While most people will look up and see plenty of blue skies, a few clouds are drifting over portions of Central Alabama, with the possibility of a few more forming this afternoon, along with a small chance of a few isolated showers.
Today is the 50th anniversary of the April 3, 1974 Superoutbreak of tornadoes, when 148 tornadoes affected 13 states and Ontario. This is a story about J.B. Elliott and that day.
RADAR CHECK: At mid-afternoon showers and a few thunderstorms continue across the northwest corner of Alabama… the rest of the state is mostly cloudy and warm with temperatures in the 77-81 degree range.
ACTIVE WEATHER AHEAD: A dynamic weather system will bring showers and thunderstorms into Alabama later today and tonight. SPC maintains an “enhanced risk” (level 3/5) of severe thunderstorms for about the northern third of the state (from Birmingham north), with a “slight risk” (level 2/5) down to the Gulf Coast.
Severe weather is possible across much of Alabama today. Please watch the video and read the post for the latest.
PLEASANT DAY: Most all of Alabama is rain-free at mid-afternoon… the batch of rain and storms that was over the southern counties earlier in the day has moved into Georgia. Temperatures are in the 65-75 degree range, and tonight will be mostly fair and colder with a low in the 36-44 degree range.
RADAR CHECK: Areas of rain along with a few thunderstorms are over the southern quarter of Alabama early this morning… the rest of the state is dry and cooler. The best chance of showers and storms today will remain over South Alabama, and SPC maintains a “marginal risk” (level 1/5) of severe thunderstorms south of a line from Grove Hill to Troy to Eufaula.
DRY THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK: Dry weather will continue across Alabama through the weekend with sunny cool days and clear cold nights. Highs mostly in the 50-55 degree range, lows between 25 and 32. Colder spots over North Alabama will see low 20s.
Look for sunny cool days and clear cold nights through the weekend. The high today will be in the 46-52 degree range… then expect lows 50s tomorrow and over the weekend. Lows will remain below freezing for most of the state each morning through Monday; mostly between 26 and 32 degrees. These values are a good 10-15 degrees below average for mid to late November in Alabama.
DELIGHTFUL SPRING DAY: With a sunny sky, temperatures are generally in the 65-73 degree range across Alabama this afternoon. The sky will remain mostly clear tonight with a low between 46 and 52 degrees. Tomorrow will be dry and warmer… with a partly sunny sky afternoon temperatures will reach the low 80s in many areas.
NICE WARM-UP TODAY: With a good supply of sunshine, we project a high around 70 degrees this afternoon across Alabama, right at seasonal averages for late March. Then, we reach the low 80s tomorrow with a partly sunny sky as the warming trend continues. Wednesday will be a warm, windy day with a high in the low to mid 80s, followed by a band of strong to severe thunderstorms late in the day into Wednesday night.
COOL MARCH DAY: Temperatures are mostly in the 50s across Alabama this afternoon with a mostly cloudy sky; look for gradual clearing tonight with a low in the 38-42 degree range. Tomorrow will be noticeably warmer with a high in the mid to upper 60s along with a partly to mostly sunny sky.
RADAR CHECK: Rain is confined to parts of East and Southeast Alabama early this morning as a wave of low pressure along a stalled front pushes eastward. There were several severe thunderstorms across South Alabama overnight, and a few tornado warnings were issued, but the severe storms have pushed into Georgia as of 6:00 a.m.
A fairly typical late June day is in progress across Alabama, but rain chances will edge upward as we head toward midweek.
Our long time friend, mentor, and charter Weather Factory member, J.B. Elliott, passed away on May 11, 2015. Click HERE to read James' tribute.
