James Spann: Occasional showers, a few thunderstorms for Alabama today
James Spann has the midweek forecast for Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
RADAR CHECK: Showers are developing early this morning ahead of a cold-core upper low over Mississippi. Look for occasional showers and a few thunderstorms today as the upper low passes through. It won’t rain all day, and the sun could break out this afternoon in spots over the western side of the state. The Storm Prediction Center maintains a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms for parts of east and southeast Alabama this afternoon; stronger storms there could produce hail due to the cold air aloft associated with the upper low.
Showers and storms will end early tonight, and Thursday promises to be dry and mild. With a partly sunny sky, temperatures will reach the mid 70s by afternoon. It will be the warmest day of the week.
FRIDAY: We have a complex setup for Alabama Friday. A mesoscale convective system is expected to pass through Friday morning; the highest severe weather potential is over the southern half of the state, where storms could produce strong winds and a tornado or two. More storms could form along a cold front late Friday afternoon into the evening; a few of those storms could be strong, possibly severe with potential for high wind gusts.
The SPC has defined a slight risk (level 2 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms Friday for areas south of a line from Thomasville to Prattville to Lafayette. North of that line, the rest of the state is in a marginal risk (level 1 of 5).
The high Friday will be in the low to mid 60s over the northern half of the state, with upper 60s for the southern counties.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Look for delightful weather over the weekend, with mostly sunny, pleasant days and fair, cool nights. The highs will be in the mid 60s Saturday and close to 70 Sunday. Lows will be in the 40s, but colder spots will be in the 30s early Sunday morning.
NEXT WEEK: Monday will be dry and mild, with a high in the 70, and most of the day Tuesday should be dry. A vigorous weather system will bring rain and storms late Tuesday night and Wednesday, and there will most likely be potential for severe thunderstorms across most of Alabama. The SPC has the far western counties of the state in a severe weather risk in its outlook that runs through early Wednesday morning. It is too early to know the magnitude, placement and timing of the event — just something to watch in the coming days. The weather will be dry and pleasant Thursday and Friday.
ON THIS DATE IN 1942: A major tornado outbreak was underway across parts of the central and southern U.S. A total of 26 significant tornadoes, including five violent ones and 18 killers, would cause 148 fatalities from Illinois and Indiana through Kentucky and Tennessee into Mississippi and Alabama. The Mississippi Delta towns of Itta Bena and Greenwood were hit around 3 p.m. by a family of twisters that killed 63 people. Five automobiles were hurled into the Tallahatchie River near Greenwood, killing six. Two school buses were hit. The hospital at Grenada was missed by just 20 yards, even as doctors and nurses worked on patients from the first big tornado.
Just after 5 p.m., a powerful tornado struck the northern part of Baldwyn, Mississippi, north of Tupelo. The F4 tornado killed five people. Even as rescuers were digging through the rubble of more than 50 destroyed homes, a second tornado roared into the town a scant one-half hour later. No one died in the second tornado, although it destroyed 25% of the business district. The twin tornadoes that struck Baldwyn were the subject of tornado legend for many years.
In Alabama, a tornado killed a couple at Waterloo in Lauderdale County around 6 p.m. Their bodies were blown more than 200 yards.
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