From our astronomy desk…

The eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks on Saturday, May 6th. The best time to look, no matter where you live, is during the hours immediately before sunrise on Saturday morning. As usual, you will see more meteors from the dark countryside: get away from city lights if possible. This is mainly a southern hemisphere shower, but northern observers can see it, too. Expected meteor rates: 5 to 10 per hour in the northern hemisphere, 20 to 60 per hour in the southern hemisphere.

The Eta Aquarids are flakes of dust from Halley's Comet, which last visited Earth in 1986. Although the comet is now far away, beyond the orbit of Uranus, it left behind a stream of dust. Earth passes through the stream twice a year in May and October. In May we have the eta Aquarid meteor shower, in October the Orionids. Both are caused by Halley's Comet. The eta Aquarids are named after a 4th-magnitude star in the constellation Aquarius. The star has nothing to do with the meteor shower except that, coincidentally, meteors appear to emerge from a point nearby. Eta Aquarii is 156 light years from Earth and 44 times more luminous than the Sun. The constellation Aquarius does not rise very far above the horizon in the northern hemisphere, and that's why northerners see relatively few meteors. But the ones they do see could be spectacular Earthgrazers, which are meteors that skim horizontally through the upper atmosphere. They are slow and dramatic, streaking far across the sky.

The best time to look for Earthgrazers is between 2:00 to 2:30 a.m. local time when Aquarius is just peeking above the horizon. Experienced meteor watchers suggest the following viewing strategy: Lie down and look up somewhat toward the east. Meteors can appear in any part of the sky, although their trails will point back toward Aquarius.

-From spaceweather.com

Most of the showers and thunderstorms have moved into East Alabama--most of them east of I-65.

At 7:30 pm, they were mostly in the Anniston-Heflin-Talladega-Sylacauga area. One of the strongest storms was over NE Chilton County east of I-65.

All showers and storms were moving east and SE.

The strongest storms were producing locally heavy rain and considerable lightning.

But overall, they have decreased in strength and this will probably be our last update unless the storms intensify again.

In closing, here are some rainfall amounts from this afternoon's storms, including amounts from the Skycam network:

0.47 in Downtown Birmingham
0.36 in Inverness
0.19 at Gadsden
0.03 atop Mt. Cheaha
0.19 at Riverchase (3340 weather office)
0.17 at Birmingham Airport
0.59 at Shelby County Airport
0.18 at Anniston Airport

These are not final totals because it was still raining at many of these locations. A lot of places got very heavy rain.

Line of thunderstorms a little less organized.

Now extends from near Tuscaloosa eastward across South Jefferson County, North Shelby County into Talladega County.

Strongest storms were:

* Near the Jefferson-Shelby County line.

* Near Leeds

* NW of Talladega

That is not all of the thunderstorms...just the main ones.

Everything working its way eastward...the line also moving south.

As of 5.50 pm, rainfall in NE Trussville had amounted to 0.82 of an inch.

Broken line of strong thunderstorms at 5:15 was still across North Central Alabama. They extended from the Fayette-Tuscaloosa County line east across North and Central Jefferson County...across South St. Clair County into Calhoun County.

Strongest storms were:

* North and NW of Downtown Birmingham

* South St. Clair County along I-20 between Leeds and Cook Springs.

Lots of downpours and lightning but the storms seem short of being severe. No reports of large hail or damaging winds so far this afternoon.

The entire line of storms gradually working its way east and southeast.

Here is where the strongest storms were located at 4:30 pm:

* South Fayette County, near and south of City of Fayette

* Walker County, south of Jasper

* North Jefferson County, east of Gardendale and toward Pinson

* St Clair County, including Odenville, Wattsville, Ragland

Very heavy rain. Some places getting a lot more rain than they want.

Lightning has been decreasing in some of the storms.

A flareup of lightning in the NE Jefferson and St. Clair County storms.

Storms are working theit way slowly eastward...maybe also sliding a bit toward the south.

A rather broad line of strong to intense thunderstorms streatches almost all the way across North Central Alabama. These are the main locations from west to east:

Lamar County, near Vernon
North Fayette County
South Marion County, south of Hamilton
Walker County, near Jasper
Cullman County, mainly south
Blount County, mostly south
Etowah County, south of Gadsden

The strongest storms were:

Near Vernon
South of Hamilton
East edge of Walker County near the Jefferson County line.

Storms moving generally eastward. They fired near an outflow boundry where morning thunderstorms fizzled.

