James Spann: Cold, wet period for Alabama tonight, Tuesday
RADAR CHECK: Rain lingers over parts of north and south Alabama this afternoon; the central counties are mostly dry. Temperatures are about 30 degrees colder than Sunday, when many communities soared into the low to mid 80s. A strong upper-air short wave will bring widespread rain to Alabama late tonight and Tuesday; amounts of 1-2 inches are likely. It will be a cold rain, as many cities will hold in the 40s all day, even down into south Alabama. There will be no severe weather worries and probably very little thunder in a cold, stable air mass.
REST OF THE WEEK: Dry air returns Wednesday; the sky becomes partly to mostly sunny with a high between 60 and 65 degrees. Thursday will be a bright, sunny day with a high in the upper 60s. Clouds will increase Friday and a disturbance will have potential to bring some light rain to the state Friday night. Moisture will be limited, and rain amounts should be less than one-half inch.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Light rain should end Saturday morning, with some clearing possible late in the day. Then, look for sunshine in full supply on Sunday as dry air returns. The high will be around 60 degrees Saturday, followed by mid 60s Sunday.
NEXT WEEK: For now, much of the week looks dry as a strong upper high builds over the region. Highs will be in the 60s Monday and Tuesday, followed by 70s over the latter half of the week.
ON THIS DATE IN 2007: An EF-4 tornado tore through Enterprise. Eight students were killed at Enterprise High School when a concrete wall collapsed on top of them as they huddled in a hallway in a crouched position. The students were Michael Bowen, Peter Dunn, A.J. Jackson, Ryan Mohler, Katie Strunk, Michael Tompkins, Jamie Ann Vidensek and Michelle Wilson. A ninth fatality occurred in downtown Enterprise, where 83-year-old retired nurses’ aid Edna Hays Strickland was killed. She was standing behind a living room window of her home as the glass shattered.
The national media mocked school officials for not sending students home. The death toll likely would have been much, much higher if the students had been released. Many would have been in cars or unsafe places in homes.
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