According to the National Climatic Data Center, the average death toll from various severe weather phenomenon in the United States between 1988 and 2003 ranked like this:

1. Heat 157 fatalities
2. Flooding 83 fatalities
3. Lightning 56 fatalities
4. Tornadoes 53 fatalities
5. Winter Storms 49 fatalities
6. Cold 29 fatalities
7. Hurricanes 17 fatalities

One serious weather related killer is not listed in this ranking. If you are heading to the beach this week, or anytime soon, you need to know about it. It is rip currents. NOAA estimates that 100 people lose their lives on average due to drowning from rip currents each year.

A rip current is defined as a small scale, surf zone current that flows away from the beach. They occur when waves that are driving shoreward trap water between the beach and a sand bar. When a break occurs in the sand bar, the trapper water rushes out through the neck of the rip current. This water can move at speeds of 5 mph, which is frightening to an inexperienced swimmer caught in the current. The neck can be 30 to 100 yards. Once the neck ends, the water spreads out into an area called the head. Swimmers get in trouble when then fight the current or panic when they find themselves far offshore. All weekend, we will examine what to do if you encounter a rip current.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING UNTIL 8:00 PM FOR SOUTHERN SUMTER COUNTY AND MARENGO COUNTIES...Severe thunderstorms continue from just west of Livingston to north of Linden. At 7:30, the Sumter County EMA reported dime to nickle sized hail with this storm.

And at 7:40, the Sumter county EMA reported trees down along County Road 28. There are also numerous reports of golf ball size hail.

The band of storms extends from South Sumter and Marengo County eastward to well south of Montgomery.

They are still moving southward.

Since severe weather danger is over for the 3340 coverage area, I may take some time to let my semi-numb fingers rest and make some more delicious and delectable coffee.

I sure do appreciate the notes in the "comment" sections of the blog. I hope that all of you understand that we may not be able to respond to your questions during the "heat of battle" When we can, we address some of the concerns in the text of our updates.

Life goes on...even with sore finger tips...

The weather is calming down over a large part of North and Central Alabama early this evening.

At 7:15, pm, the band of thunderstorms extended from near Livingston to Demopolis eastward to just south of Montgomery. Most areas to the north of that band of storms now out of danger from severe thunderstorms.

Rain still falling heavily over Central and South Sumter County.

Some rainfall totals from the ABC 33/40 WeatherNet:

abc3340wx: Riverchase 0.56"
abc3340wx: Greystone Cove 0.83"
abc3340wx: Legion Field 0.56"
abc3340wx: Hamilton 0.01"
abc3340wx: Tuscaloosa 1.23"
abc3340wx: Clanton 0.49"
abc3340wx: Gadsden 1.20"
abc3340wx: Talladega 0.14"
abc3340wx: Cuillman 0.33"
abc3340wx: Anniston 0.72"
abc3340wx: Demopolis site is down

Severe Thunderstorm Warning extended for Hale County, where I grew up, until 6:45 pm. Nows includes the entire county...not just the north part as in the earlier warning.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning also in effect until 6:45 for NE Greene County.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been cancelled for a number of counties in the northern part of the watch area. They are:

Clay....Randolph...Walker...Fayette...Shelby...Jefferson...St. Clair...Lamar....and Talladega Counties.

Checked with Moundville Police around 5:45. They reported very heavy rain at that time with strong winds. At least one tree down in Moundville.

0.72 rainfall reported at the ABC 33/40 WeatherNet site in East Tuscaloosa.
0.56 rainfall for Riverchase at 3340 main studios.

3340 Weather Watcher at Taylorville south of Tuscaloosa reports 1.02 inches of rain. For a time the rain was coming down at the rate of 5.63 inches an hour!

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings until 6 pm for...

NE Greene County including Eutaw
East Central Pickens County

Warning for Bibb County cancelled

At 5:23 pm, NWS, Birmingham reported hail the size of quarters falling over West Tuscaloosa County.

Radar returns from that area support very large hail.

Their Severe Thunderstorm Warning may be extended.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues for Tuscaloosa County until 5:30 pm.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Eastern Bibb County until 5:45....based on severe thunderstorm near West Blocton at 4:55 pm that was moving SE at 25 mph.

Finger tips getting numb but coffee still fresh and yummy.

These add-on reports.....

0.83 rainfall reported in Greystone Cove( Report from James Spann)

Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues for Tuscaloosa County until 5:30

Lightning was striking in Tuscaloosa County at the rate of 27 strokes per minute.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 11 pm for a large number of counties in Central and South Alabama until 11 pm.

Remember, the counties in the north part of the watch will be out of danger much sooner than those to the south. Here are the counties:
ALABAMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

AUTAUGA BARBOUR BIBB
BULLOCK BUTLER CHAMBERS
CHILTON CHOCTAW CLARKE
CLAY COFFEE CONECUH
COOSA COVINGTON CRENSHAW
DALE DALLAS ELMORE
ESCAMBIA FAYETTE GENEVA
GREENE HALE HENRY
HOUSTON JEFFERSON LAMAR
LEE LOWNDES MACON
MARENGO MONROE MONTGOMERY
PERRY PICKENS PIKE
RANDOLPH RUSSELL SHELBY
ST. CLAIR SUMTER TALLADEGA
TALLAPOOSA TUSCALOOSA WASHINGTON
WILCOX