornado in northern Lewis County with maximum wind gusts of 60 mph. The maximum wind speed of 60 mph was the lowest that any of the News 2 meteorologists have seen within a tornado. So, the Weather Authority team asked about it. According to Ryan Husted, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Nashville, the tornado was caught on camera, so there's no question it occurred. VIDEO: EF-0 tornado confirmed on June 6 in Maury County 'During the event, we were watching a webcam and you could see it there, you could see the little funnel spinning on the ground, and there was a funnel cloud or at least a wall cloud hanging down from that storm,' recalled Husted. 'So obviously there's something there, I just can't find significant damage so I can rate it. So that's why we went with that low wind speed.' Husted added the area in northern Lewis County has very little road access and was mostly private property, so getting to potential damage would have been extremely difficult. He told News 2 he has given a tornado a rating this low once before. ⏩ In fact, there is such a thing as a tornado being rated an EF-U, where the 'U' stands for Unknown. This is commonly given to tornadoes that were caught on video but caused no damage. However, Husted said the National Weather Service office in Nashville doesn't rate tornadoes as EF-Us to keep local records consistent. The definition of a tornado is a violently rotating column of air, and with no exact boundaries, a tornado could be weaker than 65 mph and stronger than 200 mph, according to Husted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Bonnaroo weather safety: What you need to know
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tens of thousands of music fans are expected to descend on Manchester, Tennessee, this week. Bonnaroo begins on Thursday, June 12, and runs through Sunday. Many of the thousands attending the festival will be sleeping outside in tents, and this is why the National Weather Service in Nashville is watching the forecast closely. According to Ryan Husted, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Nashville, they are working with local emergency management offices and giving them forecast briefings with the latest weather information. Local agencies prepared for Bonnaroo traffic ahead of festival Husted said it seems like every year the festival is impacted by the weather. He said in 2024, it was the heat, humidity, and a couple of thunderstorms. With so many people essentially living outside, it doesn't take a powerful storm to cause a lot of problems. 'It wouldn't take wind speeds that high to start causing some sort of damage and potentially striking people. So, the impacts could be high, and it doesn't necessarily have to be a severe thunderstorm or tornado,' Husted told News 2. Husted said he doesn't expect any extreme heat this year, but there could be some thunderstorms, especially on Saturday and Sunday. He said if a thunderstorm is going to impact Manchester, the safest place to go is your car. 'My advice is going to be to get in your vehicle. When there are damaging winds in the area and even lightning, without many substantial shelters around and so many people in the area, my advice is going to be to get in your vehicle,' Said Husted. Bonnaroo co-founder dies days before festival Even though it isn't expected to be that hot, Husted said it's important to stay hydrated and to take breaks in the shade. He said sunburn can be a big problem, and to remember to wear sunscreen and where light colored clothing. The News 2 Weather Authority team is forecasting low rain chances on Thursday and Friday and medium rain chances for the weekend. Temperatures are forecast to be in the mid and upper 80s with elevated humidity. Right now, it doesn't look like there will be any severe weather, but like Husted said, it doesn't take much wind to pick up and blow around tents, chairs, and umbrellas. Don't forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How many tornadoes has Tennessee had so far? Why 2025 is already considered an 'above normal' year
It's been a busy year for tornadoes in Tennessee. Thus far in 2025 the Volunteer State has exceeded its 30-year average, although the majority have been of the weak, short-lived and small path length variety, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Ryan Husted in an email to the Tennessean. There have been eight tornadoes this year considered "strong" — rated EF-2 or higher. This includes two EF-3 tornadoes with winds between 136-165 mph and six EF-2 tornadoes with winds between 111-135 mph. Although the spring tornado season has come to a close, that doesn't mean the state won't observe more tornadoes in the fall or even in the summer. Here's what to know about the active tornado season and what else Tennesseans can expect. Tennessee has observed 46 total tornadoes so far in 2025, with the most recent impacting East Tennessee on May 31, said Husted. The EF-0 tornado touched down in Union County and caused five injuries. To date, the worst tornadoes to impact Tennessee in 2025 have been the two tornadoes that hit Grand Junction and Selmer in southwest Tennessee, both of which were rated EF-3 with maximum winds of 160 mph. "This would be classified as an 'above normal' year already," said Husted. Over the last 30 years Tennessee has averaged 31 tornadoes. According to historical data from the weather service, dated from 1995 to 2024, Middle Tennessee typically experiences the most tornadoes of the three regions, averaging 10 annually, while West and East Tennessee average six and three tornadoes per year, respectively. Tennessee sees most of its tornadoes from March to May, according to the weather service. As the seasons transition from the cold air of winter to the warm air of spring