It is a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Kawrence County in NW Alabama until 7:15 pm.
The storm was 6 miles south of the Speake Community moving east at 15 mph. It will affect mainly the east part of the Bankhead National Forest.
This is mostly south of the Moulton area.
A NW Alabama Warning
August 18, 2005, 6:58 pm
by J.B. Elliott
in Severe Weather
A 5:45 Update and a New Warning
August 18, 2005, 5:53 pm
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
It is for North Tallapoosa County in East Alabama. The possible severe thunderstorm was near New Site or about 7 miles NE of Alexander City.
Moving east at 10 mph.
May also affect Goldville and Daviston
Some of the other stronger thunderstorms as of 5:45 pm:
* North Shelby County south of the Birmingham. It was mainly affecting Chelsea and Oak Mounatin State Park and areas east of I65
* Along the Tuscaloosa-Bibb County line
* East Lauderdale County east of Florence
*West Lawrence County west of Moulton
* North Clarke County in SW Alabama
Most of these storms are very noisy with much lightning and loud thunder and plenty of heavy rain.
Storms were moving almost due east earlier. Now they seem to be moving a bit south of due east...more toward the ESE
REPORTS WE HAVE RECEIVED
So far this afternoon, we have not received any specific reports of known damage.
It is for North Tallapoosa County in East Alabama. The possible severe thunderstorm was near New Site or about 7 miles NE of Alexander City.
Moving east at 10 mph.
May also affect Goldville and Daviston
Some of the other stronger thunderstorms as of 5:45 pm:
* North Shelby County south of the Birmingham. It was mainly affecting Chelsea and Oak Mounatin State Park and areas east of I65
* Along the Tuscaloosa-Bibb County line
* East Lauderdale County east of Florence
*West Lawrence County west of Moulton
* North Clarke County in SW Alabama
Most of these storms are very noisy with much lightning and loud thunder and plenty of heavy rain.
Storms were moving almost due east earlier. Now they seem to be moving a bit south of due east...more toward the ESE
REPORTS WE HAVE RECEIVED
So far this afternoon, we have not received any specific reports of known damage.
by J.B. Elliott
in Severe Weather
Update on Storms--5 pm--Warning for Clay County
August 18, 2005, 5:00 pm
Strong storms scattered all over. Here are the main ones:
* From South Talladega County east across Clay and Randolph. Pouring near Ashland, Lineville and Wedowee. And now:
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
For South Clay County until 5:30 pm. The storm was 10 miles NW of Millerville. It was moving very little. The warning includes Ashland.
* A small heavy thunderstorm over East Shelby, near Wilsonville
* From NE Greene County into SW Tuscaloosa County, including areas in and around Knoxville, Ralph and Fosters
* NW Alabama, in Colbert County, south of Tuscumbia
* SW Sumter County in West Alabama SW of Livingston
Most of these storms dumping very heavy rain and more lightning than you want to see.
Overall movement is toward the east. Some are moving very slowly or erratically
* From South Talladega County east across Clay and Randolph. Pouring near Ashland, Lineville and Wedowee. And now:
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
For South Clay County until 5:30 pm. The storm was 10 miles NW of Millerville. It was moving very little. The warning includes Ashland.
* A small heavy thunderstorm over East Shelby, near Wilsonville
* From NE Greene County into SW Tuscaloosa County, including areas in and around Knoxville, Ralph and Fosters
* NW Alabama, in Colbert County, south of Tuscumbia
* SW Sumter County in West Alabama SW of Livingston
Most of these storms dumping very heavy rain and more lightning than you want to see.
Overall movement is toward the east. Some are moving very slowly or erratically
Another Warning
August 18, 2005, 4:07 pm
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
It is for Jackson County as far in the NE corner of Alabama as you can go.
Expires at 4:45
The storm was 6 miles SW of Skyline moving east. Should affect:
Skyline
Scottsboro
Hollywood
It is for Jackson County as far in the NE corner of Alabama as you can go.
Expires at 4:45
The storm was 6 miles SW of Skyline moving east. Should affect:
Skyline
Scottsboro
Hollywood
by J.B. Elliott
in Severe Weather
In The Middle of the Afternoon
August 18, 2005, 3:36 pm
Here is how it looks at mid-afternoon...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
It is for Dekalb County in Extreme NE Alabama until 4 pm. I believe this is the 4th afternoon in a row that Dekalb has had either a Severe Thunderstorm Warning or Flash Flood Warning. The severe thunderstormn was near Crossville moving east at 10...and Geraldine, Crossville and Collinsville may be affected.
