Temperatures at the Minnesota Vikings training camp in Mankato, Minnesota were in the 90s and humidities were very high during the first week of August 2001 The heat and humidity were combining to create stifling conditions with heat indices in the 110 degree range. The National Weather Service had issued heat advisories for the area. Vikings All-Pro defensive tackle Corey Stringer experienced problems on the first day of camp from the heat, but vowed to be back the next day. The 6-4, 335 pound star was back the next day, August 1st.

Stringer collapsed during the practice and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Upon arrival at the hospital, Stringer’s body temperature was 108. With teammates Randy Moss and Cris Carter waiting by his side at the hospital, Stringer died during the early morning hours of August 2nd due to complications from heatstroke. Stringer was twenty seven.

Heatstroke occurs when the body’s temperature rises uncontrollably and the body’s temperature regulation mechanisms cannot keep pace. Two other football players died in the summer of 2001 from heatstroke. One of the other deaths was a high school player and the other was a University of Florida freshman who died in July under similar conditions.

Stringer’s death caused the NFL to review training camp practices. Fall football practices will soon be underway at local universities, high schools and in area youth leagues. Administrators and coaches should be prepared with the latest information and procedures on how to deal with potential heatstroke situations. The Vikings team would be rocked by Stringer’s death, falling to 5-11, their worst record since 1984.

A myth says that the skin of heatstroke victims is usually hot, red and dry. Victims can be in full sweat. Symptoms include disorientation, diarrhea, vomiting and elevated body temperatures above 104 degrees. Cold water immersion is listed as the best response for a victim of heatstroke.

Greetings from the Alabama Gulf coast. When I am on vacation, I generally stay as far away from laptops, cell phones, pagers, the Internet, radio, and TV as much as possible. But, tonight after watching a beautiful sunset at Orange Beach I will put a few thoughts together. After all, this is a web log, or "blog"... a dairy of sorts.

The trip down, as usual, was a highlight for me. Long time readers here know I like the roads less traveled, and I came down using a route very close to the 2005 Spann's Best Way To The Bama Beaches.

One of my favorite roads on the way down is always the upper end of Alabama Highway 59, which begins here in the Monroe county community of Uriah (about 15 miles south of Monroeville):



Alabama 21 goes on down to Atmore, while Alabama 59 heads south into Baldwin county, just east of the Mobile River Delta. You go through places like Chrysler, Tensaw, and Stockton before reaching I-65. Little traffic, and a lovely drive. I didn't have time this trip, but it is worth it to visit Fort Mims if you are on the upper end of Alabama 59. Some great Alabama history there.

South of I-65, Alabama 59 becomes "Gulf Shores Parkway" and you are back with the masses. This is what the end of Alabama 59 looks like now, at the intersection of Alabama 182 at the center of Gulf Shores:



Funny not seeing the pavillion at the Gulf Shores public beach; Ivan took it out in September of 2004. In fact, there is still considerable damage here from Ivan. I know it would take years to rebuild, but it is really beginning to sink in visitng here now as a tourist almost  a year after Ivan's arrival.

The Alabama State Parkat Gulf Shores remains pretty desolate. Bill Castle and I stayed in the lower level of this state park hotel building in June of 2003 when I was down to speak at the prayer breakfast during the annual Alabama EMA convention:



These units will be torn down soon to make way for the new and improved state park.

I can't see much evidence of damage from Hurricane Dennis, which moved inland east of here a few weeks ago. Still, seems like a few folks boarded up for Dennis and are just going to stay boarded up until the hurricane season winds down in November:



Can't say I blame them, there is a great "hurricane hangover" here. But, many businesses are up and running and the crowds seem pretty good this week as many people are trying to slip in that last beach trip before school starts (that pretty much sums up our situation).



As you can see, the beach restoration project is coming along very nicely. I was amazed, in fact, at how good the beach looks. I know countless hours went into this project during the winter months.

