One of the strongest storms remaining in Alabama at 9:15 tonight was near Demopolis, in North Marengo County in West Central Alabama. Slow movement. Most other storms have dissipated.

A few high temperatures this afternoon (Tuesday)

94 in Birmingham and Pinson
95 in Anniston
96 in Huntsville, Decatur and Tuscaloosa
99 in Muscle Shoals

This will probably be our last update unless something redevelopes.

On this date 36 years ago the hurricane of record for the central Gulf coast rolled ashore. Hurricane Camille, ranked as a five on the Saffir-Simpson scale, killed 143 people along the coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The center of Camille crossed the Mississippi coast around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 17, 1969. No wind equipment survived the eyewall, but from the splintering observed along the coast winds were estimated to have been at least 200 mph.

One persistent legend about Camille states that a hurricane party was held on the third floor of the Richelieu Manor Apartments in Pass Christian, Mississippi that wound up in the path of the eyewall as it made landfall. The high storm surge flooded and destroyed the building, and there was only one survivor to tell of the story of the 21 others. Who the survivor is, how many party guests there were, and just how far the sole survivor was swept by the storm varies with the retelling.

In reality, most of the people that stayed in the Richelieu Apartments survived, and there was no party. Residents, exhausted from helping to prepare the town to weather the storm, took refuge in the building not out of recklessness, but because it was believed to be one of the sturdiest buildings in the area. Survivor Ben Duckworth is quoted in Hurricane Camille: Monster Storm of the Gulf Coast as stating that the Richelieu was a designated civil defense air-raid shelter. However, their faith in the building's sturdiness was unfounded, as it was completely demolished by the storm. Twenty-three people are known to have stayed in the Richelieu Apartments during Hurricane Camille, but only eight died.

The tale of the lone survivor and the party appears to have originated with survivor Mary Ann Gerlach. Other survivors, including Duckworth and Richard Keller have expressed irritation at the story.

“The hurricane party never happened, nor were the number of deaths associated with the apartment inhabitants accurate,” says Pat Fitzpatrick, Mississippi State University professor and author of Hurricanes: A Reference Handbook.

***Thanks to Wikipedia for some of the information in this post***

The very intense thunderstorms now SE of the Birmingham Metro Area.

Strongest storms lined up along the Shelby-Talladega County line and they extend southward across East and South Chilton County.

Loads of lightning in all those storms and buckets of rain.

Will be interesting to see rainfall totals after this is over.

Up in NW Alabama, some more very strong storms over North and West Winston County, including the Haleyville area and extending over into NE Marion County around Hackleburg--the home town of Sonny James.

Up in NE Alabama, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Dekalb County.

FROM ABC 33/40 NEWS:
Two utility poles down in Homewood, apparently affecting traffic on U.S. 31 northbound.

4500 customers now without power in the Greater Birmingham area

RADAR UPDATE
Very strong thunderstorms now over East Chilton and west edge of Coosa County. Pouring rain and much, much lightning. Moving south.
(See earlier posts below for more information on storms)

Strong thunderstorms, heavy rain, lots of lightning on the east and south sides of Metro Birmingham into Shelby County (See earlier post below) ).40 rainfall so far at the 3340 Studios in Riverchase.

In Other areas...

NW ALABAMA
Strongest storms over South Lawrence and NW Winston County.

SOUTH ALABAMA
Strongest storms of all over Pike Bullock and Barbour Counties...Very heavy rain in those areas. The storms are moving southward.

Big thunderstorms on the near south and SE side of Birminbgham. Pouring rain and very dangerous lightning. Storms extend from...

.....Vestavia and Hoover south to near Pelham
.....Along I-459 from near The Summit to Liberty Park and Grants Mill Rpad.

Storms moving slowly and erratic...but over all movement toward the south.

Not a good time since rush hour is underway.

Be especially careful on I-65 south into Shelby County
And on I-459 from Hoover toward Irondale
Pouring rain in Riverchase at the 3340 Studios

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
446 PM CDT TUE AUG 16 2005

ALZ024-025-162245-
JEFFERSON-SHELBY-
446 PM CDT TUE AUG 16 2005

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR SHELBY AND JEFFERSON
COUNTIES UNTIL 545 PM CDT...

...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE FROM AN APPROACHING
THUNDERSTORM...

...WINDS 35 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR ARE POSSIBLE FROM AN APPROACHING
THUNDERSTORM...

AT 444 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM OVER INVERNESS...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR LAKE PURDY...
INVERNESS...HOMEWOOD...CAHABA HEIGHTS...BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT...
BIRMINGHAM...HOOVER AND OAK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK THROUGH 545 PM CDT.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING STRIKES. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE
STORMS...TAKE SHELTER NOW. IF LIGHTNING IS OBSERVED... WAIT AT LEAST
30 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST LIGHTNING FLASH OR THUNDER BEFORE RESUMING
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STRONG STORMS.

It is a small thunderstorm but making plenty of noise. It was centered near The Summit, Briarwood and Vestavia Hills High School. Putting down plenty of lightning.

Another thunderstorm approaching Birmingham from the north. It extended from Fultondale on I-65 west to near Adamsville on U.S. 78...moving south.

LATEST WARNING
Severe Thunderstorm for NE Montgomery County and West Central Macon. Storm near Milstead moving SW at 15 mph.

It's a small thunderstorm and it was moving south from NW Jefferson County.

But it is sending out an outflow boundry ahead and that boundry seems to be trying to trigger another storm.

Interesting to see what happens when the outlow reaches the Birmingham Metro Heat Island. May cause the storm to increase quickly.

Latest warning is a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Madison County of Extreme North Alabama until 4:45. Storm was near New market moving SE at 5.

Severe Thunderstorm warnings for...

.....South Tallapoosa County until 4 pm. Storm was near Camp Hill moving south at 10

.....Lawrence County in Extreme North Alabama until 4. Storm near Moulton moving SE at 5.

.Small thunderstorm along the SW edge of Blount County and east tip of Walker County moving south into Extreme North Jefferson.

At 3:40 pm, the more numerous thunderstorms continue over the SE and southern counties.

Be sure and scan down to see those great pictures from atop Mt. Cheaha.

Saving my money to buy that mountain!