UPDATES: Tornado Outbreak, Eight Belles

For more on the May 10, 2008 tornadic outbreak, please visit our new website:

The PEP Report

We have exclusive photos of the storm, along with a discussion Forum.

There's also a new Eight Belles discussion topic set up.

Pardon our mess as we move. Want to help carry a cyber-suitcase? ; } (Just kidding!)

We appreciate each and every one of our readers and contributors. We'll update this blog now and then, but our major focus will now be on the website, where we have a greater opportunity to hear from you. And that's important to us.

Memphis, TN & Mississippi Areas: Take Cover, Tornadoes Rampaging Through the Southeast, Historic Floods in Maine

The massive storm system that savaged Arkansas and roared through Oklahoma,Texas, and Kansas is stalking the southeast. (See below for earlier coverage) Memphis, TN, which recently endured a historic tornadic outbreak. and surrounding areas,are under the gun now.



So far, at least twenty tornado warnings have been issued across Tennessee. Live tracking and warnings are available from WREG and WMC-TV. (Photo courtesy of WREG/George Brown)

In February, one of our best friends saved his family's life with a telephone warning when local tornado sirens failed to go off. The family raced out of their home and into a ditch. Their home was shoved off its' foundation. The family is still recuperating from their injuries.

Theirs wasn't the only incredible story. A baby tossed by the storm survived--and was found in debris, although his mother died.




Areas of Virginia are still trying to clean up from late April tornadoes.



Note: if you try to get through to your family and can't in storm areas, feel free to contact the Peanut blog. We have resources.

Tornado Video & On-Scene Photos: Deadly Storm Kills Seven in Arkansas; Spawns 6-Vortice Tornado in Oklahoma; Texas Picks Up After Twisters(Raw Video)

This is an extraordinary photo of a tornado over Oklahoma City, OK during the May 1 outbreak. The photographer,Linda, a gardening, and nature enthusiast, grabbed a huge twister on the right and the simultaneous development of other funnels on the left. (Photo copyright to photographer, one-time usage granted to I Found a Peanut blog.)




This outstanding photo of mammatus in straight-line wind development as the massive storm system moved across Kansas was taken by Frank Thompson of Overland Park. (Photo copyright to photographer, one-time usage granted to I Found a Peanut blog.)

This storm system, which ranged across more than 2,000 miles of the continental United States, is a textbook example of how snowstorms and extreme cold in the West, coupled with a "fetch" of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, can fire up supercells.. As this storm moves east, Chicago forecasters are keeping a wary eye on this system.

Seven deaths have been reported in Arkansas from this storm system, including a teenager who died when a tree fell on her house while she was sleeping. The National Weather Service has confirmed reports of at least a dozen tornadoes overnight Thursday. More storms are hitting today across the Mississippi Valley as the system roars east.










The Peanut crew lives in Oklahoma's Tornado Alley. We were up most of the night tracking the storms.

Tornado Video: Roundup of Freak Winter Killer Storms

Sections of Alabama were the latest to fall victim to the eastward-moving tornadic storms. At least four people are reported dead in that state as search and rescue operations continue in Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennesee. The five-state death toll total has reached 52.




The long line of severe storms shown in the radar is known as "training". The miles of super storms, strengthened when they join up, roll over communities like rogue freight trains of destruction. The video of the Cleveland, Arkansas tornado is amazing.

Tornado Video: Death Toll Rises From Savage Storms

For more storm photos and videos, click here.

For an eyewitness survival account, click here.

Killer Tornadoes Defy Winter, Slash Through Midwest in Bizarre Weather

In Oklahoma, the freak storms made history as the National Weather Service issued almost two dozen tornado warnings. The state has not recorded a tornado in January since 1975. Although none touched down, the warnings and the severe thunderstorms were so dangerous that local TV stations provided non-stop weather coverage during prime time, pre-empting normal shows.

Northeast Oklahoma stayed under tornado watch until 5 a.m. today. Although radar picked up supercell formation and rotation in the sky, the storms didn't unleash their deadly funnels until just after they crossed state lines into Arkansas and Missouri.

The photo is courtesy of stormchaser Chris Wilburn and KTUL. This incredible night photo of a tornado was captured in Missouri.



This dramatic night storm photo is courtesy of White Shadow Photography.



It was a tense time for those in the storm strike zone. Here at I Found a Peanut headquarters, we spent the night camped in front of a TV, flashlight and emergency gear at hand and ready to head into the storm shelter.

We knew something was coming even before the tornado watch and warnings were issued. The weather whipped from below freezing temperatures to a sudden tropical feeling. The high here reached 71 degrees. However, missing from the mix was the usual "oppressive" feeling that comes in pre-tornadic buildups.

Rapidly-building weather systems like this are incredibly dangerous because they appear so suddenly. Other dangers: flooding and lightning. As thousands of lightning strikes hammered to earth, the storms also brought flooding. Emergency workers had to rescue people from flash-flooded areas.

It's not yet dawn, so we haven't had a chance to check for any possible damage from the high winds. Amazingly, the power stayed on. Parts of Oklahoma are still recovering from more than a week without power and heavy damage from the recent multi-million-dollar ice storm.



Tulsa has brought in outside contractors to help with downed limb clean-up from the ice storm. Officials fear that fallen trees and limbs, especially in country areas, will serve as dangerous fodder when the fire season begins.

Despite all that, Oklahoma was lucky last night. Our neighbors on our northeast borders weren't so lucky, nor were those in some sections of Wisconsin and Illinois. Although we're reeling from the one-two punch of historic ice storm and now spring-like supercell thunderstorms, we know that last night we managed to dodge a deadly bullet--this time.

Applause is due KOTV, KJRH, and KTUL, who all fielded stormchasters and spotters, and who worked throughout the entire night monitoring and reporting on the storms.