Mid-Afternoon Update
Below is the current surface situation across the Southeast U.S…
The warm air surge is on time, with temperatures around 70 now near Tuscaloosa. All of Alabama will be in the warm sector of this intense storm tonight.
Note the CAD effect to the east (cold air damming, or the wedge)… Atlanta and points north and east will be cold and stable, and there is no risk of severe weather there with temperatures in the chilly 40s.
Below is the current 500 mb look…
The deep trough is going negative tilt, as forecast by the models.
There is no severe weather in Alabama now; the current radar is below…
And, below is the SPC convective outlook for tonight; the hatched area will feature the greatest risk of a tornado…
TIMING: Severe storms could begin to form along the northward moving warm front this evening, but the primary risk of severe storms and possible tornadoes will come later. For Northwest Alabama, severe storms are possible from 8:00 p.m. until midnight. But, for most of Alabama, the main threat will come from midnight to 6:00 a.m.
Initially, the threat will come from rotating storms and possible tornadoes, but all of the activity will roll over into a long squall line with potential for widespread winds of 50 mph or greater early Monday morning in the pre-dawn hours.
All of the severe weather should be out of the state by 8:00 a.m.
CALL TO ACTION: No NOT rely on an outdoor warning siren to get warnings tonight. Have a NOAA Weather Radio properly programmed. And, use these options…
*iMap WeatherRadio App: This is available now for iPhone only, but an Android version will be released soon. The GPS chip in your phone knows where you are, and if you are in a polygon warning, you get it. If you are not in the polygon, you won’t be alarmed. Also, you can program fixed locations.
*James Spann Facebook Page: All Alabama warnings are posted there automatically. You can subscribe via SMS if you like (text message to your phone).
@ewarn on Twitter: All Alabama warnings are posted on this account within seconds of the time they are issued.
Should we go into tornado coverage tonight, you can watch our live stream on the iMap WeatherRadio app, any of the ABC 33/40 mobile apps, or through abc3340.com or uStream.com
And, of course, this blog is the main form of communicating information to you when we are not on TV. Stay tuned for updates and notes throughout the day and tonight.
Category: Alabama's Weather
About the Author (Author Profile)
James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.Subscribe
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