THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
We continue to have beautiful skies across Central Alabama as we have reached the early evening, with temperatures in the upper 60s to the mid 70s. That’s right at the forecast high temperatures for the day. Skies will continue to be clear throughout the evening and overnight hours, with lows dipping into the mid 30s to the mid 40s. Monday will be a quiet and mild day as well, but clouds will begin to increase ahead of our next big weather maker. Highs will make it up into the lower to mid 70s.
TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY SEVERE THREAT
We continue to have a threat of strong to severe storms from Tuesday afternoon into early Wednesday morning across Central Alabama, including the potential of tornadoes, damaging winds up to 70 mph, and quarter size hail. Outside of the thunderstorm activity, gusty winds will be possible across the area, potentially reaching as high as 40 mph. Also, there will be a threat of localized flooding issues as rainfall amounts could reach as high as three inches or more.
SPC continues an ENHANCED RISK for locations west and south of a line from Reform to Tuscaloosa to Uniontown. A SLIGHT RISK is up outside of the Enhanced Risk to a line from Sulligent to Berry to Wetumpka to just west of Union Springs. A MARGINAL RISK is up outside of the Slight Risk to a line from Florence to Athens to Steele to just east of Opelika.
The timing for the threat for severe storms have been adjusted as the higher resolution data continues to come into view, starting as early as 4 pm for the western-third of Central Alabama, as early as 8 pm for the central-third, and as early as midnight for the eastern-third. The severe threat will be over for everyone by 6 am Wednesday morning.
Remember that severe thunderstorms and tornadoes do not follow the colors of a map. You can have a strong tornado in a marginal risk area, so don’t let your guard down, but also don’t be afraid. Just have your safe place and safety supplies ready just in case your location goes under a warning. Have multiple reliable ways to get warnings, and make sure you have fresh batteries in your flashlights and weather radios.
A QUIET END TO THE WORK WEEK & WEEKEND
Quiet weather returns on Thursday, but it will be cooler than the beginning of the work week. Skies will be mostly sunny, with highs in the lower 60s to the lower 70s. Same story on Friday, but just a tad cooler again. Highs in the upper 50s to the upper 60s.
We start warming back up for the weekend as we’ll have sunny skies on both days, with Saturday’s highs in the mid to upper 60s, and Sunday’s highs in the upper 60s to the mid 70s.
ON THIS DAY IN WEATHER HISTORY
1989 – Snow and high winds created blizzard conditions in western Kansas to usher in the official start of the spring season. Thunderstorms produced severe weather from east Texas to Alabama and northwest Florida, with nearly fifty reports of large hail and damaging winds during the afternoon and evening hours.
2005 – An F1 tornado hits South San Francisco. Trees are uprooted. At least twenty homes and twenty businesses are damaged, including the city’s new fire station.
Category: Alabama’s Weather, ALL POSTS, Severe Weather
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism