Mesoscale Discussion — Enhanced Risk of Tornadoes Continues Across Portions of Central Alabama

SUMMARY… A zone of enhanced tornado risk continues, stretching from southwest to northeast across central Alabama.

DISCUSSION… Radar mosaic loop continues to show several small — and for the most part transient — rotating updrafts shifting northeastward across central Alabama at this time (across southern portions of Tornado Watch 007, and spreading into western portions of Tornado Watch 008).

The storms are continuing within the gradient on the northeastern fringe of the instability maximum centered over the western Gulf of Mexico, where mid 60s to near 70 surface dewpoints reside. Given the persistence of favorable shear across the area (flow veering/increasing with height), and modest additional heating/destabilization over the next hour or two, expect this convective evolution to continue.

Of note, one supercell storm that has persisted, relative to other, more transient storms, is now crossing northern Elmore County in Alabama. This storm exhibited radar indications of a tornado recently, and the potential remains that a couple of additional, more persistently rotating updrafts may occur as the overall cluster of storms spreads northeastward across Alabama toward western Georgia.

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