Some of the other stronger storms were located:
* Along the Marshall-Dekalb County line
* Central Talladega between Talladega and Sylacauga
* East Madison County east of Huntsville
* South Sumter County near Livingston
Storms generally moving east.
Heavy rain also reported at Greystone Cove in North Shelby County.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
It is for Dekalb County in Extreme NE Alabama until 4 pm. I believe this is the 4th afternoon in a row that Dekalb has had either a Severe Thunderstorm Warning or Flash Flood Warning. The severe thunderstormn was near Crossville moving east at 10...and Geraldine, Crossville and Collinsville may be affected.
Some of the other stronger storms were located:
* Along the Marshall-Dekalb County line
* Central Talladega between Talladega and Sylacauga
* East Madison County east of Huntsville
* South Sumter County near Livingston
Storms generally moving east.
Heavy rain also reported at Greystone Cove in North Shelby County.
by J.B. Elliott
in Severe Weather
Dog Day Afternoon
August 18, 2005, 2:55 pm
The Thursday afternoon map discussion is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Running out of ways to describe this weather. Hot, humid, morning sun, scattered afternoon storms. The story remains the same through Saturday. Heights inch upward tomorrow and Saturday, which means hotter afternoons with storms becoming a little more widely scattered.
THE FRONT! GFS still advertises a front pushing all the way through Alabama by Sunday night. This will bring lower humidity and cooler nights early next week. Tuesday morning most places around here should go into the 60 to 65 degree range, with some upper 50s in the cooler valleys. Bring it on.
JOSE? Waiting on data from a hurricane hunter aircraft in the vicinity of the wave at 20N and 60W. Models take this system toward Key West by early next week. The big eastern U.S. upper trough, which will bring us the lower humidity and cooler nights, might be an issue for this system, that should become tropical storm Jose down the road. The trough might turn Jose northward before reaching Florida, toward the Carolinas. Or, the system might scoot under the trough and wind up in the Gulf of Mexico. Don't have a strong feeling one way or another at this early stage of the game.
Sorry about the wrong times on this blog earlier today... we are having a little trouble with the time on the RSS feed, and by trying to fix that issue I fouled up the time stamps on the regular posts and comments.
Always something exciting going on around here.
J.B. Elliott, the great Alabama weather legend, is on Storm Watch for the rest of the afternoon here on the blog...
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Running out of ways to describe this weather. Hot, humid, morning sun, scattered afternoon storms. The story remains the same through Saturday. Heights inch upward tomorrow and Saturday, which means hotter afternoons with storms becoming a little more widely scattered.
THE FRONT! GFS still advertises a front pushing all the way through Alabama by Sunday night. This will bring lower humidity and cooler nights early next week. Tuesday morning most places around here should go into the 60 to 65 degree range, with some upper 50s in the cooler valleys. Bring it on.
JOSE? Waiting on data from a hurricane hunter aircraft in the vicinity of the wave at 20N and 60W. Models take this system toward Key West by early next week. The big eastern U.S. upper trough, which will bring us the lower humidity and cooler nights, might be an issue for this system, that should become tropical storm Jose down the road. The trough might turn Jose northward before reaching Florida, toward the Carolinas. Or, the system might scoot under the trough and wind up in the Gulf of Mexico. Don't have a strong feeling one way or another at this early stage of the game.
Sorry about the wrong times on this blog earlier today... we are having a little trouble with the time on the RSS feed, and by trying to fix that issue I fouled up the time stamps on the regular posts and comments.
Always something exciting going on around here.
J.B. Elliott, the great Alabama weather legend, is on Storm Watch for the rest of the afternoon here on the blog...
THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING--2pm Update
August 18, 2005, 2:03 pm
This update was written at 2 pm, CDT
Thunderstorms were increasing rather rapidly this afternoon. While scattered ones were showing up in all sections of the state, the strongest ones were over the NE counties.
Especially through Western Calhoun County.
The storms were moving east. Downpours of rain, maybe enough to cause street and road flooding, way too much lightning and gusty winds will reach the Jacksonville-Anniston-Oxford areas soon.
Again this afternoon, don't be surprised to see a few Severe Thunderstorm or Flash Flood Warnings...
Thunderstorms were increasing rather rapidly this afternoon. While scattered ones were showing up in all sections of the state, the strongest ones were over the NE counties.
Especially through Western Calhoun County.
