Ouch...that forecast is busting in spectacular fashion. Not a single significant wind gust report, and hardly any significant hail. No really strong tornadoes, either.
I'm still scratching my head as to why they decided a High Risk was a good idea in the first place. 
I don't think a high risk outlook should be categorized as the severity of severe weather. I think the "High Risk" as well as other risk outlooks issued by the SPC are based on severe weather probabilities, not severity. There were numerous tornado, wind, and hail reports today.
In my eyes, it should be both. Maybe the SPC should do away with the "risk" levels altogether, because as I read on one meteorologist's page, anyone in an area of elevated risk, whether it be slight, moderate, or high, should be prepared for severe weather. For example, if someone is in a high risk, they should not prepare "more" than someone only in a slight risk. However, I still think the SPC needs that one risk level which is rarely used so that, when it is used, it means a significant outbreak is likely and everyone should be ready.
Yes, there were numerous hail and wind reports yesterday (some tornado reports too), but in my eyes, none were significant enough to warrant a "high risk." I know these reports are still preliminary, so this could change. The high risk was issued primarily for wind. Unfortunately, a lot of the speeds associated with reported damage are unknown. The highest wind speed I am seeing reported is 80 mph, and there is only one report of that. But even a lot of the wind reports/damage were reported out of the high risk area! The two biggest hail reports I am seeing are 2.50" (tennis ball) and 2.75" (baseball), but ironically, those were also out of the high risk area! A lot of the hail reports were quarter to golf ball size. Yes, that is severe, but if a high risk was issued every time quarter to golf ball-size hail occurred, we'd be seeing a high risk for almost every severe weather outbreak!
Unfortunately, the PDS Tornado Watch and Severe Thunderstorm Watch also busted. Again, all the details are not known at this time, but I do not think we saw a single "violent, long-lived" tornado in the watch area. We also did not see 3"+ hail like the watches called for, or a derecho-like scenario. So, I would have to agree that yesterday was a bust overall.
Now I know severe weather is, at times, highly unpredictable and difficult to forecast. I apologize if my post is written in a way that makes me look like I hate the SPC or could do a better job because I don't think I could. However, as was made clear by the media yesterday, when a high risk is issued, a pretty significant outbreak of severe weather needs to happen, otherwise it will be like "crying wolf" and we certainly don't want the public to stop heeding high risks if we mess up too many times. Unfortunately, it seems quite a bit of high risks have busted in the past.
OK, I am sorry for this long rant. Craig, please know that we're not trying to bash you; I had actually started writing this post before Mac posted his. I just feel that the system or criteria for risks should be looked at or better understood. What are everyone else's thoughts?
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Lay off the veteran OCMs who make a ton of money and bring in new ones that they can pay for much less.