and summer, the mixture between the contrasting air masses can lead to the formation of tornadoes, potentially causing significant damage. Tennessee also experiences a secondary tornado season in the fall, which occurs due to the main polar jet stream shifting southward as fall transitions into winter. According to the weather service, this season begins in October, peaks in November and ends in December. Despite several major tornado events during the secondary season — including the deadly Dec. 9, 2023 tornadoes and the November 2018 tornado outbreak — the fall season is significantly less active than the spring season. Overall, the state usually sees one severe weather event each fall, added Husted, although in recent years it has happened more frequently in December. "We also can't rule out tornadoes during the summer in Tennessee, though they are much less frequent than the Fall/early Winter, and of course the Spring," he said. April 27, 2011 (30 tornadoes) April 3, 1974 (24 tornadoes) Jan. 30, 2013 (24 tornadoes) May 6-7, 1984 (18 tornadoes) Dec. 10-11, 2021 (16 tornadoes) May 18, 1995 (15 tornadoes) May 4, 2021 (14 tornadoes) Feb. 5-6, 2008 (14 tornadoes) May 4-5, 2003 (14 tornadoes) Nov. 15, 2005 (13 tornadoes) April 29, 1909 (62 deaths) Nov. 20, 1990 (41 deaths) April 3, 1974 (38 deaths) May 9-10, 1933 (37 deaths) March 18, 1925 (34 deaths) March 2-3, 2020 (25 deaths) Feb. 5-6, 2008 (22 deaths) March 14, 1933 (15 deaths) March 21, 1932 (12 deaths) April 5, 1936 (11 deaths) Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@ or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How many tornadoes has Tennessee had in 2025?
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Will Middle Tennessee experience a ‘heat wave' this week?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — For the first time since last fall, Middle Tennessee will see three consecutive days in the 90s. Does this count as a heat wave, or is this normal for this time of year? According to the National Weather Service office in New York City, a heat wave is defined as three consecutive days of 90° or higher. The News 2 Weather Authority team is forecasting temperatures of 90° or higher from Tuesday, June 3, through Thursday, June 5. This would meet the National Weather Service New York City's office definition for a heat wave. New York is not Tennessee, so is the definition of a heat wave different here in the Volunteer State? According to Nashville National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Husted, a heat wave is a prolonged period of abnormally hot weather. This means the criteria for a heat wave in New York City would not work here in Middle Tennessee. This is because temperatures in the 90s are not abnormal. FORECAST: Middle Tennessee & Southern Kentucky Weather The average high temperatures in Nashville are 90° or higher from June 25 through August 26. This is more than two months where 90° is normal. Husted said in Middle Tennessee, abnormally hot conditions are when the heat index gets above 105°. 'For us, 90s in June is not abnormally hot. Now, if we have those temperatures approaching 100°, and if we have that humidity, those dew points of 75° or 80° with a temperature of 95°, making it uncomfortable, that's what we would constitute a heat wave,' Husted told News 2. The heat index, or feels-like temperature, is how hot it feels to a human. It takes into account the moisture in the air along with the temperature. This is because it feels much hotter when there is more moisture in the air. Below is a heat index chart that has the temperature on the y-axis and dew point on the x-axis. The National Weather Service office in Nashville will issue heat advisories when the heat index is higher than 105° and extreme heat warnings when it gets above 110°. The criteria for heat alerts across the United States are based on feels-like temperatures that are abnormally or dangerously hot. This means a heat wave in Middle Tennessee would be at least three days when the heat index is 105° or warmer. ⏩ Husted said this warm-up is not abnormal enough to be a heat wave, but it could be a shock to your system since it's been so cool lately. 'By the technical definition, we currently don't meet the criteria for this upcoming event, but that's not to diminish the potential impacts. It's our first heat event of the year, we're not used to it at this point,' Said Husted. Don't forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Senator part of effort to make May National Foster Care Month
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBN) – The Senate passed a resolution to make May National Foster Care Month. Ohio Senator Jon Husted co-sponsored the resolution, which passed the Senate on Thursday. The legislation brings awareness to the challenges facing children in foster care, and encourages Congress to implement policies to improve their lives and support foster parents. Husted was adopted out of the foster care system. 'Loving foster families offer the stability and guidance when kids may need it most,' he said. 'I've seen how transformational a child's first years of life can be and strengthening the foster care system gives kids a better chance to achieve their version of the American dream. I'm honored to shine a light on foster families and the kids they love.' The number of Ohio kids in foster care has continued to increase during the opioid epidemic, outpacing the number of foster families in the state. It has estimated that half of children in foster care have one or both parents struggling with substance abuse, according to a recent study. The study shows that Ohio's foster care system serves more than 16,000 children, yet there are only 7,000 licensed foster families. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
