Warm, Moist Air Surging Northward

Here is a quick analysis I did to show you the warm, moisture air surging north and west - setting the stage for today's severe thunderstorms across the central plains states.

Below are three pictures - one from approx. 5 am CDT and two from approx. 11 am CDT - it shows you the progression of moisture and warm air to the north.

The green lines are called isodrosotherms - connecting equal dew points. In the first analysis from approx. 5 am I drew the 50 degree dew point line - so everything to the right is 50 degrees or higher.

In the second picture, from approx. 11 am, I drew the 50 degree isodrosotherm again - look how far north and west it traveled in just 6 hours.

In the last picture - it is the same analysis from 11 am - but this time I drew in the 60 degree isodrosotherm and a 65+ (in the red) - this shows where the deepest moisture (or juiciest air) is located.

Notice how overall this air mass is moving north, but there is a little bubble traveling slightly northwest (in the direction of my green arrows)?

This is called a moisture tongue in weather man terms.

I apologize for not drawing my labels on the following maps....I just found this great web site that lets you edit pictures free online - including drawing - and I just haven't got good enough yet to draw numbers with my mouse so that you can actually read what I am trying to say.