On the road…
This is the time of the year when I travel on a daily basis to schools across Alabama doing programs on the science of meteorology. My calendar for the spring is usually booked months in advance; the demand for weather programs in schools is pretty overwhelming. Yesterday, it was a drive to the western part of Tuscaloosa County for a program at Westwood Elementary School in the community of Coker.
From Birmingham, it was a quick trip down I-59/20 to I-359, through downtown Tuscaloosa, and across the Black Warrior River into downtown Northport. I rolled into town early enough for a stop at my favorite “meat and three” in the state, the City Café on Main Street in Northport. I discovered this place when I was a teenager back in the 1970s. A group of us kids from WTBC radio started hanging out at the place because the food was so good, and prices were so low. At the time the City Café only had one dining room and just a few tables along with the counter. Seemed like college students at the University of Alabama discovered this place soon after we did, and before you know it owner Joe Barger bought up most of the adjoining buildings and kept expanding. Today, you have to wait in a long line just to get in, but it is worth the wait. I practically grew up eating lunch at the City Café, and the food quality has never changed. Simply the best. Seeing Joe getting all those take-out orders ready yesterday brought back some warm memories. Joe hasn't changed at all in 30 years.
I spoke to the second and third graders at Westwood, and as usual they were a great group. I had little time for the “roads less traveled” on the return trip, so I paid the 75 cent toll and took the new Joe Mallisham Parkway across the Warrior River over to I-59/20 and back to Birmingham on a picture perfect spring day.
On The Road...
April 4, 2006, 9:47 pm
by James Spann
in On The Road
Updated Storm Survey Information
April 4, 2006, 9:22 pm
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
908 PM CDT TUE APR 4 2006
...PRELIMINARY MID SOUTH TORNADO DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS FROM THE MAJOR
TORNADO OUTBREAK OF APRIL 2 2006...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PERSONNEL IN MEMPHIS CONTINUE TO CONDUCT
STORM DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS ACROSS THE MID SOUTH WITH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE
ASSESSMENTS TO CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY.
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE RANDOLPH...LAWRENCE...AND GREENE
COUNTIES (ARKANSAS) AS WELL AS DUNKLIN AND PEMISCOT (MISSOURI)
COUNTIES TORNADO DAMAGE:
A STORM DAMAGE ASSESSMENT SURVEYED DAMAGE FROM RAVENDEN IN LAWRENCE
COUNTY TO CARUTHERSVILLE IN PEMISCOT COUNTY. IT APPEARS THAT THE
TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN A FEW MILES WEST OF RAVENDEN AND THEN
MOVED INTO RAVENDEN AS AN F0 TORNADO WITH A 200 YARD PATH. SEVERAL
WOODEN AND METAL SHEDS WERE DESTROYED...ALONG WITH A ROOF OF AN
OLDER HOUSE BLOWN OFF. FROM THERE THE TORNADO APPEARED TO MOVE
THROUGH IMBODEN AND THEN INTO POCAHONTAS. F1 DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED ONE
MILE SOUTH OF POCAHONTAS NEAR ROAD 67 AND ARKANSAS 90...WITH A WIDTH
OF 300 YARDS. SEVERAL HOMES WERE DAMAGED WITH ONE ROOF COMPLETELY
GONE. FROM POCAHONTAS TO LAFE THE TORNADO APPEARED TO SKIP WITH
GENERALLY F0 DAMAGE. AS THE TORNADO MOVED INTO LAFE IT BEGAN TO
WIND UP AND PRODUCED F1 TO F2 DAMAGE UNTIL THE TORNADO REACHED
MARMADUKE. IN MARMADUKE THE TORNADO REACHED F3 AND POSSIBLE HIGHER
INTENSITIES ALONG WITH WIDTH OF HALF A MILE TO THREE QUARTERS OF A
MILE. SOME OF THE DAMAGE IN MARMADUKE INCLUDED NUMEROUS HOUSES
DESTROYED...ALONG WITH 15 RAILROAD CARS WERE LIFTED OFF THE TRACK AND
BLOWN OVER. AS OF MONDAY EVENING THERE WERE 50 KNOWN INJURIES WITH 5
OF THOSE INJURED IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
FIVE MILES EAST OF MARMADUKE...2 WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WERE
FLATTENED AND A NEW CAR THROWN 80 YARDS. AS THE TORNADO LEFT HERE IT
APPEARED TO WEAKEN IN STRENGTH TO AN F0 TO F1 WITH JUST
SCATTERED DEBRIS AND LARGE POWER POLES DOWN ALTHOUGH THE SIZE OF THE
SYSTEM REMAINED LARGE AS IT PASSED THROUGH DUNKLIN AND PEMISCOT
COUNTIES. THE DAMAGE PATH APPEARED NEAR THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE WIDE
AT TIME ESPECIALLY AS IT APPROACHED CARUTHERSVILLE. AS THE TORNADO
MOVED INTO THE TOWN OF BRAGGADOCIO...THE F2 TORNADO INJURED 2 AND
KILLED 1 AS THEY WERE TRYING TO FLEE THE TORNADO. THE TORNADO
APPEARED TO BE ON THE GROUND FROM 5 MILES EAST TO CARUTHERSVILLE AND
THEN CONTINUED INTO DYER COUNTY.
