Storms Get Closer
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THIS AFTERNOON: It is a warm and windy day across Alabama, with gusts over 30 mph at times on the ridge tops. The sky is partly sunny, and temperatures are mostly in the low 80s. There is no rain in progress across our state.
TO THE WEST: A tornado watch remains in effect for North Mississippi and West Tennessee until 5:00, but so far severe weather has been a no-show. Warm air aloft has the area capped off ahead of the line, so the chance of discreet cells ahead of the line sure looks small at this point, and the main threat will be from strong straight line winds along the line as the wind profiles remain rather unidirectional. We also note that lower dewpoints are mixing down to the surface, so instability values are somewhat marginal for a big April severe weather event at this point.
TIMELINE: The line of storms will move through Alabama tonight… here are some approximate arrival times…
Northwest Alabama (Florence, Russellville, Hamilton): 4-5 p.m.
Huntsville-Jasper-Tuscaloosa-Livingston 6-7 p.m.
Scottsboro-Oneonta-Birmingham-Brent 7-8 p.m.
Anniston/Gadsden/Centre 8-9 p.m.
The line of storms will feature brief heavy rain, thunder and lightning, and potential for high wind in spots along the line. Enough to blow down trees and powerlines, so be sure and pay attention to severe thunderstorm warnings if they are needed tonight. And, remember, when it comes to thunderstorms, expect the unexpected.
MID-WEEK: The sky becomes sunny tomorrow, and the weather turns cooler. I should mention that clouds could linger into the morning over Northeast Alabama, but most of the state will enjoy a sunny and pleasant day with a high at or just over 70 degrees. Wednesday and Thursday will stay dry with a slow warming trend; we will reach the mid 70s Wednesday, and 80 degrees is likely Thursday.
WET FRIDAY: The next rain/storm event comes at the end of the week on Friday… 12Z guidance still looks a little marginal for severe weather, but we really won’t have a good look at the mesoscale features of this until later in the week. Rain amounts of 1/2 inch look likely.
COOL WEEKEND: The rain will end Friday night, and we are still projecting a dry weekend, but noticeably cooler with a high in the 65-70 degree range Saturday and Sunday. Both days should feature a good supply of sunshine, and the coolest morning will come early Sunday with low 40s are likely, along with upper 30s for the colder valleys.
The 12Z GFS suggests rain will return on Monday (April 18, one week from today) with the next short wave. See the Weather Xtreme video for more long range ideas.
WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 30 minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40. We will record this week’s episode tonight at 8:30 p.m. CDT… you can listen/watch via uStream here.
FOLLOW ALONG: Here are our weather team Twitter accounts….
| James Spann | Jason Simpson | Ashley Brand |
| J. B. Elliott | Bill Murray | Brian Peters |
| Dr. Tim Coleman | WeatherBrains Podcast | E-Warn (AL wx watches/warnings) |
Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow… and stay tuned to the blog for updates on the Alabama thunderstorm situation this evening…
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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