On this date in 1994, Tropical Storm Alberto made landfall near Destin, Florida with top winds of 65 mph and a central pressure of 995 mb. Nothing to write home about. Damage along the coast was negligible. But Alberto was a serious reminder that tropical storms can be quite devastating, especially as it comes to inland flooding.

After landfall, the motion of the storm slowed and precipitation increased. The storm moved slowly through Alabama into Georgia, stalling just south of Atlanta. Over the next few days it reversed its course and then looped back on its previous course before ultimately dissipating.

During that period it dumped copious amounts of rain across the area. Amounts as high as 21.1 inches in 24 hours were observed at Americus, Georgia. and Macon was deluged with over ten inches. This rainfall produced record and near-record flooding along the Flint, Ocmulgee, Chattahoochee,Choctawhatchee, and Apalachicola Rivers.

Overall, flash flooding and flooding caused by the rainfall from Alberto took thirty three lives, destroyed thousands of homes (including some entire communities), forced approximately 50,000 people to be evacuated, and caused property damage (including lost crops) estimated as high as $750 million.

It would be the worst natural disaster in the history of the state of Georgia. Thirty counties were declared disaster areas.

The Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Cullman County in North-Central Alabama expired at 7:15. The storms have weakened, but are still present over about the west half of Cullman County. A small one has also formed over West Jefferson County. All of them are moving slowly toward the north.

SPOT REPORTS
* At 3:50 this afternoon, a wind gust of 52 mph was reported at the automated weather station 3 miles WSW of Albertville in Marshall County. That measurement was at Albertville Airport.

* At 4:15 p.m., also in Marshall County, large limbs were broken off several trees in the SW part of Albertville.

* At 4:15 p.m., 2.05 inches of rain had fallen in only 30 minutes in the SW part of Albertville. It was reported by a trained spotter.

It was located near Cullman in North Central Alabama.

Moving very little.

NWS/Huntsville posted a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Cullman County because of that small storm until 7:15 pm. Storm may have large hail and gusts over 60.

Overall, showers and thunderstorms over North and Central Alabama are very scarce. Only a very small percentage of the thirsty soil is getting relief.

Here's something you don't see everyday...a Tornado Warning in far north Maine. The storm has moved into Canada and it still shows a TVS on the Caribou radar. No damage has been reported...

WFUS51 KCAR 022119
TORCAR
MEC003-022145-
/O.NEW.KCAR.TO.W.0002.060702T2119Z-060702T2145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
519 PM EDT SUN JUL 2 2006

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CARIBOU MAINE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
EASTERN AROOSTOOK COUNTY IN NORTHERN MAINE...

* UNTIL 545 PM EDT

* AT 515 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES WEST OF
MARS HILL...OR ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTH OF PRESQUE ISLE...MOVING EAST AT
35 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
WESTFIELD AT 525 PM EDT
RURAL EASTERN AROOSTOOK COUNTY AT 530 PM EDT

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 4663 6805 4645 6803 4647 6733 4669 6736

$$

At 5:10 p.m., some decent storms are over Marion County.

One is near Bear Creek. Another is just north of US-278 just west of Natural Bridge. The other is just southeast of Brilliant.

The one near Brilliant has peaked. The one near Beark Creek is still strengthning.

Elsewhere across the state...at least the northern half...a growing storm is in southern Cleburne Countym heading generally toward Oxford...
,
Nothing much in the Birmingham Metro except for a developing shower which may become a storm in southwestern Jefferson County between I-59/20 and I-459, just south of Bessemer.

A nice cumulus field covers the eastern two thirds of North Alabama this afternoon, generally defeined as east of US-78 and US-280.

Storms started forming earlier in the Tennessee Valley, but they have never become very numerous.

Storms are just now starting to form over Central Alabama.

Most notably, a small storm that is bubbling up in St. Clair County near Springville. It is propagating westward....

A grouping of storms is gettings its act together from Ashland in Clay County, up to near Anniston then to west of Cedartown, Georgia, just across the border from Cherokee County...

Check your favorite radar for the lastest information...this will undoubtedly be outdated by the time you read it...

Temperatures at 3 p.m. ranged from 95 at Birmingham Airport and Calera to 96 at Anniston to 97 at Gadsden to 98 at Tuscaloosa. It was 93 at Vinemont and 97 at Albertville...but only 82 at Fort Payne where some showers have been occurring. Rome GA had reached the century mark. Montgomery's Maxwell AFB had 99.

The Sunday map discussion video is on the server at:

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

Don't you just hate it when the weather pattern gets into a rut? Well, it looks like the pattern is in a rut right now. The GFS has been doing a pretty decent job with the predictions of the weather pattern as well as remaining fairly consistent in its prognosis. Both of these factors lead to reasonably high confidence in the model and in our prediction of the future weather.

As we end the weekend and head into the first of the week - though many folks may be off until Wednesday - the large surface high pressure located in the Central Atlantic contines to nose across the Southeast. Moisture is here with dewpoints running in the lower 60s, so with the afternoon heating will come isolated showers each day through the middle of the week.

There is little appreciable change to the weather pattern through mid-week, but by Wednesday a low pressure system in the upper atmosphere will begin to carve out another trough across the eastern third of the Nation. As it does, a cold front is expected to approach the area on Wednesday, move through the state on Thursday, and wash out on Friday along the Gulf coast. So the GFS continues to hold out the promise of some widespread rain and perhaps slightly cooler temperatures for the end of the week. It would seem that our best shot at rain will come on Thursday.

Fronts are usually accompanied by drier air, however, with this one expected to wash out along the Gulf coast, we may see ourselves with isolated afternoon storms into next weekend. We'll have to see how far the front travels as well as the character of the air behind it before we can rule out showers completely.

It ramins dry across Central Alabama despite those isolated showers. I haven't gotten one of those showers yet, so I have not had rain for at least three weeks. I'll have to get a loan for the water bill AND my gas bill, too!!

Tropics are fairly quiet. There is an area of disturbed weather in the western Gulf of Mexico, but no signs of any development there. Water temperatures across the Gulf range fromabout 82 degrees to 88 degrees with some of the cooler water just offshore of the Yucatan Peninsula.

I've certainly enjoyed being with you the past several days. James Spann should be back in harness tomorrow morning as he comes off a week-long vacation. Have a great day - God bless.

-Brian-