James Spann: Warmer afternoons ahead for Alabama
BLUE SKY: With a clear sky, temperatures are mostly in the 60s across Alabama this afternoon, very close to seasonal averages for mid-November (the average high for Birmingham on Nov. 15 is 65). Tonight will be clear and cool, with a low in the 40s.
Sunny weather continues Tuesday and Wednesday with a warming trend. The high will be in the low 70s Tuesday, followed by mid 70s Wednesday. Clouds return to Alabama Thursday, and a cold front has potential to squeeze out a few showers over the northern half of the state during the afternoon and evening. Moisture will be very limited, and rain amounts should be one-quarter inch or less.
FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Friday will be a sunny, cooler day with a high the upper 50s. We expect a very nice day Saturday with sunshine in full supply; after a low in the 30s temperatures rise into the 60s by afternoon. The day Sunday will be dry with a high in the 60s, but clouds will increase late in the day. Another surface front will have potential to bring a few showers to the state Sunday night.
THANKSGIVING WEEK: The first half of the week looks cool and dry; new model data suggests there could be some risk of rain for Alabama around Thanksgiving Day, but this is 10 days out and it could easily change. There’s still no sign of any severe weather issues for Alabama through the end of next week.
ON THIS DATE IN 1989: A squall line entered northwest Alabama around 3, and at that point it looked like the primary issue during the afternoon and evening was going to be straight-line winds along the line. Around 4:20, an isolated cell merged with the squall line over the southwest part of Huntsville, near Redstone Arsenal, and within minutes an F4 tornado dropped from the sky, moving through the southern part of Huntsville.
It would destroy or damage 80 businesses, three churches, a dozen apartment buildings and more than 1,000 cars. It moved on, climbing over Garth Mountain, demolishing Jones Valley Elementary School and destroying 259 homes in the Jones Valley area. All told, the tornado killed 21 people and injured 463. And, unfortunately, there was no tornado warning until several minutes after the twister touched down; this was before Doppler Radar was in operational use in Alabama.
The day after the tornado, icy cold air and snow squalls moved into north Alabama as search and rescue operations continued. Visibility at times dropped to a fraction of a mile in heavy snow in Huntsville Nov. 16, 1989.
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