Weather Update - 7:00 p.m.

Here is the latest on the developing Winter Storm situation across the South...

Low pressure is getting organized over Louisiana and Southeast Texas tonight. A cold front extends from eastern Kentucky, across Nashville into eastern Mississppi and then southwestward to north of Jackson, Mississippi.

A wide swath of precipitation extends from Southeast Texas, across Louisiana, southeast Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama into Tenessee and Kentucky. Snow is falling over southwestern Tennessee and northwestern Mississippi as well as over the Cumberland Plateau of northern Tennessee into Kentucky. rain will gradually change to snow over the rest of Tennessee, Northern Mississippi and North Alabama overnight.

In Alabama, it will begin around midnight over northwestern sections and gradually the rain/snow changeover line will move southeastward during the early morning hours. Some snow is likely as far south as

A variety of Winter Storm Warnings, Heavy Snow Warnings, Snow Advisories cover areas from eastern Arkansas across Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama on northeast into the Mid Atlantic States. Winter Storm Watches are already posted for a large part of the northeastern United States for Saturday as this system is expected to become a major winter storm.

Up to 5-7 inches of snow is expected across the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee, 3-5 inches from eastern Arkansas across western Tennessee and northwestern Mississippi. 1-3 inches will fall across the rest of North Mississippi. 1-2 inches will fall over North Alabama

Meanwhile, in the warm sector of the low, severe thunderstorms are possible over the next few hours over southern Louisiana. Wind advisories are in effect across a large part of Louisiana and Mississippi, even into Southwest Alabama.

Here are some snow reports from Tennessee and Mississippi...

3 inches...just SE of Olive Branch, MS (southeast of Memphis) as of 5:45 p.m.
3 inches...in Arkansas about 20 miles north of Tunica (5:35 p.m.)
4 inches...Union City, Tennessee (105 miles NNE of Memphis) as of 5:26 p.m.
1 inch...Tunica, Mississippi as of 4:55 p.m.
3 inches...Bartlett, Tennessee as of 4:00 p.m.

At 7 p.m., rain was falling over the northern half of Alabama. Temperatures ranged from 37 at Cullman and 41 to Meridianville to 47 at the Birmingham Airport and 48 at Tuscaloosa.

Obviously travel to the north and northwest of Birmingham could be a major problem tonight and Saturday. Along and north of I-59, slick spots will develop during the early morning hours. Along and north of the US-278 corridor, an inch of snow with up to two inches over higher elevations will create widespread travel problems.

If you are planning to travel, please check the latest forecasts and road conditions and decide accordingly. If you must travel into areas affected by the wintry conditions, prepare appropriately.

Snow showers will continue Saturday, Saturday night and Sunday morning across North and Central Alabama. A few areas that experience snow showers during that time may see a dusting of snow.

Be sure to watch James in just a few minutes at 8 p.m. on the dot-two digital channels and live via the streaming on the ABC3340 web site.


Posted by  
on February 10, 2006, 7:47 pm
Bill,

at my house in Trussville,
the temp is now down to 42.0F and falling steadily.
complete conditions will be in by 8 PM CST.

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Posted by Rusty Pitts  
on February 10, 2006, 7:51 pm
JB here is a post I made to Kenny Just earlier.... Am I way off in my thoughts... You cant hurt my feelings... BUt am I way off base here???

Kenny, Here in NE jefferson county I have noticed a 2 degree drop in temperature per hour over the past two hours..I know that has to do with the radiational colling from the dun going down and some evaporational cooling, but I am watching this very closely myself and will keep up with you throughout the night, well as long as I can... I am just finding that this low is developing a little slower thatn the earlier models predicted and a little farther south.. The rain band also is extending a little farther to the west than previously expected, do you not believe that this will increase the chances that we will se some accumulating snow around here... It seems that the heavier precip is further south.. than Bham, which leads me to believe that the low will track even further south than expected... I am now sitting at 42 degrees and a Dewpoint of 36 which means that the evaporational cooling willnot have much more effect on the temperature, but If that low stalls just a hair, we could be in for some real fun overnight.... zI go back and look at the 00z model from last night and it was showign the low being into west mississippi bu now at 1012 mb... It is already sown to 1010 mb and is down in southern Lousianna.... Right now I see the center of the low down around Batton Rouge at 1010 mb

http://www.wallysweather.com/index.php?config=&forecast=pass&pass=c
urrentwx&usecountry=us&region=southcentral&useplace=&usestate=&plot=pr
es&period=&dpp=0&usemetric=1&nocache=1


I believe that the surface low will track along I10 over toward Mississippi and then turn NEand cross well below montgomery, which is further south than any of the other models... I am not an expert, not even an amature, just a junkie.... Whats your thoughts??


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Posted by Rusty Pitts  
on February 10, 2006, 7:54 pm
Bill , Sorry...I said JB... I know the difference...Also does anyone have a tppo map with elevations... I live at the Top of Simmons Mountain in Springville... and Was wondering the Elevation ... Thanks rusty

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Posted by  
on February 10, 2006, 10:36 pm
Rusty...
Elevation of Simmons Mountain is 1160 feet

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Posted by Derek  
on February 10, 2006, 8:02 pm
As of 8 pm at my location just north of Eva in Morgan County, light / moderate rain was occurring and the temperature was 40.7 F.

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Posted by  
on February 10, 2006, 8:06 pm
At the intersection of 25th Av. and Sweeny Hollow Rd.

Current Conditions: 8:00:00pm CST
Temp: 41.9F
Humidity: 79%
Windchill: 41.9F
Dewpoint: 35.0F
Wind: NNW 1.7
Pressure: 29.99inHG
Pressure Tendency: Falling
Sky Condition: Cloudy, light rain
Rain 24 Hours: 0.04''
Rain 1 Hour: 0.02''
Rain Total so far this year: 7.58''

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Posted by Jeremy  
on February 10, 2006, 8:23 pm
In Pell City, temp is 46 with light rain. Wind is out of the north at about 10-15 mph. Should be interesting morning. Thinking about heading to Mentone to go ski on fresh powder. Not often you can have a powder day in Alabama.

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Posted by Mikey  
on February 10, 2006, 11:03 pm
What Winter Storm?

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