James Spann: Showers, storms return to Alabama Tuesday; severe storms possible Thursday
James Spann forecasts a dry day, wet week for Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
STILL DRY TODAY: After a beautiful weekend, most of Alabama will stay rain-free today. With a partly sunny sky, look for a high between 71 and 75 degrees this afternoon. Clouds will increase tonight ahead of a cold front that will bring a chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm to the state Tuesday and Tuesday night. The main dynamic forcing will remain well to the north of Alabama, and severe storms are not expected.
The surface front will stall out northwest of Alabama and showers will remain possible Wednesday. The weather will remain mild with highs in the 70s.
SEVERE STORM POTENTIAL THURSDAY, THURSDAY NIGHT: A vigorous upper-air trough will generate a deepening surface low north and west of Alabama, and will bring a risk of strong to severe thunderstorms to the state Thursday afternoon and Thursday night. The Storm Prediction Center has much of Alabama, and all of Mississippi and Louisiana, in a severe weather risk on its outlook for Thursday.
Differences remain between the global models in terms of how the system evolves, so it is still too early to know the magnitude of the threat and the exact timing. Just pay attention to weather updates over the next few days.
Some flooding is possible; rain amounts of 2-4 inches are likely across much of Alabama through Thursday night.
FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Drier air arrives Friday; the sky becomes partly sunny with a high in the 70s. Then, another disturbance brings a chance of rain for much of the state (especially the southern three-quarters) Saturday, followed by a dry day Sunday with a partly sunny sky. Highs over the weekend will hold in the 70s.
NEXT WEEK: For now the first half of the week looks dry and mild; showers and storms will return either Thursday or Friday as the next storm system approaches.
LAST WEDNESDAY’S TORNADO COUNT: By statewide tornado count for a single event, the March 17 event ranks at No. 6 — so far, a total of 24 tornadoes statewide. Survey work continues today.
ON THIS DATE IN 1920: A spectacular display of the Northern Lights was visible as far south as Bradenton Florida; El Paso, Texas, and Fresno, California. At Detroit, the display was described “so brilliant as to blot out all stars below the first magnitude.”
ON THIS DATE IN 1952: A tornado moved through parts of Morgan and Madison counties in north Alabama, killing four people. Many buildings at Redstone Arsenal sustained damage.
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