IN CARUTHERSVILLE...PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF 64 INJURIES...ALTHOUGH
NO FATALITIES. AS THE TORNADO PASSED INTO THE CITY THE WIDTH OF THE
TORNADO WAS HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE WIDE AS IT PASSED OVER
I-55. THE TORNADO HAS BEEN RATED AN F3 AS WELL.
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE DYER COUNTY (TENNESSEE) TORNADO
(UPDATED):
A STORM DAMAGE ASSESSMENT TEAM SURVEYED THE DAMAGE ACROSS DYER
COUNTY ON MONDAY. THIS TORNADO WAS A CONTINUATION FROM THE TORNADIC
THUNDERSTORM IN CARUTHERSVILLE MISSOURI AND TRAVELED FOR 18 MILES
BEFORE DISSIPATING IN NEWBERN TENNESSEE (DYER COUNTY). PRELIMINARY
F-SCALE ASSESSMENT RATES THIS TORNADO AT A STRONG F3 TORNADO WITH
ESTIMATED WINDS AROUND 200 MPH. NUMEROUS HOMES WERE DESTROYED WITH
ADDITIONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE NOTED. THERE WERE 16 FATALITIES WITH THIS
STORM (UPDATED FROM 15 FATALITIES).
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE GIBSON COUNTY (TENNESSEE) TORNADO:
AFTER THIS TORNADO DISSIPATED...ANOTHER TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN
GIBSON COUNTY TENNESSEE JUST EAST OF YORKVILLE AND MOVED THROUGH DYER
AND THEN THROUGH BRADFORD. TORNADIC DAMAGE WAS RATED A F1 ON THE
FUJITA SCALE WITH UP TO F3 DAMAGE IN BRADFORD...ESPECIALLY ON TAYLOR
ROAD JUST EAST OF HIGHWAY 45. THE STORM CONTINUED EAST THROUGH
WEAKLEY AND CARROLL COUNTIES IN TENNESSEE WHICH WILL HAVE A STORM
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED ON TUESDAY.
ANOTHER TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A SECOND SUPERCELL
UNRELATED TO THE DYER COUNTY SUPERCELL. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST
SOUTH OF THE OBION COUNTY LINE AND JUST NORTH OF RUTHERFORD. THIS
TORNADO THEN MOVED SOUTHEAST TRACKING APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES AND
DISSIPATED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF CHINA GROVE ROAD AND HIGHWAY
105. PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS RATE THIS TORNADO AS AN F3 ON THE
FUJITA SCALE WITH WINDS ESTIMATED AT 200 MPH AND A WIDTH OF UP TO
ONE HALF MILE. SEVERAL HOMES WERE DESTROYED WITH MANY AUTOMOBILES
TOSSED AND THROWN INTO FIELDS. EIGHT FATALITIES WERE REPORTED IN
BRADFORD WITH APPROXIMATELY 50 INJURIES.
ASSESSMENT OF HAYWOOD COUNTY (TENNESSEE) TORNADO:
ANOTHER TEAM SURVEYED DAMAGE FROM A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM JUST WEST
OF BROWNSVILLE TENNESSEE. THIS TORNADO WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AN F2 ON
THE FUJITA SCALE WITH A WIDTH OF 30 YARDS AND LENGTH OF THREE
QUARTERS OF A MILE. THIS TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN THE HICKORY TRAIL
SUBDIVISION AND OCCURRED AROUND 1030 PM. THERE WAS PARTIAL ROOF
DAMAGE TO APPROXIMATELY A DOZEN HOMES. ONE HOME WAS MOVED OFF OF ITS
FOUNDATION WHILE ANOTHER HOME WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED WITH ITS DEBRIS
SWEPT CLEAN OFF OF THE FOUNDATION. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO
INJURIES.
