Seems like late July has been a time of the year when big transitions have happened in my career over the years. The first one was in July 1979. At the time, I was working at WHHY-FM radio in Montgomery (Y-102), doing the afternoon shift and just enjoying life as a 23 year old. I had gotten into television the prior year, in 1978, at WCFT-TV (Channel 33) in Tuscaloosa, and then I moved on to WSFA-TV, Channel 12, in Montgomery. I never figured I was a “TV person”, and when I had an opportunity to get back into radio I jumped on it in the spring of 1979 at Y-102. The summer of 1979 was a ton of fun; playing cool music on the radio in the afternoon, and then getting off work at 7:00 p.m. That was the last summer in my life when I was able to sleep a normal amount!

But, in July of 1979, I received a call from the news director of the NBC TV affiliate in Birmingham, Wendell Harris. Wendell wanted me to come up and interview for their weeknight weather job. Being the biggest weather freak in Alabama at the time, I jumped on that, and within a couple of weeks I was hired, and the long TV weather career was launched. I somehow doubt that move will ever happen again; moving from a radio station in Montgomery to the main weather anchor for a big network affiliate in Birmingham.

Then, in late July 1984, I got a call from the CEO of Channel 13’s parent company, Times Mirror Broadcasting, letting me know I was being promoted to their largest station in the chain, KDFW-TV in Dallas. I flew to Dallas the next day, signed a contract, and I was on the air two days later as the primary weather anchor on the weeknight newscasts. Another unusual move, but I enjoyed the time in Dallas and I will never have to wonder what it is like in a top 10 market. I have been there, done that.

I sure hope the phone doesn't ring this July... I have no desire to go anywhere else, and I am hoping my next "move" will be to Elmwood. But, you never know in this crazy business. I just hope I have the chance to stay here at ABC 33/40 and retire when the time is right. Can't be really soon, however, since we have an 8 year old to get through college!

Unless thunderstorms reintensify, this should be our final update for today. At 8:00 p.m. there was still a few thunderstorms over West Alabama with the strongest one along the Hale-Greene County line near Sawyerville and Forkland. It was moving SW. Over on the other side of the state, some strong storms lingered in Russell and Barbour Counties in SE Alabama.

Here is a round up of what happened today:

HIGH TEMPERATURES 95 OR HIGHER
95 in Birmingham, Crossville, Cullman, Clay, Inverness, Shelby County Airport
96 in Troy, Jasper, Hueytown, Crumly Chapel
97 in Pinson, Albertville
98 in Huntsville, Tuscaloosa
99 in Anniston, DeSoto State Park, Ft. Payne, Meridianville
100 in Decatur
101 in Alabaster, Muscle Shoals

AFTERNOON RAINFALL AMOUNTS
2.17 inches in the Old Cahaba Subdivision in Helena
1.39 in Helena reported by Brian Peters
1.74 in Helena reported by Nathan Jones
0.88 in Alabaster from 33/40 skywatcher, Stephanie Honeycutt
1.28 at Ellisville (Cherokee County)
0.21 in Black Creek (only 0.55 since late June)
0.45 in Jasper
0.34 in Steele
0.33 at Martin Dam

DAMAGE REPORTS
* At 5:40 p.m., scattered small trees were uprooted along the Blount-St. Clair County line 5 miles SE of Oneonta.

* At 3:45 p.m. in South-Central Alabama, 3 miles north of Luverne in Crenshaw County, trees and power lines were torn down. Several wooden structures were damaged.

IN OTHER PLACES--SOME HOT HIGH TEMPERATURES
108 in Ponca City and Stillwater, Okla., and Lawrence, Kans.
106 in Guyman, Okla.
107 in McAlster, Okla.
103 in Tulsa
109 in Medicine Lodge, Kans.
107 in Oklahoma City (a record for July 20)
108 in Wichita Falls, Tex. (2006 rainfall only 1/2 of normal)
104 at the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport
104 in Ft. Smith, Ark.
108 in Fresno, Calif.
108 in Las Vegas
103 in Springville, Mo.
123 in Death Valley (the nation's hottest today)

NEW ENGLAND COAST
On some of the offshore buoys, 10-foot waves have been reported tonight due to Tropical Storm Beryl.

The thunderstorm count was thinning in Alabama early this evening. Also, some of the stronger ones decided to simmer down.

At 6:30, the strong storms over Blount County had weakened greatly.

There was a moderate thunderstorm over SW Clay County in East Alabama.

Scattered thunderstorms over West Alabama were in sort of a line from Hamilton to Fayette and down into West Hale County. They continue to weaken as they move west and SW.

Strongest storm of all was over West Dallas County west of Selma and ready to move into the Perry County Panhandle and the north edge of Wilcox County.

We will try to post some high temperatures from around the state later this evening. Yes, it is still hot.

It is very un-Octoberlike.

THE MID USA DOME OF HEAT
I really feel for those folks. As I mentioned in this afternoon's E-Forecast and 7-Day Discussion, I have driven across the Great Plains many times...often on non-interstate highways like U.S 36, U.S 82, U.S.70, U.S. 287 and others. In my opinion some of the hardest-working (and friendliest) people in the world live across those vast flat lands. A rancher on his tractor will wave at you even though he is not close to the road. So, I am anxious to see that part of the country get out from under the huge heat blanket. Look at these temperature observed at 6 o'clock this evening:

109 in Wichita Falls, Tex., home of Sheppard Air Force base
108 in the Oklahoma City area
106 in parts of Kansas
67 in Williston, N. Dak., where they got relief!

Today's highs were probably higher than those 6 pm temperatures

Widely scattered thunderstorms continue across Alabama late this afternoon. They are all moving toward the WSW and some of those are still producing heavy rain.

At 5:15 pm, the most intense thunderstorms were over South Alabama approaching Camden and Monroeville. Buckets of rain from these storms.

Over the North central part of the state, the storms are not has heavy as earlier...but some are still strong enough to produce locally heavy rain. They were located:

.....Over Blount Countyboth north and south of Oneonta
.....Over Tuscaloosa County moving toward Tuscaloosa=Northport
.....Over Bibb County (those are lighter)

The Blount and Tuscaloosa County storms will produce lots of lightning, strong gusty winds and downpours of rain. Cloud be some street and road flooding with those.

The storm that wet down much of Shelby County in a hurry this afternoon movced into Bibb County and weakened. This is what happened in Shelby County this afternoon:

* Brian Peters reported 1.39 inches of rain in about 45 minutes and the temperature cooled to 69.0.
* Nathan Jones, also in Helena has 1.09 inches of rain quickly.
* Stephanie Honeycutt, 3340 Skywatcher in Alabaster had 0.88 rainfall and the temperature dropped to 71.
* At the 3340 studios in River Chase, the rain amounted to 0.42


.....

That cluster of very strong thunderstorms in Shelby County has now moved down into the SW part of the county. They continue toward the Southwest.

Consider this:

* In Helena, Brian Peters measured 1.39 inches of rain in less than 45 minutes and the temperature cooled to 69.9. That is three degrees below our forecast low for tonight.

* Stephanie Honeycutt, a 3340 Skywatcher in Alabaster reports 0.84 in Alabaster and still pouring.

* In the Maylene section of Alabaster, David Black reports o.28 as of 4:30 pm with heavy rain falling.

* James Spann reports 0.41 so far at the 3340 Studios in Riverchase.

As of 4:05 pm, 0.91 of an inch of rain has fallen in less than 30 minutes at Brian Peter's location in Helena. There was some strong winds and much lightning.

The big storm cooled the temperature to 74.

Nathan Jones, 3340 Weather Watcher reports that the Pelham Fire Department was making a run to Oak Mountain State pPark at the front gate. Building possibly struck by lightning.

A cluster of strong thunderstorms was moving SW through Shelby County. The strongest thunderstorms were lined up from near the intersection of I-65 and 459 near Acton Road southward along I-65 and into the SW part of Shelby County. The rainfall is heavy and there is much lightning with these thunderstorms.

Brian, Peters from Helena, reported a brief power outage and fierce lightning. The storm has dumped 1/2 inch of rain in only 15 minutes and winds were quite strong, especially at treetop level.

The Thursday afternoon map discussion video is on the web, and also available on iTunes:

http://www.jamesspann.com/

RADAR CHECK: I am watching our SKYCAM in downtown Birmingham as I write this; rain is falling and the temperature has dropped to 85 degrees thanks to a nice thunderstorm overhead. A reminder you can see all of the SKYCAM images and weather data here:

http://www.abc3340.com/static/skycams/skycamsmain.html

Scattered storms will continue this evening; most of them should be over by 9:00 or 10:00 as the air gradually becomes more stable.

TOMORROW: We should begin to see an increase in the number of showers and storms by afternoon as the heat bubble begins to slide to the west. Still, we will be hot and humid with mid 90s likely.

THE WEEKEND: We will are forecasting an increase in the coverage of showers and storms over the weekend as a long wave upper trough forms over the eastern U.S., and a surface front slips into North Alabama. High temperatures over the weekend should be in the 87 to 90 degree range, a nice change from the upper 90s in recent days.

Some model disagreement over the placement of the front on Sunday. The GFS pushes the front to I-85, and if that is correct we should be dry and less humid. However, the NAM has the front closer to U.S. 278 on Sunday (Hamilton to Cullman to Gadsden), and that position would suggest more showers and storms around here. For now, we side with the NAM solution and will maintain a decent chance of showers and storms into Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: If the 12Z run of the GFS is correct, then dry air will slip into the northern half of Alabama on Monday and Tuesday, with all of the showers and storms over the southern counties of state. But, I am not totally confident in that solution just yet. If the 00Z run comes in with the dry air over North Alabama, we will back off on the chance of rain on those two days. The front will dissipate and moisture will return statewide by Wednesday.

TROPICS: Tropical storm Beryl is about 125 miles south/southeast of New York City, moving north-northeast. Sustained winds are near 60 mph, and the system will clip the New England coast late tonight and tomorrow. The rest of the Atlantic basin is amazingly quiet.

Going to get back to radar duty... thankfully it seems like we won't have as many wet microbursts around the state today. See all of the damage reports from yesterday here:

http://www.weather.gov/view/prodsByState.php?state=AL&prodtype=public

The next map discussion video will be posted by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow!

A thunderstorm formed over North Jefferson County around 2:30 or so. It is fairly strong and is working its way toward the SW and at 3 pm, was approaching Downtown Birmingham. Some areas will get breief downpours.

Yep, the usual sharp lightning.

The first warning of the day...


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
SOUTHWEST CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA

* UNTIL 230 PM CDT

* AT 153 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR POPE...DRIFTING TO
THE SOUTHWEST.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
ESTES CROSSROADS BY 210 PM CDT

This storm in far southwest Cherokee County may have some hail with it, and it may also produce some wind gusts to or above 60 MPH. The storm is hardly moving at all, but what little movement it has seems to be toward the west.

Here's a look at the storm on our Gadsden SkyCam:

http://www.abc3340.com/static/skycams/skycamsgadsden.html

Areas of northern Calhoun and eastern Etowah near Hokes Bluff & Glencoe should be alert to this storm too!