Storm Damage Assessments Planned For Monday & Tuesday

A low-pressure system moved from southeast Texas and across Louisiana and Mississippi during the pre-dawn and early morning hours. By doing so, it brought a warm front northward into central Alabama today. This created a sharp moisture and instability difference between the northwest half and the southeast half of the area. Temperatures stayed in the 40s and 50s in the northwest half of central Alabama. While south of the warm front, readings got up into the 60s along with some 70s. There was a sharp contrast in dew points as well, with 40s and 50s in the northwest to the middle to upper 60s in the southeast. The storm system not only produced a very unstable air mass across the portions of the region but also a high shear environment which was conducive for severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes as the cold front moved eastward across Alabama.

Survey Summary

At this time, storm surveys are being planned for the following counties for Monday:

Teams one and two: Primary targets: Lee, for two different storm tracks.

At this time, we can confirm that there is at least EF-3 damage in extreme southern Lee County off of County Road 36 just north-northwest of Dupree. The tornado track is at least one-half mile wide. Lee County emergency management agency has confirmed at least 8 fatalities from today’s storms. With search and rescue still ongoing, this number is likely to change.

Team three: Primary targets: Barbour, for two different storm tracks.

Meteorologist in charge, Chris Darden, will be in Lee County on Monday and available for media inquiries. Please call the National Weather Service Birmingham office at 205-664-3010, then press option 2 for operations to schedule interviews with him.

An additional storm survey team is planned to survey in Autauga County on Tuesday.

Additional public information statements will be issued periodically through the day Monday, as survey teams report back their findings.

A major contribution to the success of our severe weather warning program is the receipt of storm reports from all our customers and partners. If you witnessed or are aware of any storm damage due to high winds or tornadoes, please contact your local emergency management office. You can also report severe weather by using #BMXWX on twitter.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Severe Weather