ASSESSMENT OF THE CROSS COUNTY (ARKANSAS) TORNADO:
A TEAM FROM NWS LITTLE ROCK SURVEYED DAMAGE FROM A TORNADIC
THUNDERSTORM THAT BEGAN 4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MORTON OR ABOUT A MILE
NORTH OF THE PENROSE COMMUNITY IN WOODRUFF COUNTY AND ENDED 9 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF PARKIN IN CROSS COUNTY. THE TORNADO REMAINED IN WOODRUFF
COUNTY FOR LESS THAN HALF A MILE AND THEN MOVED INTO CROSS COUNTY.
THIS TORNADO WENT ON TO STRIKE THE FITZGERALD CROSSING COMMUNITY
SOUTH OF WYNNE AND VILLAGE CREEK STATE PARK. A NUMBER OF HOUSES WERE
DESTROYED OR DAMAGED ALONG WITH MOBILE HOMES...FARM SHOPS...AND
GRAIN SILOS. HUNDREDS OF TREES AND POWER LINES WERE DOWNED.
SEVERAL PARKED EIGHTEEN WHEELERS AND CARS WERE OVERTURNED. A
PRELIMINARY RATING OF F3 WAS GIVEN TO THE TORNADO WITH ESTIMATED
WINDS OF 200 MPH. THERE WERE 5 INJURIES IN CROSS COUNTY. THANKS TO
LITTLE ROCK FOR THEIR HELP. THERE WILL BE MORE UPDATES TO COME ON
THIS STORM IN THE FUTURE. AFTER EXITING THE PARKIN AREA...F0 DAMAGE
WAS OBSERVED INTO CRITTENDEN COUNTY BEFORE LIFTING JUST EAST OF
CRAWFORDSVILLE.
STORM SURVEY ASSESSMENT OF THE CARROLL COUNTY (TENNESSEE) TORNADO:
THIS TORNADO WAS FROM THE ORIGINAL SUPERCELL THAT MOVED THROUGH
GIBSON COUNTY AND IMPACTED BRADFORD. AFTER THE TORNADO PASSED
THROUGH BRADFORD IN GIBSON COUNTY THERE WAS SPORADIC DAMAGE ACROSS
THE NORTHERN HALF OF CARROLL COUNTY WITH WORST AFFECTED AREAS 5
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF MCKENZIE. DAMAGE HERE INCLUDED NUMEROUS
TREES DOWNS...GRAIN SILOS DESTROYED AND POWER LINES DOWNED. A
RATING OF F1 ON THE FUJITA SCALE WAS GIVEN TO THIS TORNADO. DAMAGE
CONTINUED INTO BENTON COUNTY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
NASHVILLE HAS DETAILS ON THE DAMAGE TRACK EAST OF CARROLL COUNTY.
FUJITA TORNADIC DAMAGE SCALE
F0.....60-73 MPH...LIGHT DAMAGE
F1....73-112 MPH...MODERATE DAMAGE
F2...113-157 MPH...CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE
F3...158-206 MPH...SEVERE DAMAGE
F4...207-260 MPH...DEVASTATING DAMAGE
F5...261-318 MPH...INCREDIBLE DAMAGE
$$
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
908 PM CDT TUE APR 4 2006
...PRELIMINARY MID SOUTH TORNADO DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS FROM THE MAJOR
TORNADO OUTBREAK OF APRIL 2 2006...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PERSONNEL IN MEMPHIS CONTINUE TO CONDUCT
STORM DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS ACROSS THE MID SOUTH WITH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE
ASSESSMENTS TO CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY.
