Much Colder Tonight; Freezing Mornings Ahead
RADAR CHECK: At mid-afternoon rain has ended over North Alabama… storms continue to push into the southern counties of the state with gusty winds and heavy rain. It has been a very active morning for the state; some highlights:
*Storm damage in the Nesmith community near the Winston/Cullman County line around 4:00 a.m. was possibly caused by a brief spin-up tornado
*Tree damage near Hayden, in Blount County, and Valley Head, in DeKalb County, also caused by possible isolated, brief tornadoes.
*Major flooding this morning over parts of Marion and Winston counties, and around Smith Lake. Our Skywatcher at Arley reports 5 inches of rain.
Rain and storms will move out of South Alabama tonight. Much colder air is rolling into the northern counties following the rain… temperatures have dropped into the upper 40s over the northwest part of the state with a brisk northwest wind. The sky will clear tonight, and temperatures will drop into the 30-36 degree range early tomorrow morning.
FREEZE WARNING: Tomorrow will be sunny, windy, and very cool with a high in the 55-59 degree range. Winds will drop off tomorrow night, and by Friday morning we are projecting a low between 22 and 29 degrees over the northern half of the state with a clear sky. Friday will be sunny and cool with a high in the upper 50s. Another freeze is likely Saturday morning… most places will see a low ranging from 27-33 degrees.
The weekend will feature a warming trend. The sky will stay sunny both days… the high Saturday will be in the mid 60s, followed by low 70s Sunday.
NEXT WEEK: The first half of the week looks dry as the warm-up continues… afternoon temperatures will be close to 80 degrees by Tuesday and Wednesday. A few showers are possible Thursday or Friday, but for now we are not expecting any risk of severe thunderstorms. 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 6:00 a.m. tomorrow…
Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Weather Xtreme Videos
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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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