Severe weather awareness week continues in Alabama. Our primary spring tornado season comes during the months of March, April and May, but in some years the big storms come early. On this date 31 years ago, I was working the Sunday afternoon shift at the “BIG 1230”, WTBC in Tuscaloosa.

Talk about a fun job; I was a rock and roll disc jockey on the big “top 40” radio station in town at the ripe old age of 18 on February 23, 1975. Just like the job I have now, I always looked forward to every shift. Those were the days when radio was magic to me. Seemed like every young person in Tuscaloosa was listening.

I recall that day as being warm and balmy, and being a weather freak I knew the weather “felt funny” for February. I was on the lookout for storms out the TBC “weather window” on 15th Street. Shortly after 1:00, the Civil Defense radio in the studio sounded the alert tone, and a tornado warning followed by Tuscaloosa. This was before NOAA Weather Radio, and the warnings on the AP wire machine were typically slow to arrive. That CD radio was a lifeline.

I broke into the song that was playing at the time (I don’t recall which one), and passed on the message that a tornado was indicated by Centreville NWS radar between Tuscaloosa and Moundville, and it was moving rapidly northeast. I gave as much information as possible (I probably rambled on for about five minutes), and then I played the song “Lightning Strikes” by Lou Christie. About two minutes into the song, the power at the station went out and as ferocious thunderstorm moved through. I stepped outside, but I could not see a tornado.

With no power, I went down to the CD operations center where I learned that tornado damage was widespread, and one person was killed. Her name was Thelma Hill, and she was working at the old Scottish Inn at the intersection of McFarland Blvd and I-59/20. The F4 tornado produced severe damage from Skyland Blvd and McFarland Bvld... through Alberta City and into Holt.

That was my closest call from a significant tornado, and one I will never forget.

Strongest thunderstorms at 6:45 way down in Central Alabama from NW Elmore County across SE Coosa County into Tallapoosa County.

Storms not as strong as earlier. Moving east.

So far we have no confirmed reports of damage in the three tornado warnings for Perry, Chilton and Autuga Counties.

The last warning, Autauga County, expired at 6:45.

The Tuscaloosa-Birmingham-Centreville area, among others, are getting a temporary break from the rain, but more widespread rain covers much of North Alabama from Fayette, Jasper and Cullman northward. Movement was generally east, but the whole zone of rain is gradually shifting SE.

SOME ACTUAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS:

1.32 inches at Anniston Airport
1.18 at Birmingham Airport
0.59 at Shelby County Airport
0.67 at Tuscaloosa Airport
1.42 in Pinson
1.47 in NE Trussville
1.21 at Bankhead Lock and Dam
0.89 at Carbon Hill
1.46 at Dearmanville (east of Anniston)
1.15 at Pell City
1.18 at ABC 33/40 in Riverchase
1.54 in Cahaba Heights
1.32 along the Hueytown-Concord line
1.50 in Hueytown/Virginia Mines
1.28 in Cottondale

At 6:15, the strongest thunderstorms extended from the north tip of Dallas County to along the Chilton-Autauga County line, then across SE Chilton County into Coosa County.

The Tornado Warning continues for North Autauga County until 6:45.

No known damage so far.

Bill Collum, Chilton County EMA advises no damage
as of 6:05

It is in effect until 6:45 for North Autauga.

Possible tornado indicated by radar 22 miles west of Marbury, moving east at 40 mph

As of 5:55 pm, the Perry County Sheriff's Office has no reports of damage in Perry County.

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
547 PM CST WED FEB 22 2006

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED

A * TORNADO WARNING FOR...
SOUTHERN CHILTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA

* UNTIL 615 PM CST * AT 544 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO OVER THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF CHILTON...OR ABOUT 6 MILES NORTH OF PAUL GRIST STATE PARK...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF THE EXTREME SOUTHERN PORTION OF CHILTON COUNTY. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER... CALL 1-800-856-0758.

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
539 PM CST WED FEB 22 2006

A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CST FOR EAST CENTRAL PERRY COUNTY...

AT 535 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER EAST CENTRAL PERRY COUNTY...OR ABOUT 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF PAUL GRIST STATE PARK... MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF THE INDICATED COUNTY.

It is for Perry County in Central Alabama until 5:45 pm.

Developing storm just north of Marion could possibly produce a tornado.

Movement east at 40.

Late this afternoon a line of heavy showers and possible thunderstorms developed south of the main rain area and extended from Marion northeast tosouth of Centreville...then across North Chilton County into South Talladega County.

A broad band of rain persists across North-Central Alabama this afternoon including some imbedded showers and even an occasional rumble of thunder.

The precipitation has been training all day, generally across the same area. Some of the heavier showers were over Jefferson, Southern St. Clair and Calhoun Counties.

Back to the west, a long zone of showers extends across North-Central Mississippi into North Louisiana.

A stalled front lying across North-Central Alabama is the reason the showers have revisited the same area time and time again. Ironically, it has rained very little a little further south in places like Greensboro, Marion, Centreville, Clanton, Rockford, Alexander City and Roanoke.

Showers have been heavy at times. Shortly afternoon it was raining hard enough at Hueytown in West Jefferson County for motorists to pull over.

Still a big contrast in temperature across that front. It was 59 degrees in Birmingham at 4:00 p.m. and 52 in Huntsville, but it was 75 in Montgomery and 79 in Evergreen.

A FEW RAINFALL REPORTS THROUGH 4:00 PM CST:
0.97 at the ABC 33/40 studios in Riverchase
0.94 at Birmingham Airport
0.63 at Tuscaloosa Airport
1.47 in NE Trussville