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE RANDOLPH...LAWRENCE...AND GREENE
COUNTIES (ARKANSAS) AS WELL AS DUNKLIN AND PEMISCOT (MISSOURI)
COUNTIES TORNADO DAMAGE:
A STORM DAMAGE ASSESSMENT SURVEYED DAMAGE FROM RAVENDEN IN LAWRENCE
COUNTY TO CARUTHERSVILLE IN PEMISCOT COUNTY. IT APPEARS THAT THE
TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN A FEW MILES WEST OF RAVENDEN AND THEN
MOVED INTO RAVENDEN AS AN F0 TORNADO WITH A 200 YARD PATH. SEVERAL
WOODEN AND METAL SHEDS WERE DESTROYED...ALONG WITH A ROOF OF AN
OLDER HOUSE BLOWN OFF. FROM THERE THE TORNADO APPEARED TO MOVE
THROUGH IMBODEN AND THEN INTO POCAHONTAS. F1 DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED ONE
MILE SOUTH OF POCAHONTAS NEAR ROAD 67 AND ARKANSAS 90...WITH A WIDTH
OF 300 YARDS. SEVERAL HOMES WERE DAMAGED WITH ONE ROOF COMPLETELY
GONE. FROM POCAHONTAS TO LAFE THE TORNADO APPEARED TO SKIP WITH
GENERALLY F0 DAMAGE. AS THE TORNADO MOVED INTO LAFE IT BEGAN TO
WIND UP AND PRODUCED F1 TO F2 DAMAGE UNTIL THE TORNADO REACHED
MARMADUKE. IN MARMADUKE THE TORNADO REACHED F3 AND POSSIBLE HIGHER
INTENSITIES ALONG WITH WIDTH OF HALF A MILE TO THREE QUARTERS OF A
MILE. SOME OF THE DAMAGE IN MARMADUKE INCLUDED NUMEROUS HOUSES
DESTROYED...ALONG WITH 15 RAILROAD CARS WERE LIFTED OFF THE TRACK AND
BLOWN OVER. AS OF MONDAY EVENING THERE WERE 50 KNOWN INJURIES WITH 5
OF THOSE INJURED IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
FIVE MILES EAST OF MARMADUKE...2 WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WERE
FLATTENED AND A NEW CAR THROWN 80 YARDS. AS THE TORNADO LEFT HERE IT
APPEARED TO WEAKEN IN STRENGTH TO AN F0 TO F1 WITH JUST
SCATTERED DEBRIS AND LARGE POWER POLES DOWN ALTHOUGH THE SIZE OF THE
SYSTEM REMAINED LARGE AS IT PASSED THROUGH DUNKLIN AND PEMISCOT
COUNTIES. THE DAMAGE PATH APPEARED NEAR THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE WIDE
AT TIME ESPECIALLY AS IT APPROACHED CARUTHERSVILLE. AS THE TORNADO
MOVED INTO THE TOWN OF BRAGGADOCIO...THE F2 TORNADO INJURED 2 AND
KILLED 1 AS THEY WERE TRYING TO FLEE THE TORNADO. THE TORNADO
APPEARED TO BE ON THE GROUND FROM 5 MILES EAST TO CARUTHERSVILLE AND
THEN CONTINUED INTO DYER COUNTY.
IN CARUTHERSVILLE...PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF 64 INJURIES...ALTHOUGH
NO FATALITIES. AS THE TORNADO PASSED INTO THE CITY THE WIDTH OF THE
TORNADO WAS HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE WIDE AS IT PASSED OVER
I-55. THE TORNADO HAS BEEN RATED AN F3 AS WELL.
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE DYER COUNTY (TENNESSEE) TORNADO
(UPDATED):
A STORM DAMAGE ASSESSMENT TEAM SURVEYED THE DAMAGE ACROSS DYER
COUNTY ON MONDAY. THIS TORNADO WAS A CONTINUATION FROM THE TORNADIC
THUNDERSTORM IN CARUTHERSVILLE MISSOURI AND TRAVELED FOR 18 MILES
BEFORE DISSIPATING IN NEWBERN TENNESSEE (DYER COUNTY). PRELIMINARY
F-SCALE ASSESSMENT RATES THIS TORNADO AT A STRONG F3 TORNADO WITH
ESTIMATED WINDS AROUND 200 MPH. NUMEROUS HOMES WERE DESTROYED WITH
ADDITIONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE NOTED. THERE WERE 16 FATALITIES WITH THIS
STORM (UPDATED FROM 15 FATALITIES).
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE GIBSON COUNTY (TENNESSEE) TORNADO:
AFTER THIS TORNADO DISSIPATED...ANOTHER TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN
GIBSON COUNTY TENNESSEE JUST EAST OF YORKVILLE AND MOVED THROUGH DYER
AND THEN THROUGH BRADFORD. TORNADIC DAMAGE WAS RATED A F1 ON THE
FUJITA SCALE WITH UP TO F3 DAMAGE IN BRADFORD...ESPECIALLY ON TAYLOR
ROAD JUST EAST OF HIGHWAY 45. THE STORM CONTINUED EAST THROUGH
WEAKLEY AND CARROLL COUNTIES IN TENNESSEE WHICH WILL HAVE A STORM
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED ON TUESDAY.