Don't be surprised to see a few isolated severe thunderstorm warnings before the day is over

(Scroll down to see/hear the afternoon video update and discussion from James)

The Thursday afternoon map discussion video is on the server:

http://www.jamesspann.com/

Don't forget all of our video and audio products are available on iTunes so you can watch or listen anywhere!

Sure getting a ton of e-mail questions about weather during the next two weeks. I will try to answer as many questions here as possible. Lets take it in chronological order:

THIS EVENING: SPC maintains a slight risk of severe weather for us tonight. Storms could produce small hail and gusty winds; we have scattered to numerous storms now on radar from Vernon to Onenota. Lots of lightning; so far no severe weather warnings have been required. Storms will linger well into the nighttime hours.

TOMORROW: We will continue to highlight a good chance of showers and storms, but it won't rain all day, and the sun should be out at times. The GFS hints at a wave forming on the surface front just north of us, which might enhance the chance of rain and storms tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow night. Rainfall amounts of 1 inch are likely around here, with heavier amounts possible in spots.

SATURDAY: Both the NAM and the GFS continue to trend toward a drier solution, and it now looks like much of the day will be dry. We can't drop the chance of rain completely, but any showers should be widely spaced, and the best chance of those could very well be south of I-20.

SUNDAY: This now looks like the wettest day of the weekend. Quite a flip-flop from our thinking earlier this week. Another wave on the front should bring a few periods of rain in here on Sunday. A thunderstorm is not out of the question. Once again, it won't rain all day, but it could rain at any time, even during the morning.

EARLY NEXT WEEK: Looks like Monday and Tuesday will be relatively dry at this point. Guess a few isolated showers are not out of the question, but rain sure won't be widespread. We might see an increase in showers and storms by Tuesday night and Wednesday as a warm front lifts northward through the state.

LATE NEXT WEEK: A potent storm system could bring the risk of strong to severe thundrstorms to Alabama on Thursday of next week (May 11). Then Friday looks like a day with potential for clearing as drier air returns.

MAY 13-14: Keep in mind we are in "voodoo land" when it comes to forecasting weather for this weekend, since there isn't much skill in a specific weather forecast beyond seven days. But, the GFS is hinting at dry conditions both days for Alabama. That might change, however.

Thanks to the third graders at Cherokee Bend Elementary in Mountain Brook for being a great audience today... look for them on the KIDCAM on ABC 33/40 News today at 5:00!

I will have the next map discussion video posted by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow! J.B. will have updates on the ongoing thunderstorms over North Alabama as needed...

Rain cooled air delayed additional thunderstorm development over a good part of North Alabama today.

However, scattered thunderstorms were developing quickly across parts of North Central Alabama this afternoon.

As it heats up more, additional storms will form.

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is keeping almost the north half of Alabama under a "slight risk" for this afternoon and part of tonight.

Mainly for large hail and possible damaging wind gusts.

Does not look like a widespread event.

* 20 was the coldest in the Lower 48 States this morning at Butte, Mont.

* 37 is how old the "kids" are now that James Spann did a weather program for in their 5th grade class...his first one in 1979 after starting a career as a meteorologist on Birmingham TV. Wonder if those "kids" remember?

* 102 was the hottest in the USA Wednesday at Bullhead City, Ariz., in the Western Arizona Desert near the Lower Colorado River.

* 90 seconds is how long I had to stand in line at the Center Point Courthouse to renew my driver's license this morning. A neat, efficient operation.

* 80.1 degrees was the water temperature yesterday at Buoy No. 42001 in the Gulf of Mexico. On the same date one year ago it was 75.6 at that same buoy. Across the board, sea-surface temperatures in the Gulf are higher this year. Thanks to Andre for this information. We may do a more complete story on this later. Of course the warmer the water, the better hurricanes like it.

Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms are already in progress over part of North Alabama this morning.

At 8:15 am, they were mostly over North Walker County and extending NE to near Moulton, Decatur and Huntsville.

All are moving east and slowly diminishing.

To the west, a much more widespread area of showers and storms over NW Mississippi and Arkansas. These may lay down an outflow boundry that will trigger some more thunderstorms across North and Central Alabama mainly this afternoon and into tonight.

A few of those could be severe with damaging winds and/or large hail.

Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has about the north third of Alabama under a slight risk. This includes areas as far south as Greater Birmingham.

...headed to the Jefferson County Courthouse in Center Point to stand in line for driver's license renewal. Sure hope the problem that I saw in the paper about the statewide computer network crashing has been solved....otherwise you may not see another post from me until early June! Just teasing, but I do hope the problem has been solved...