The Friday morning map discussion video is on the web, and also available on iTunes:
http://www.jamesspann.com/
A number of people have reported the Windows Media version of the video has been freezing (the video); we changed the compression routine today and that should clear the problem up. We offer the video in three formats: Quicktime, Windows Media, and the iPod format (.m4v). Take your pick! If you use iTunes, you can subscribe to the video and it will download automatically.
WOW: We mentioned the chance of isolated showers yesterday afternoon, but we sure got more than we bargained for. One big storm just sat over downtown Birmingham for an hour or two, dropping 2.21" at our SKYCAM site on 20th Street. Later in the evening a nice shower moved over the ABC 33/40 complex in Riverchase, giving us a nice total of 0.63". Our weather watcher in Alabaster measured 1.11".
TODAY AND THE WEEKEND: The 500 mb flow is a little more westerly (as opposed to the disturbed southwest flow we had yesterday), and we sure don't see much dynamic forcing this weekend for a big rain event. But, there will enough moisture to mention an afternoon shower or storm each day, but they should be widely spaced, and much of the weekend should be dry. Highs in the upper 80s, and higher humidity levels.
NEXT WEEK: Our old pal the GFS is all over the road next week, with every run looking different. This leads to a low confidence forecast. The 00Z run has flipped back to the idea of Tuesday being the day with the best coverage of showers and storms; it then brings dry air in here for Wednesday through Friday.
TROPICS: Tropical Storm Florence, in the middle of the Atlantic, continues to struggle with dry air and some shear, and has not strengthened. NHC has pulled the track a big to the east, and now has it running right over Bermuda as a hurricane Monday of next week. The system will remain well to the east of the U.S. mainland. Kudos to all the global models for handling this storm so well.
The rest of the Atlantic basin is very quiet, just a few weak waves out over the eastern Atlantic. We note the GFS develops another tropical system in about two weeks, but it is also a recurving system in the Atlantic.
TV SPECIAL: Don't forget to tune in to ABC 33/40 Sunday evening at 6:00 for our one hour 10th anniversary special. There will be plenty of weather related stuff on the show as we look back at all of the stories we have covered since we signed on the air September 1, 1996. We are also working on our fall prime time weather special, which will run in late October. This will look back at all of the big weather events we have dealt with in the last 10 years.
STORM ALERT XTREME: We hope to announce the date and time for our annual fall severe weather spotting class... this is a perfect chance for you to learn more about spotting severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, and if you want to join our Skywatcher team, here is your chance for training. Brian Peters coordinates this and I appreciate his work. He is one of the best SKYWARN trainers in the nation, and I am sure glad he is on our team.
SKYWATCHERS: If you want to learn more about being on the ABC 33/40 Skywatcher team, go here:
http://beta.abc3340.com/external.hrb?p=skywatchers&w=1
I will have the afternoon map discussion video up by 3:30 or so today. Enjoy your Friday!
http://www.jamesspann.com/
A number of people have reported the Windows Media version of the video has been freezing (the video); we changed the compression routine today and that should clear the problem up. We offer the video in three formats: Quicktime, Windows Media, and the iPod format (.m4v). Take your pick! If you use iTunes, you can subscribe to the video and it will download automatically.
WOW: We mentioned the chance of isolated showers yesterday afternoon, but we sure got more than we bargained for. One big storm just sat over downtown Birmingham for an hour or two, dropping 2.21" at our SKYCAM site on 20th Street. Later in the evening a nice shower moved over the ABC 33/40 complex in Riverchase, giving us a nice total of 0.63". Our weather watcher in Alabaster measured 1.11".
TODAY AND THE WEEKEND: The 500 mb flow is a little more westerly (as opposed to the disturbed southwest flow we had yesterday), and we sure don't see much dynamic forcing this weekend for a big rain event. But, there will enough moisture to mention an afternoon shower or storm each day, but they should be widely spaced, and much of the weekend should be dry. Highs in the upper 80s, and higher humidity levels.
NEXT WEEK: Our old pal the GFS is all over the road next week, with every run looking different. This leads to a low confidence forecast. The 00Z run has flipped back to the idea of Tuesday being the day with the best coverage of showers and storms; it then brings dry air in here for Wednesday through Friday.
TROPICS: Tropical Storm Florence, in the middle of the Atlantic, continues to struggle with dry air and some shear, and has not strengthened. NHC has pulled the track a big to the east, and now has it running right over Bermuda as a hurricane Monday of next week. The system will remain well to the east of the U.S. mainland. Kudos to all the global models for handling this storm so well.
The rest of the Atlantic basin is very quiet, just a few weak waves out over the eastern Atlantic. We note the GFS develops another tropical system in about two weeks, but it is also a recurving system in the Atlantic.
TV SPECIAL: Don't forget to tune in to ABC 33/40 Sunday evening at 6:00 for our one hour 10th anniversary special. There will be plenty of weather related stuff on the show as we look back at all of the stories we have covered since we signed on the air September 1, 1996. We are also working on our fall prime time weather special, which will run in late October. This will look back at all of the big weather events we have dealt with in the last 10 years.
STORM ALERT XTREME: We hope to announce the date and time for our annual fall severe weather spotting class... this is a perfect chance for you to learn more about spotting severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, and if you want to join our Skywatcher team, here is your chance for training. Brian Peters coordinates this and I appreciate his work. He is one of the best SKYWARN trainers in the nation, and I am sure glad he is on our team.
SKYWATCHERS: If you want to learn more about being on the ABC 33/40 Skywatcher team, go here:
http://beta.abc3340.com/external.hrb?p=skywatchers&w=1
I will have the afternoon map discussion video up by 3:30 or so today. Enjoy your Friday!