ANOTHER TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A SECOND SUPERCELL
UNRELATED TO THE DYER COUNTY SUPERCELL. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST
SOUTH OF THE OBION COUNTY LINE AND JUST NORTH OF RUTHERFORD. THIS
TORNADO THEN MOVED SOUTHEAST TRACKING APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES AND
DISSIPATED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF CHINA GROVE ROAD AND HIGHWAY
105. PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS RATE THIS TORNADO AS AN F3 ON THE
FUJITA SCALE WITH WINDS ESTIMATED AT 200 MPH AND A WIDTH OF UP TO
ONE HALF MILE. SEVERAL HOMES WERE DESTROYED WITH MANY AUTOMOBILES
TOSSED AND THROWN INTO FIELDS. EIGHT FATALITIES WERE REPORTED IN
BRADFORD WITH APPROXIMATELY 50 INJURIES.
ASSESSMENT OF HAYWOOD COUNTY (TENNESSEE) TORNADO:
ANOTHER TEAM SURVEYED DAMAGE FROM A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM JUST WEST
OF BROWNSVILLE TENNESSEE. THIS TORNADO WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AN F2 ON
THE FUJITA SCALE WITH A WIDTH OF 30 YARDS AND LENGTH OF THREE
QUARTERS OF A MILE. THIS TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN THE HICKORY TRAIL
SUBDIVISION AND OCCURRED AROUND 1030 PM. THERE WAS PARTIAL ROOF
DAMAGE TO APPROXIMATELY A DOZEN HOMES. ONE HOME WAS MOVED OFF OF ITS
FOUNDATION WHILE ANOTHER HOME WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED WITH ITS DEBRIS
SWEPT CLEAN OFF OF THE FOUNDATION. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO
INJURIES.
ASSESSMENT OF THE CROSS COUNTY (ARKANSAS) TORNADO:
A TEAM FROM NWS LITTLE ROCK SURVEYED DAMAGE FROM A TORNADIC
THUNDERSTORM THAT BEGAN 4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MORTON OR ABOUT A MILE
NORTH OF THE PENROSE COMMUNITY IN WOODRUFF COUNTY AND ENDED 9 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF PARKIN IN CROSS COUNTY. THE TORNADO REMAINED IN WOODRUFF
COUNTY FOR LESS THAN HALF A MILE AND THEN MOVED INTO CROSS COUNTY.
THIS TORNADO WENT ON TO STRIKE THE FITZGERALD CROSSING COMMUNITY
SOUTH OF WYNNE AND VILLAGE CREEK STATE PARK. A NUMBER OF HOUSES WERE
DESTROYED OR DAMAGED ALONG WITH MOBILE HOMES...FARM SHOPS...AND
GRAIN SILOS. HUNDREDS OF TREES AND POWER LINES WERE DOWNED.
SEVERAL PARKED EIGHTEEN WHEELERS AND CARS WERE OVERTURNED. A
PRELIMINARY RATING OF F3 WAS GIVEN TO THE TORNADO WITH ESTIMATED
WINDS OF 200 MPH. THERE WERE 5 INJURIES IN CROSS COUNTY. THANKS TO
LITTLE ROCK FOR THEIR HELP. THERE WILL BE MORE UPDATES TO COME ON
THIS STORM IN THE FUTURE. AFTER EXITING THE PARKIN AREA...F0 DAMAGE
WAS OBSERVED INTO CRITTENDEN COUNTY BEFORE LIFTING JUST EAST OF
CRAWFORDSVILLE.
STORM SURVEY ASSESSMENT OF THE CARROLL COUNTY (TENNESSEE) TORNADO:
THIS TORNADO WAS FROM THE ORIGINAL SUPERCELL THAT MOVED THROUGH
GIBSON COUNTY AND IMPACTED BRADFORD. AFTER THE TORNADO PASSED
THROUGH BRADFORD IN GIBSON COUNTY THERE WAS SPORADIC DAMAGE ACROSS
THE NORTHERN HALF OF CARROLL COUNTY WITH WORST AFFECTED AREAS 5
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF MCKENZIE. DAMAGE HERE INCLUDED NUMEROUS
TREES DOWNS...GRAIN SILOS DESTROYED AND POWER LINES DOWNED. A
RATING OF F1 ON THE FUJITA SCALE WAS GIVEN TO THIS TORNADO. DAMAGE
CONTINUED INTO BENTON COUNTY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
NASHVILLE HAS DETAILS ON THE DAMAGE TRACK EAST OF CARROLL COUNTY.