The storms were moving east. Downpours of rain, maybe enough to cause street and road flooding, way too much lightning and gusty winds will reach the Jacksonville-Anniston-Oxford areas soon.
Again this afternoon, don't be surprised to see a few Severe Thunderstorm or Flash Flood Warnings...
Drier Air Early Next Week
August 18, 2005, 5:57 am
The Thursday morning map discussion video is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
I am going to go ahead and accept the GFS solution for early next week. It might be wishful thinking, but our old model friend continues to generate a very robust upper trough over the eastern U.S. late this weekend, which drives a rare August front through here Sunday night. This means lower humidity and cooler night for the first half of next week. Coolest morning should be Tuesday morning. The GFS MOS shows 66 for Birmingham, not exactly jacket or sweater weather, but sure beats the 70s. There will be a real touch of fall in the air, and our pals in Valley Head, Pinson, and Hamilton might even dip their toes into the upper 50s.
BETWEEN NOW AND THEN: Same ole story today; morning sun, afternoon storms. Rising upper heights should mean fewer afternoon storms tomorrow and Saturday (there will still be storms around, just not as many), and slightly hotter afternoons.
The GFS doesn't show much rain with the frontal passage Sunday afternoon or Sunday night. But, generally speaking, when a surface front slices in here in August you can have some pretty active convection.
TROPICS: Models are adjusting southward a bit with former tropical depression ten, moving it in the general direction of the northern coast of Cuba. The GFDL is a bit of an outlier, taking the system generally east of the Bahamas. I still think this becomes tropical storm Jose in a few days; a hurricane hunter will fly into the system this afternoon and we will learn more about the structure.
The big question still involves the eastern U.S. trough that will bring drier air in here early next week. Can it turn Jose to the north? Or will the system keep coming west/northwest toward the southern tip of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico? Just too early to call; I don't have a strong feeling one way or another. If the northward turn happens, Jose would more of a threat for the Carolinas.
Next discussion and video will be posted here by 3:30 today!
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
I am going to go ahead and accept the GFS solution for early next week. It might be wishful thinking, but our old model friend continues to generate a very robust upper trough over the eastern U.S. late this weekend, which drives a rare August front through here Sunday night. This means lower humidity and cooler night for the first half of next week. Coolest morning should be Tuesday morning. The GFS MOS shows 66 for Birmingham, not exactly jacket or sweater weather, but sure beats the 70s. There will be a real touch of fall in the air, and our pals in Valley Head, Pinson, and Hamilton might even dip their toes into the upper 50s.
BETWEEN NOW AND THEN: Same ole story today; morning sun, afternoon storms. Rising upper heights should mean fewer afternoon storms tomorrow and Saturday (there will still be storms around, just not as many), and slightly hotter afternoons.
The GFS doesn't show much rain with the frontal passage Sunday afternoon or Sunday night. But, generally speaking, when a surface front slices in here in August you can have some pretty active convection.
TROPICS: Models are adjusting southward a bit with former tropical depression ten, moving it in the general direction of the northern coast of Cuba. The GFDL is a bit of an outlier, taking the system generally east of the Bahamas. I still think this becomes tropical storm Jose in a few days; a hurricane hunter will fly into the system this afternoon and we will learn more about the structure.
The big question still involves the eastern U.S. trough that will bring drier air in here early next week. Can it turn Jose to the north? Or will the system keep coming west/northwest toward the southern tip of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico? Just too early to call; I don't have a strong feeling one way or another. If the northward turn happens, Jose would more of a threat for the Carolinas.
Next discussion and video will be posted here by 3:30 today!
Watch That Lightning
August 17, 2005, 9:12 pm
Afternoon thunderstorms are a way of life in the summer in Alabama. Sometimes we get questions from newcomers, mostly wanting to know when there will be a long period with no chance of rain. The simple answer is that it is very hard to find an August afternoon without thunderstorms somewhere in Alabama. The location and coverage will change day to day, but the ole radar gets quite a workout this time of the year. This is a very normal pattern.
While we have seen some wind damage in spots from wet microbursts in recent weeks, the primary threat from any summer storm is lightning. Our lightning detection network counts literally thousands of cloud to ground strikes statewide each day, and if you don’t respect lightning it can be a big problem. A good example of this came on Tuesday over in Fort Benning, Georgia (near Columbus), when one ground stroke send 19 soldiers to the hospital. Most of the soldiers were treated at Martin Army Community Hospital and released, although four remained hospitalized overnight for observation. The soldiers, who are in basic training, were on their last day of a field exercise and preparing to head back to their barracks because of the weather. The soldiers were injured even after they spread out as a precaution against lightning.
