Not A Dull Day Around Here

February 8, 2006, 6:15 am

Posted by James Spann in Weather Discussions
Rating: 0/5 Votes : 0

The Wednesday morning map discussion video is on the server:

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

I love these days of difficult forecasts... I would much prefer this to the long, hot days of summer where our daily forecast doesn't change much from June through August.

TODAY/TONIGHT: Our system coming down the back side of the long wave trough over the eastern U.S. will bring clouds today, and the risk of some sprinkles this afternoon and flurries tonight. As usual with a "Clipper" type system, it will be starved for moisture and the precipition probably won't amount to much. The 06Z NAM shows a whopping 0.02" of liquid equivalent with this system.

TOMORROW: Lots of sun, but cold. Highs in the 40 to 45 degree range.

FRIDAY NIGHT: An Arctic front moves through here, and the models are now showing enough moisture for some light rain or light snow with the frontal passage between 6:00 p.m. Friday and 8:00 a.m. Sunday.

WEEKEND: There remains a great deal of uncertainty over events Friday night and Saturday. It all involves some energy coming out of Mexico in the sub-tropical jet, and most models have no idea what is going on.

Will the energy simply enhance the precipitation with the frontal passage Friday night and early Saturday morning?

Or, will the energy form a wave on the front Saturday when it is on the Gulf coast and run a low from Mobile to Augusta?

Or, will the energy pass to the south and not phase at all with the Polar jet?

Ah, questions with no really good answers.

For now we will go with chance of light rain or snow Friday night, and a chance of some light snow Saturday morning, and adjust the forecast as needed. I think the telling model run will be the 00Z versions tonight...

One way or another, the weekend will be COLD. If we have a clear sky Sunday morning, look out for teens around here.

LONG RANGE: I still believe temperatures will stay colder than normal, generally speaking, over much of the Deep South through the rest of February. We have the usual model madness... details are impossible to deal with here.

TODAY: Headed out to the annual career day at Pelham High School... I will do two sessions for them. I will be back in the office for the afternoon video feed should be posted by 3:30.

WEATHER BRAINS: We taped our second version of the Weather Brains podcast last night... David Black has it finished and I will post it over on iTunes and the Weather Brains web site within the hour:

http://www.weatherbrains.com/

This week's topic is winter weather forecasting!

STORM ALERT 2006: We will see you tomorrow night at 7:00 at Homewood High School for Storm Alert 2006... this is the only Birmingham metro show this year!

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Posted by John T.
on February 8, 2006, 6:35 am

Another rather cool 24' at my house in W-Hueytown . Lookout Coppertop here comes another chance of your dredded sn!* word . Its just not your month is it ? Espically with us snow brats driving you crazy . Oh-well, maybe we won't have to shut down the state this time . All try to have a desent We-day .

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Posted by
on February 8, 2006, 7:28 am

Hey John T I was thinking the same thing coppertop you might want to get ready we might have Sn** coming.

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Posted by
on February 8, 2006, 7:36 am

they are being conservative, this weekend will be known as WINTER STORM 2006! my snow bunny and i will have a huge time being stranded

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Posted by coppertop
on February 8, 2006, 7:51 am

I can only hope that you snow lovers are wrong. Regardless, it's gonna do what its gonna do.

I will keep my fingers crossed that snow isn't in our future. And if it does occur, the area doesn't shut down at the sight of a few snow flakes.

And to respond to a few comments on other posts...
- I never suggested you snow lovers move, I simply suggested choosing a snow State as a vacation spot.
- Since 1993, every accumulation of snow has resulted in a shut down of the area. Roads are shut down, businesses shut, and mad rushes to the grocery store have taken place. School systems have shut down at the mere forecast of snow. Simply put, this area is not equipped or prepared for any snow event.
- I didn't realize that these posts were restricted to only those who like snow. I didn't see any disclaimers that stated "if you don't want snow, you are prohibited from posting." For those who think the only correct view to have is one in favor of snow, a few choice words come to mind that would be inappropriate to post.