FUJITA TORNADIC DAMAGE SCALE
F0.....60-73 MPH...LIGHT DAMAGE
F1....73-112 MPH...MODERATE DAMAGE
F2...113-157 MPH...CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE
F3...158-206 MPH...SEVERE DAMAGE
F4...207-260 MPH...DEVASTATING DAMAGE
F5...261-318 MPH...INCREDIBLE DAMAGE
$$
by James Spann
in Severe Weather
Awesome April Weather
April 4, 2006, 3:17 pm
The Tuesday afternoon map discussion video is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Another cool night is ahead, followed by a sunny day tomorrow with a mild afternoon. We will be in the low 40s early tomorrow (upper 30s for the colder valleys), and in the low 70s tomorrow afternoon. A few clouds should show up on Thursday, but I still expect lots of sunshine.
While we enjoy great weather, another potent severe weather setup is shaping up for the area from northeast Texas to parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana on Thursday. This includes states like Missouri and Arkansas. I expect part of this area to be under a moderate risk on Thursday with a strong negative tilt upper trough moving into the region.
The 12Z run of the GFS continues to trend of bringing the upper air dynamics on a more southward track this time, which will increase our risk of strong to severe storms by Friday afternoon and Friday night. The model output has a stacked low near Kansas City Friday, which splits into two pieces. The southern piece winds up near Nashville on Saturday morning. At the moment it looks like the favored time to strong to severe storms across Alabama will be from about 4:00 p.m. Friday through 4:00 a.m. Saturday.
Once the system gets it act together on the east side of the Rockies we will know much more about the potential threat.
THE WEEKEND: Still looks like we clear during the day Saturday, with sunshine possible by Saturday afternoon. For now, we will maintain a sunny forecast for Sunday, but the GFS is hinting at a wedge type pattern with an easterly flow developing. This could mean clouds and cooler temperatures than we have forecast. Lets look at the 00Z GFS and we can adjust the forecast as needed.
LONG RANGE: Still looks like the main storm track runs from the southern plains into the upper midwest for the next couple of weeks, but we might be close enough to have one or two thunderstorms events here in the April 10-20 time frame.
Sure enjoyed speaking to the 2nd and 3rd graders at Westwood Elementary in Coker today... look for them on the KIDCAM on ABC 33/40 News today at 5:00! I will also write about the trip and have it posted tonight by 10:00 or so.
I will have the next map discussion video posted by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow...
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Another cool night is ahead, followed by a sunny day tomorrow with a mild afternoon. We will be in the low 40s early tomorrow (upper 30s for the colder valleys), and in the low 70s tomorrow afternoon. A few clouds should show up on Thursday, but I still expect lots of sunshine.
While we enjoy great weather, another potent severe weather setup is shaping up for the area from northeast Texas to parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana on Thursday. This includes states like Missouri and Arkansas. I expect part of this area to be under a moderate risk on Thursday with a strong negative tilt upper trough moving into the region.
The 12Z run of the GFS continues to trend of bringing the upper air dynamics on a more southward track this time, which will increase our risk of strong to severe storms by Friday afternoon and Friday night. The model output has a stacked low near Kansas City Friday, which splits into two pieces. The southern piece winds up near Nashville on Saturday morning. At the moment it looks like the favored time to strong to severe storms across Alabama will be from about 4:00 p.m. Friday through 4:00 a.m. Saturday.
Once the system gets it act together on the east side of the Rockies we will know much more about the potential threat.
THE WEEKEND: Still looks like we clear during the day Saturday, with sunshine possible by Saturday afternoon. For now, we will maintain a sunny forecast for Sunday, but the GFS is hinting at a wedge type pattern with an easterly flow developing. This could mean clouds and cooler temperatures than we have forecast. Lets look at the 00Z GFS and we can adjust the forecast as needed.
LONG RANGE: Still looks like the main storm track runs from the southern plains into the upper midwest for the next couple of weeks, but we might be close enough to have one or two thunderstorms events here in the April 10-20 time frame.
Sure enjoyed speaking to the 2nd and 3rd graders at Westwood Elementary in Coker today... look for them on the KIDCAM on ABC 33/40 News today at 5:00! I will also write about the trip and have it posted tonight by 10:00 or so.
I will have the next map discussion video posted by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow...
A Great Big (Huge) Breath of Fresh Air
April 4, 2006, 10:50 am
Don't know about you, but I wish we could can today's air over Alabama into a 500 trillion (no zillion) gallon jug and release it in intervals during July and August.
Won't have too many more morning like this until we will be waking up to low temperatures of 72 and 74 with dew points around 70. Hurry on October. Yeah, I know that is wishing my life away.
No stupendous low temperatures this morning, even for early April.
Howsomever (there is that Snuffy Smith expression again) we list below some low temperatures this morning. To keep the list shorter, these are places that had lows in the 30s and 40s.
36 in Black Creek and Vic Bell reports frost on windshields
36 also in Hamilton, Fort Payne, Vinemont (Cullman Airport)
37 in Meridianville
38 in Crossville
39 in Crudup
40 in Pinson and Gaylesville
41 in Decatur
42 in Jasper, Huntsville, Desoto State Park
43 in Addison, Muscle Shoals, Birmingham
44 in Alexander City, Wedowee
45 at Centreville, Heflin, Auburn, Tuscaloosa, Albertville
46 in Ashville, Clanton
47 at Livingston, Horseshoe Bend, Anniston, Troy
49 in Montgomery and at Shelby County Airport (Birmingham NWS)
BET YOU WONDER
Where Crudup is? (Their low this morning 39) We get daily reports from there. It is an Alabama temperature and rainfall station in a beautiful deep valley in NE Alabama. It is a very small community in the Little Wills Valley north of Gadsden. Naturally on clear, still nights, the colder air, being heavier, sinks into places like that. Maybe Jason Simpson will plot them on his TV map one morning and explain how Crudup got that name. I love the way Jason does that during Good Morning Alabama.
BACK IN SERVICE
Sure good to be communicating with the world again after nearly three days being dead in the water as far as Internet and E-Mail was concerned. Thanks to James Spann and Steve Elliott (my son) for getting me rolling again. Especially James who spent several hours at mid-day yesterday doggedly checking every possible flaw that had me grounded. When I win the $10 Million Publishers Clearing House (which I haven't entered) I am going to put both those guys on a retainer fee. I have also changed Internet providers and email. My new email address is:
jbelliott@centurytel.net
...or
jb.elliott@theweathercompany.com
The weathercompany address defaults to centurytel
Won't have too many more morning like this until we will be waking up to low temperatures of 72 and 74 with dew points around 70. Hurry on October. Yeah, I know that is wishing my life away.
No stupendous low temperatures this morning, even for early April.
Howsomever (there is that Snuffy Smith expression again) we list below some low temperatures this morning. To keep the list shorter, these are places that had lows in the 30s and 40s.
36 in Black Creek and Vic Bell reports frost on windshields
36 also in Hamilton, Fort Payne, Vinemont (Cullman Airport)
37 in Meridianville
38 in Crossville
39 in Crudup
40 in Pinson and Gaylesville
41 in Decatur
42 in Jasper, Huntsville, Desoto State Park
43 in Addison, Muscle Shoals, Birmingham
44 in Alexander City, Wedowee
45 at Centreville, Heflin, Auburn, Tuscaloosa, Albertville
46 in Ashville, Clanton
47 at Livingston, Horseshoe Bend, Anniston, Troy
49 in Montgomery and at Shelby County Airport (Birmingham NWS)
BET YOU WONDER
Where Crudup is? (Their low this morning 39) We get daily reports from there. It is an Alabama temperature and rainfall station in a beautiful deep valley in NE Alabama. It is a very small community in the Little Wills Valley north of Gadsden. Naturally on clear, still nights, the colder air, being heavier, sinks into places like that. Maybe Jason Simpson will plot them on his TV map one morning and explain how Crudup got that name. I love the way Jason does that during Good Morning Alabama.