And how the skyline here is changing. Anyone remember the old Lighthouse hotel? It was torn down a few years ago to make room for this monster (on the right):



And, this is the famous building where Bill Castle and Chrisopher Sign survived Hurricane Ivan year in a stairwell:



I still love the beach; I spent a ton of time down here during my days as a young man. I even recall one night when I was about 20 years old when a friend and I decided to drive to the beach around 6:00 one evening in Tuscaloosa. We left at that very moment, making it a little before midnight. We sat on the beach talking for an hour or so, and then walked into some rinky dink night club for about 15 minutes, and then drove back to Tuscaloosa. We got home around 6:00 a.m.

Sure, that is nuts, but that is part of being young. I would never trade the experience.

I also often think about the time when I was offered a job at WNUE-AM in Fort Walton Beach when I was 21 years old (at that time I was doing top 40 AM radio at WTBC in Tuscaloosa). I did entertain the thought for a little while in my mind. Being the afternoon drive disc jockey for the big top 40 station, the "boss of the beach" in the summer of 1977 would have been way too cool. Those Jimmy Buffett songs like "Margaritaville" and  "Changes In Latitude, Changes In Attitide" really made the beach bum life sound appealing; all you have to worry about is finding the salt shaker and having your flip flops blow out. I also liked the idea of all those beach babes tuned in to me on the radio while soaking up the rays in Destin and Fort Walton Beach.

But, in spite of my ignorance and lack of maturity (I had plenty of both in 1977) I didn't take the job Good thing; top 40 formats on AM radio died a few years later, and I would probably be a minimum wage board operator pushing buttons while Rush Limbaugh is on the air today on a 1000 watt AM daytimer. And, I think the beach thing would have gotten old in a hurry. Too much of a good thing can ruin it.

Two years later, in 1979, I would be the lead weather anchor at Channel 13 in Birmingham. I did indeed make the right decision in 1977.

The truth is that I would personally rather spend my time up at Mt. Cheaha at this middle age phase of life. But, I love watching the excitement in the eyes of our youngest son on beach trips. When it comes to raising children, the days are long, but the years are short. You have too few beach trips with them in a lifetime; I cherish every moment.

And, it is for that reason I am signing off from the Redneck Riviera tonight. Come on down, spend a little money and lets all get the Alabama Gulf Coast back on its feet. It has provided me and my family many memorable summer trips, including this one!

Not much reason for us to describe where the main showers are in Alabama because the information would be outdated in minutes, and forever changing. All parts of the state have scattered showers in progress.

A quick glance at doppler radar would imply that a big percentage of the state has showers at any one time. But that can be misleading. My guess is that (at 4:15 pm) if you could pack the showers in one grouping, that only about 25% of the state would be covered.

But because they are moving steadily toward the WSW, just one shower can wet down quite an area.

Two moderate to heavy showers moved across my place in NE Trussville and my total rainfall so far this afternoon is 0.66 of an inch. Another shower is approaching from the NE.

Even the Kudzu says enough.

The Monday afternoon map discussion video is on the server at:

http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb

I'll be sitting in for James Spann this week while he enjoys a bit of time off. I'm not the early bird that he is so look for the morning map discussion to be available not later than 8:30 in the morning and 4:30 in the afternoon. I'm going to try to have them posted a little earlier than that, so those times should be the latest they will be ready.

Showers once again popped up as the temperatures climbed into the middle 80s. The way these showers sprout reminds you of popcorn popping in the popper, hence the name, popcorn showers.

I noticed that the Storm Total Precipitation estimate from the radar now has a nearly three day total. The STP image resets to zero when there are no showers detected with the 124 nautical mile range of the radar, so that means that the radar has seen showers for nearly the three days.

Showers are pretty hit and miss, but I must admit that I'd like to get a bit of rain on my yard which has been on the miss-side of showers the last couple of days.

Tropics have become less active today, too. Both of the areas of disturbed weather that we've been watching have diminished in the amount of showers and thunderstorms. But I wouldn't count either of them out completely, especially that one in the eastern Carribbean. Late August, September, and October are the peak of hurricane season.

GFS still advertising a weak cold front to approach the AL-TN line in the Friday-Saturday time frame, but I do not expect the front to make much impact on our weather.

Hope your week goes well. Thanks for checking in with us. See you tomorrow.

-Brian-

They keep marching by. They are moving WSW not staying over one neighboor hood very long.

One heavy shower moved across NE Trussville earlier this afternoon and dumped 0.43 of an inch of rain in about 10 minutes--keeping our rain forest alive. Another one is approching from the NE.

