Rain/Strong Storms, Then Much Colder

ACTIVE DAY: A cold front will push a band of showers and thunderstorms through Alabama today. SPC has defined a “slight risk” (level 2/5) of severe thunderstorms for areas along and south of I-59 today (Tuscaloosa/Birmingham/Gadsden and points south), with a “marginal risk” (level 1/5) for areas north of Birmingham.

TIMING: The main line of storms should reach I-59 (including the Birmingham metro) between 10:00 a.m. and noon… Montgomery around 4-5 p.m… and Dothan by 8:00 p.m.

THREATS: The main threat today will come from strong, potentially damaging straight line winds. With the ground saturated, it won’t take much to knock down some trees. An isolated, brief tornado is possible, but not likely. Some small hail is a possibility as well.

FLOODING: A flash flood watch is in effect today for areas north of a line from Millport to Fayette to Birmingham to Ranburne. Rain amounts could approach two inches in spots… we note there is a flash flood warning early this morning (in effect until 7:45a CT) for parts of Lamar, Marion, Winston, Fayette, and Walker counties.

FALLING TEMPERATURES: After the heavier storms pass through, temperatures will fall quickly through the 50s, and into the upper 40s. For some places, it will be a 25 degree drop over a short amount of time. A gusty northwest wind will make it feel colder. Be ready for the change today.

LATE SEASON FREEZE: The sky will clear tonight, and temperatures will drop into the low 30s tomorrow morning. Friday morning will be colder as the winds will be near calm… temperatures then will be in the 22-29 degree range for much of North/Central Alabama. And… another freeze is possible Saturday morning with lows between 28 and 32 for most places. Growers beware.

Tomorrow will be a sunny, but windy and very cool day with a high in the 55-59 degree range. Sunny weather continues on Friday… the day won’t be as windy, and the high will be in the upper 50s. Then, the sky will stay sunny over the weekend with a warming trend. We reach the upper 60s Saturday, and low 70s on Easter Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: Dry weather continues for the first half of next week… and temperatures will be close to 80 degrees by Tuesday and Wednesday. Showers return Thursday or Friday, and for now it doesn’t look like a severe weather setup. See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.

ON THIS DATE IN 1973: A devastating tornado took a nearly continuous 75-mile path through north-central Georgia causing more than 104 million dollars damage. The tornado first touched down near Jonesboro, GA around 5:30 pm and carved an 75 mile long path through Clayton, Henry, Dekalb, Rockdale, Walton, Oconee, Clarke, and Oglethorpe counties before finally dissipating 10 miles ENE of Athens. Two were killed, one near Conyers and a second victim in Athens. An even stronger tornado (F4) was spawned from the parent supercell, and killed 7 along a path from Calhoun Falls to Abbeville, South Carolina.

ON THIS DATE ONE YEAR AGO: Four tornadoes touched down across Southeast, including an EF-2 that moved through the southern part of Eufaula. The most significant damage occurring in the Country Club of Alabama neighborhood along the south side of Pebble Beach Drive. The tornado crossed the Walter F. George Reservoir along the Chattahoochee River and continued into Quitman County in Georgia.

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Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!

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Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Weather Xtreme Videos