James Spann: Strong to severe storms likely across Alabama through tonight
James Spann forecasts severe potential for Alabama storms today, tonight from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
ANOTHER ACTIVE DAY AHEAD: We have another active weather day ahead for Alabama as we will deal with multiple rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms. The Storm Prediction Center has most of the state in an enhanced risk (level 3 of 5) through tonight.
TIMING: There will be basically three rounds of storms today. The first will affect the far northern tier of counties; a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison and Jackson counties of far north Alabama until 11 this morning. An organized batch of storms moving through Tennessee could clip those four counties. Widely scattered showers and storms (non-severe) continue early this morning across the rest of the state.
The second round will come between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.; these storms will affect mainly the northern half of Alabama. The third and most impactful batch of storms will come statewide this afternoon and tonight, generally from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m.
THREATS: The main concern will come from the third round of storms. They will have potential to bring damaging straight-line winds and a few isolated tornadoes. Some hail is possible as well. The SPC probabilistic outlook shows most of Alabama will have a 30-45% chance of damaging winds within 25 miles of a given point.
RAIN: Rain amounts of 1-2 inches are likely over the next 24 hours, and some flooding is possible. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for the southwest counties of the state.
As always, be sure you are in a position to hear severe weather watches and warnings today and tonight, and pay attention to severe thunderstorm warnings since the main concern is from damaging straight-line winds.
Drier air moves into the northern half of Alabama early Wednesday; any lingering showers will end most likely by daybreak, and the sky becomes partly sunny Wednesday afternoon. A few showers or storms could linger over south Alabama through early afternoon; the SPC has a marginal risk (level 1) defined for the far southern part of the state.
THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: Look for dry weather Thursday through Saturday with mostly sunny days and fair nights. The high will be in the mid 70s Thursday and Friday; then we rise to near 80 degrees Saturday. Clouds will increase Sunday, and showers and storms will arrive late in the day and into Sunday night. Sunday will be warm, with a high in the mid 80s.
NEXT WEEK: A stalled surface front will bring a good chance of showers and storms to Alabama Monday and Tuesday; then we see a trend toward drier weather over the latter half of the week.
ON THIS DATE IN 2007: A devastating EF5 tornado demolished nearly every structure in Greensburg, Kansas, around 9:30 p.m. and killed 10. The mammoth wedge tornado cut a swath 1.7 miles wide and 22 miles long across the Kansas landscape. It was the worst single tornado to touch down in the U.S. in eight years.
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