At 2:25 pm, one of the heaviest showers in Central Alabama was near Logan Martin Lake passing south of Pell City and moving into Shelby County.

The ole doppler radar looks like it has the measles or chickenpox early this afternoon. Numerous showers and a few thunderstorms meandering across the countryside. They are scattered across most sections of the state--perhaps a bit more numerous across the central counties.

Again today, the showers are relatively small and are moving toward the WSW at a fairly good clip. This helps prevent a great deal of rain in any one community.

Still they are heavy enough to produce locally heavy rain in some spots.

Shortly after 1 o'clock, it was raining heavily in the NE part of Trussville.

Nice side benefit, the ole backyard thermometer can't climb TOO high...

The Monday morning map discussion video is on the server at:

http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb

I'll be sitting in for James Spann this week while he enjoys a bit of time off. I'm not the early bird that he is so look for the morning map discussion to be available not later than 8:30 in the morning and 4:30 in the afternoon. I'm going to try to have them posted a little earlier than that, so those times should be the latest they will be ready.

Had a great afternoon yesterday. My wife and I and Dakota, our dog, headed over to the Winterboro-Alpine area of Talladega County to pick some corn and blueberries. Gene and Eva Hodnutt whom we met last year called to let us know both were ready. Hit a shower just before arriving at their place where no rain had fallen. But that nearby shower had dropped temperatures into the upper 70s and it was quite pleasant. My wife went to town on the blueberry bushes which were just laden with ripe berries. I started on the berries but switched over to picking some corn from the corn rows next to the blueberries. The picking was great, but it was even more fun to run from house to house in my neighborhood and handout some of the loot! Slept well last night after all the days activities.

On to the weather. Little change is expected in our pattern but we do expect to see some fairly substantial day to day changes. Showers should be numerous today and Tuesday but a slight drying of the atmosphere from Wednesday to Friday should help raise temperatures a bit and lower the areal coverage of showers.

By Friday/Saturday, we have another cold front approaching the area from the northwest. Like the last time, the front is not expected to barrel through the area. It should reach northern Alabama and washout leaving a zone for focusing the afternoon showers.

Tropics remain active with two areas of disturbed weather. The one north of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola is expected to more north and then northeast away from the United States, so it should not be a threat no matter what happens with its development. The area in the eastern Carribbean has become a little more concentrated overnight and the upper level wind appears to be slightly more favorable for slow development. The computer model projections on this area bring it into the northwest Carribbean, so it could potentially reach the Gulf of Mexico. This one will bear watching.

I have to be on standby today for some court work, so I'm going to be sticking around the house to see if the phone rings. Hope your week gets off to a good start as August begins today. That means that cooler and dryer fall weather is closer!! Yea!!

Plus I signed up to assist Women of Helena in Motion (WHIM) doing something I've never done before - taking some time in a dunking booth next Saturday at KidFest 2005. That should be interesting - dunking the weather guy!!

-Brian-

It’s going to be a busy week for me. I have a business trip scheduled to Kentucky and Ohio. One thing that I do try to do when I have these trips planned is to have a bit of a busman’s holiday. In the midst of all this, I will get the privilege of helping out with the day to day forecasting duties in the Weather Office.

As I write this, I am flying to Nashville, where I will rent a car and drive as far as Clarksville, Tennessee. I will spend the night there and finish my morning forecast package and do radio weather forecasts for stations in Lynchburg, Virginia, Atlanta, Brunswick, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida.

I will drive to Madisonville, Kentucky for a meeting Monday morning and then back to Nashville in the afternoon so that I can fly to Cleveland, Ohio. I will have a series of meetings there during the day on Tuesday before the fun part of my trip begins. I will get to go to Jacobs Field and watch the game between the Indians and the New York Yankees Tuesday night.

Wednesday morning, it will be a drive down to Cincinnati, Ohio, for two days of work. Part two of my busman’s holiday will occur Thursday night. I will get to see my beloved Atlanta Braves take on the Cincinnati Reds in the Great American Band Box (I mean Ballpark.)

Airfare to Cleveland: $95. Rental Car: $267. Two major league games in ballparks I have never been to: priceless.