BACK IN SERVICE
Sure good to be communicating with the world again after nearly three days being dead in the water as far as Internet and E-Mail was concerned. Thanks to James Spann and Steve Elliott (my son) for getting me rolling again. Especially James who spent several hours at mid-day yesterday doggedly checking every possible flaw that had me grounded. When I win the $10 Million Publishers Clearing House (which I haven't entered) I am going to put both those guys on a retainer fee. I have also changed Internet providers and email. My new email address is:
jbelliott@centurytel.net
...or
jb.elliott@theweathercompany.com
The weathercompany address defaults to centurytel
New WeatherBrains Episode
April 4, 2006, 5:57 am
This week's WeatherBrains podcast, episode ten, is online, available via iTunes, RSS, or direct download:
http://www.weatherbrains.com/
Bill Murray pulled old tornado warnings and severe weather statements from the Birmingham NWS issued during the "superoutbreak" of tornadoes April 3-4, 1974. We read a number of these on the podcast and discussed them. J.B. Elliott was on duty at the National Weather Service that night. Amazing stuff.
http://www.weatherbrains.com/
Bill Murray pulled old tornado warnings and severe weather statements from the Birmingham NWS issued during the "superoutbreak" of tornadoes April 3-4, 1974. We read a number of these on the podcast and discussed them. J.B. Elliott was on duty at the National Weather Service that night. Amazing stuff.
A Stupendous Spring Day
April 4, 2006, 5:49 am
The Tuesday morning map discussion video is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Is stupendous a word? I guess so... some online dictionary says it means:
1. Of astounding force, volume, degree, or excellence; marvelous.
2. Amazingly large or great; huge. See synonyms at enormous.
I am trying to say this will be a very nice day. We are in the 40s this morning; the mercury rises to near 70 today. These values are near our "normal" high/low combination of 71/46 for April 4.
The weather stays dry through Thursday with comfortable temperatures.
To the west, we will watch our next major storm system coming out of the Rockies, which will set up another severe weather threat for the nation's heartland on Thursday. The risk Thursday runs from near Texarkana to Chicago, roughly the same area hit hard this past Sunday and Sunday night. SPC defines a slight now; that will probably be upgraded in future outlooks.
ACTIVE FRIDAY HERE? SPC has all of Alabama in a severe weather risk on Friday. Details of how this thing evolves are not clear; the 00Z GFS run does not show a really deep surface cyclone, and the upper trough is not negatively tilted. These would work against a big severe weather problem, but on the other hand the dynamics are more to the south on this run. We will keep an eye on it.
WEEKEND PEEK: The coming weekend looks very nice, with ample sunshine and highs in the low to mid 70s, right at normal levels for this time of the year. The dry weather should last into the first half of next week.
LONG RANGE: The GFS wants to build a ridge across Alabama which should keep the weather here relatively dry and warm in the April 10-18 time frame. A big trough coming in from the west could surpress the trough and bring some active weather in the April 19-21 period.
NOTES: I will be posting the new WeatherBrains podcast shortly. Today I am headed to the western part of Tuscaloosa County to speak to the kids at Westwood Elementary in Coker. I will be a little late in getting into the office, but I will do my best to get the afternoon map discussion video posted by 3:30!
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Is stupendous a word? I guess so... some online dictionary says it means:
1. Of astounding force, volume, degree, or excellence; marvelous.
2. Amazingly large or great; huge. See synonyms at enormous.
I am trying to say this will be a very nice day. We are in the 40s this morning; the mercury rises to near 70 today. These values are near our "normal" high/low combination of 71/46 for April 4.
The weather stays dry through Thursday with comfortable temperatures.
To the west, we will watch our next major storm system coming out of the Rockies, which will set up another severe weather threat for the nation's heartland on Thursday. The risk Thursday runs from near Texarkana to Chicago, roughly the same area hit hard this past Sunday and Sunday night. SPC defines a slight now; that will probably be upgraded in future outlooks.
ACTIVE FRIDAY HERE? SPC has all of Alabama in a severe weather risk on Friday. Details of how this thing evolves are not clear; the 00Z GFS run does not show a really deep surface cyclone, and the upper trough is not negatively tilted. These would work against a big severe weather problem, but on the other hand the dynamics are more to the south on this run. We will keep an eye on it.
WEEKEND PEEK: The coming weekend looks very nice, with ample sunshine and highs in the low to mid 70s, right at normal levels for this time of the year. The dry weather should last into the first half of next week.
LONG RANGE: The GFS wants to build a ridge across Alabama which should keep the weather here relatively dry and warm in the April 10-18 time frame. A big trough coming in from the west could surpress the trough and bring some active weather in the April 19-21 period.
NOTES: I will be posting the new WeatherBrains podcast shortly. Today I am headed to the western part of Tuscaloosa County to speak to the kids at Westwood Elementary in Coker. I will be a little late in getting into the office, but I will do my best to get the afternoon map discussion video posted by 3:30!
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