I don't like snow and it's more so I don't like how ill prepared this area is to handle snow. We do not have enough equipment to handle the hills and overpasses that are so abundant to this area. Drivers have no clue how to drive in snow and often cause more of a hazard than the snow itself. As I said in an earlier post, I almost wish we'd have an appreciable snow every year to learn how to handle it better.

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Posted by Jeff
on February 8, 2006, 8:10 am

Coppertop I am all for free speech. You have every right to your opinion as I do. Please don't stop writing on this Blog, BUT when you do please have your facts straight.

It's true in the past an inch or two of snow would cause havoc in this city. In 2000 we had 3 inches and NO roads were closed I know because I was driving on them. And having spent alot of time in Michigan people there drive no better in the snow than people in the south. We ALL drive too fast and I have seen many many accidents in Michigan during little 4 and 5 inch snows. Like I said yesterday we get more ice than snow and I remember once being in an ice storm in Detroit. EVERYTHING was shut down. If we get 6 inches of snow yes we will have some problems ( this is ths south not Buffalo NY) but it will not " shut down" this town!!

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Posted by coppertop
on February 8, 2006, 8:48 am

Facts are straight....
the year Montgomery got snow and we didn't I-65 was shut down.
Any year we get a dusting... Red Mountain Expressway is shut down, I-65 is shut down, and several secondary roads are shut down.
We lack the number of sand trucks needed to cover the amount of hills and overpasses/bridges in this area.
Last year, the mere threat of snow shut down schools and businesses.
This area has a reputation for shutting down when an inch (or less) of snow hits the ground. The weather channel even commented on this Sunday during thier forecasting of the snow possibilities.
I don't know your background and won't speculate. I've lived in Alabama for well over 40 years now and have seen my fair share of snow events, both real and imagined. My experience says that the Birmingham area has no idea how to deal with any accumulation of snow outside it only falling on grass and not on roads.

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Posted by
on February 8, 2006, 9:19 am

I do have to say coppertop I am not fond of the snow effects on Alabama either. But the driving problems are just as bad in the rain. folks seem to think one can drive at the same rate of speed no matter what. My idea of an ideal snow was when i visted Mt. Ranier ( sorry if spelled wrong) in Washington State. This Southern girl actually got to see a glacier and snow over 2 STORIES tall! then we went back to Tacoma and it was a gentle May day. THAT"S how to have snow!! I guess for this weekend, I'll go ahead and get my bread and milk ( and vanilla for the snow cream

and hope if it happens it is over by Monday.

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Posted by AMY
on February 8, 2006, 9:24 am

ALL IN FAVOR SAY I ..... I HOPE IT SNOWS 6FT OF SNOW DIRECTLY ON COPPERTOP HOUSE. AND MABE A FEW DAYS WITH JUST HIS THOUHTS HE WOULD NOT BE SUCH A HUM BUG. BUT I DONT WISH HIS POWER OUT BC THAT WOULD JUST BE MEAN. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I.

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Posted by
on February 8, 2006, 9:19 am

Hey coppertop I have to go with what Jeff says the city does not shut down if we get 3 inches of snow. And something else you need to think of the reason we had the proplems in the 93 storm. Is because we had a ton of snow and we had 30 to 50 M.P.H. winds and that is the reason the power went out like it did. Trees came down in turn took out the power lines. So if we get a little snow 6- 8 inches that would not cause a big power proplem. So LET IT SNOW.

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Posted by coppertop
on February 8, 2006, 9:31 am

Amy... you've got issues. Such hostility towards someone who simply does not like snow?

I like Laura's version of the perfect snow.... where it falls somewhere else.

Even prior to 93, the Birmingham area had no resources appropriate to handle a light snow. We're going to have to agree to disagree on this issue but I've lived in the area for over 40 years and have yet to see even the lightest snow handled without shutting down the city.

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Posted by coppertop
on February 8, 2006, 9:33 am

Oh and Jeff... during the 2000 snow roads were closed. I-65 and US 280 to name a few.

There was a big controversy over the closings because the City closed them and the State contended the City didn't have the authority to do so.

