A swarm of tornadoes ripped across parts of Alabama on January 18, 1936. Four people died as an F2 tornado passed from near Fyffe to near Rainsville in DeKalb County. Another twister touched down near Columbiana. One person died from a tornado in Dale County. The activity was ahead of a powerful cold front. It would be followed by a a ten day siege of winter weather that would be remembered for decades across Alabama.

Headlines in the Birmingham News on Sunday, January 26th noted that the upper Midwest was bracing for a brutal assault of frigid air. Photos of cars abandoned in snowdrifts in Pittsburgh dominated the front page of the “South’s Greatest Newspaper.” Light snows fell across parts of North Alabama that night. The News from the 27th warned that the local Weather Bureau forecaster was calling for lows of 2F to 8F that night in the Magic City. On Tuesday, January 28, 1936, dramatic headlines reported that four children had died in Birmingham the night before from suffocating in their cribs under heavy blankets. There was a serious coal shortage, and the local fire chief also warned about the danger of house fires. The morning low in Birmingham was actually 13F.

The U.S. Weather Bureau weather map for the morning of Wednesday, January 29, 1936 showed a low pressure system over the western Gulf of Mexico. A large shield of precipitation was spreading up into the cold air ahead of the low. Snow began falling in Birmingham at 7:46 a.m. The afternoon edition of The News said that the local weatherman called for it to continue through the night. It did, and did not end until 720 a.m. on Thursday. At 7 a.m. CST on Thursday, it was 26F in Birmingham with a strong northerly wind and eleven inches of snow on the ground. It would be the city’s greatest snowfall until the March Blizzard of 1993 in the Magic City. Snow fell as far south as Brweton. Other amounts across the state: Tuscaloosa 8 inches; Montgomery 3/4 of an inch; Gadsden 9 inches; Huntsville 9 inches; Decatur 7 inches; Anniston 10 inches and Selman 1 inch. Under the deep snow cover and clear skies, the mercury would fall to –4F at Birmingham the following morning.

The Sunday map discussion video is on the server at:

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

It's always nice when the actual weather behaves nicely and goes along well with the forecast. That was the situation overnight as rain entered Alabama from the west shortly before midnight and moved steadily across the state. The rain should be out of the state by noon today. JB reports that Montgomery had 1.30" of rain and I recorded 0.88 in my gauge, so the forecast amounts of one to one and a half were fairly close.

Except for the breezy conditions, it should be a warm day today as sunshine allows afternoon temperatures to threaten the 70-degree mark. Wow, and this is January.

A second and much colder front will move through the state Monday bringing much cooler air - actually values that are close to normal but will feel colder because of the above normal readings we've had the last couple of days. Lows Tuesday and Wednesday morning will be down in the lower 30s.

Tuesday will be sunny and dry before moisture returns a chance of showers on Wednesday. A series of weak upper level disturbances through the end of the week will keep some clouds and low chances for showers in the forecast. A much stronger disturbance is forecast to develop in the Friday-Saturday time frame bringing the possibility of severe weather to the Southeast US. This will be a system to watch because of the possibility of finally being able to tap good Gulf moisture and warmth which we just have not been able to do with the last several systems.

And Storm Alert 2006 begins this coming Thursday in Hamilton. Check the ABC 3340 web site for locations of each of the shows. Hope to see you there.

Have a great Sunday and a wonderful upcoming week. Stay weather-wise!

-Brian-

* 52 is how mild it is in and around Gatlinburg this morning.

* 0 is the number of inches of snow on the ground, even atop Mt. Leconte

* -56 is the coldest in Alaska this morning, at Ft. Yukon

* 0.96 is the Birmingham rain surplus for this month after last night.

* 0% is the approxmate chance of rain in Birmingham today.

* 1 (yes +1) was the coldest in the lower 48 this morning (Alamosa, Colo.) Amazing

* 0% is the amount of the lower 48 with zero or lower this morning. (Very unusual)

* 54% is the amount of the lower 48 covered by clouds (computer analysis)

* 1.30 is one of the heavier rain amounts in Alabama overnight (Montgomery)

* 0 is the number of cups of coffee for me so far today. (Up late, slept late.)

Be sure and check out Brian's video discussion later this morning. Also scan down to see Bill Murray's story on Nashville's worst winter storm.

The line of heavier showers now has moved eastward into St. Clair, Shelby and Chilton County.

Nothing unusual happened when it moved through the Birmingham area, just some gusty winds and brief heavy rain. No lightning as far as I know.

The line is not as distinct now.

It will continue moving east while rain gradually ends from west to east over the western part of the state.

This will probably be our last update unless something unusual happens.

That line of heavy showers continues to move east quickly.

At 2:45 am, ABC 33/40 Doppler Radar showed the line from Oneonta, in Blount County, southward through the heart of Birmingham into Bibb County east of Centreville and to near Marion in Perry County.

Birmingham had moderate to heavy rain with SE winds 16, gusts 26. But at Tuscaloosa, where the line has already passed, the rain was light and the wind had diminished to 8 mph.

Still no lightning indicated. No severe weather is likely.

Scan down to see an aearlier story on this event.

(Also see Bill Murray's story on Nashville's worst winter storm)

Rain is widespread in Alabama early on this Sunday morning.

Embedded in the broad rain area is a long narrow line of heavy showers. At 2:25 am, that line extended across North and West Alabama from Hartselle to Cullman to Tuscaloosa, Moundville and Demopolis.

All of this moving east.

The line of heavy showers also crosses through East Walker and Central Tuscaloosa County. This will affect the Greater Birmingham area between now and 4 am.

Still, little or no lightning. In fact, lightning detection equipment not showing any. No warnings were issued as this weather passed through Louisiana and Mississippi and, so far, none in Alabama.

However, it is windy and a lake Wind Advisory is in effect. These winds were reported on the last oberrvations:

Meridianville...wind SE 21, gusts to 38 mph
Cullman...south 17, gusts to 24
Birmingham...south 18, gusts 29
Tuscaloosa...south at 16
Anniston...south, gusts 21.

It is likely that winds are even stronger on the ridges in the area, such as Red Mountain and Shades Mountain in the Birmingham area. Meridianville, listed above, is located in North Madison County north of Huntsville.

Based on radar estimates, the heaviest rain in Alabama so far was between 6/10 and 9/10th of an inch over parts of West Alabama's Marion, Lamar, Western Winston and Western Pickens Counties.

The rain has already tapered off over the NW edge of Alabama and it has ended over most of North and Central Mississippi.