To borrow your phrase, "Get your facts straight"

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Posted by Jeff
on February 8, 2006, 2:06 pm

Well there you go then make my point. They were not offically closed and 459 was never closed.

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Posted by observer
on February 8, 2006, 9:37 am

I love how the comments start at 6:30 with someone baiting coppertop right out of the gate, then 2 and a half hours later people are complaining that he's in here defending himself.

I for one like the snow, but people around here do seem to lose their heads when winter weather is forecast.

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Posted by AMY
on February 8, 2006, 9:57 am

NO COPPERTOP NO ISSUES! AND LIKE I SAID IT WOULD BE MEAN FOR ME TO WISH YOU WITH OUT POWER YOU JUST SEEM LIKE A BIG OLD HUM BUG HAVE A OPEN MIND ABOUT THINGS. AND REGUARDLESS IF TUSCALOOSA OR BHAM OR ANY OTHER TOWN IS ABLE TO HANDLE A FEW INCHES OF SNOW HERE IN ALA. WHATS THE BIG DEAL IN SHUTTING DOWN FOR A DAY OR SO . KIDS GET OUT OF SCHOOL TO PLAY AND SPEND SOME MUCH NEED TIME W/ PARENTS AND SOME PEOPLE GET A DAY TO REST FROM WORK . NOW YOU TELL ME WHO IN GODS EARTH WOULD NOT ENJOY A LITTLE TIME LIKE THIS. NO HARM DONE AND WITH IN A FEW DAYS LIFE GOES BACK TO NORMAL. YOU MIGHT NEED TO TRY IT . YOU MIGHT ENJOY IT YOUR SELF. SEE NO HOSTILITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Posted by
on February 8, 2006, 9:44 am

Hey Amy I want snow myself about 6-8 inches is all I want that would be enough to have some fun in. Now I think we need to stop being so hard on coppertop I respect the fact that he does not like snow. So let's respect that he does not like it. There are some of us on this blog that want snow and some don't and I respect that. I know my dad is a warm weather person and when it gets cold he can't stand it.

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Posted by
on February 8, 2006, 9:44 am

Well let me put in my two cents. Everybody has problems when it snow even the north. I have an Uncle who works with the Highway Patrol in Michigan. They have several problems with wrecks without snow or ice. He stated that it triples when it snows or they have ice. Go look at the Michigan web site on state accident totals and look at Alabama. BIG DIFFERENCE the reason schools shut down when we have snow's is because we look out for the well being of our children. Bottom line is that it does not matter who you are you can not drive on ICE!!! I think the south handles everything very well in bad weather.

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Posted by
on February 8, 2006, 10:09 am

Hey like I said before let's respect the fact that coppertop does not like snow and stop being so hard on him. And Amy that is why I want snow because where I work we have been without a coworker since before Thanksgiving and I have been working 6 days with only one day off. That day off is Sunday and with being in church I don't have a lot of time to rest so let's have snow so we can have a few days off.

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Posted by Stephanie Honeycutt
on February 8, 2006, 10:49 am

Coppertop made some VERY valid points........

In the past people have uneccsarily shut down businesses when the roads were perfectly fine, just wet.

I can understand the schools, I wouldn't want my child on a bus where there are patchy areas of ice.

As a former sales manager, I had employees call in because the snow flurries were sticking to the cars......... it is frustrating when you are trying to run a department, and your employees take a "flizzard" day.

On the other hand, the days off are nice too. Some people work waaayyyyy too much (hubby) and something like this forces them to be off.

It is fun to have a little snow, and because us Alabamians don't see it much and yes, it does shut A LOT of things down, it is best to always stay prepared.

I apologize Coppertop.

My 2 cents coming from a die hard snow fan!!

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Posted by
on February 8, 2006, 12:29 pm

Yes he did make some very good points. And yes people tend to make a big thing out of nothing. But I still say we don't need to hard on him because he does not like snow, just respect that.

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Posted by Snow Lover
on February 8, 2006, 2:01 pm

Stephanie, you are so funny! Did you make up the work Flizzard? That is GREAT!!

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