The bottom line is this: when you hear thunder, you are close enough to be hit by lightning, even if there is no rain. Forget counting the seconds between lightning and thunder; just because one strike is five miles away doesn’t mean the next one will be. Funny how five and six year olds have a very healthy respect for lightning; most of the injuries involve older children and adults. Guess we lose our respect for lightning, but when that happens it can be very, very dangerous!
While we have seen some wind damage in spots from wet microbursts in recent weeks, the primary threat from any summer storm is lightning. Our lightning detection network counts literally thousands of cloud to ground strikes statewide each day, and if you don’t respect lightning it can be a big problem. A good example of this came on Tuesday over in Fort Benning, Georgia (near Columbus), when one ground stroke send 19 soldiers to the hospital. Most of the soldiers were treated at Martin Army Community Hospital and released, although four remained hospitalized overnight for observation. The soldiers, who are in basic training, were on their last day of a field exercise and preparing to head back to their barracks because of the weather. The soldiers were injured even after they spread out as a precaution against lightning.
The bottom line is this: when you hear thunder, you are close enough to be hit by lightning, even if there is no rain. Forget counting the seconds between lightning and thunder; just because one strike is five miles away doesn’t mean the next one will be. Funny how five and six year olds have a very healthy respect for lightning; most of the injuries involve older children and adults. Guess we lose our respect for lightning, but when that happens it can be very, very dangerous!
FINAL 9 O'CLOCK UPDATE
August 17, 2005, 9:05 pm
This is our final update for tonight. All of the thunderstorms in Alabama have fizzled or moved away. At 9 pm, nearest ones still in progress were near Chattanooga.
James Spann will be posting his Thursday morning discussion within the hour.
Again today, it seems that 95 degrees was one of the favorite high temperatures. These places had 95:
Cullman
Huntsville
Tuscaloosa
Anniston
Demopolis
Black Creek (NE Etowah County)
A FEW FINAL NOTES
* Don Fleming, 3340 WeatherWatcher for Demopolis reported a high of 95.1 this afternoon. That is the hottest temperature so far this summer in that West Alabama City at the junction of the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers.
* Vic Bell reports from Black Creek that showers have occurred all around him the last several days but he continues to miss rain by several miles.
* Nathan Jones, the Helena WeatherWatcher seemed to include a bit of desperation in his report when he reported today's rain as "NONE AGAIN" (all CAPS)
FINAL PERSONAL NOTE
At this very hour (9 pm, CST) 36 years ago tonight, I was already parked in my car on a west slope (bench area) of the Wasatch Mountains just east of Clearfield, Utah. I did so to improve radio reception on my car radio. I sat there for at least 4 hours listening to "wall-to-wall" coverage of the very dramatic landfall of Hurricane Camille on the Mississippi Coast. I was an employee of the National Weather Service, Birmingham Forecast Office at the time but were were on vacation at the time visiting my wife's folks. (Or was it still called U. S. Weather Bureau at the time
No Category 5 hurricane has ever ventured as far north as Camille.
I was getting almost unbroken reception from a legendary 50,000 watt radio station in New Orleans, WWL. Traveling across the USA, I have picked up WWL at night in such distant locations as Salt Lake, Evanston, Wyoming, Bismark, North Dakota, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Washington, D. C. Even though I was tuned in by radio that night, it was equal, or more dramatic than if I had been watching on TV. In radio, we call it "wall-to-wall" or "long-form" coverage when there are no breaks in the coverage--no commercials, no music, etc.
In those days, there was no such thing as The Weather Channel, or 24 hour news channels such as MSNBC, CNN, or Fox News. And no weather by internet!
Elsewhere on this blog is an excellent story on Camille written by James Spann this morning. Also click on "Weather Notebook" on the 3340 web page for Bill Murray's excellent account.
James Spann will be posting his Thursday morning discussion within the hour.
Again today, it seems that 95 degrees was one of the favorite high temperatures. These places had 95:
Cullman
Huntsville
Tuscaloosa
Anniston
Demopolis
Black Creek (NE Etowah County)
A FEW FINAL NOTES
* Don Fleming, 3340 WeatherWatcher for Demopolis reported a high of 95.1 this afternoon. That is the hottest temperature so far this summer in that West Alabama City at the junction of the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers.
* Vic Bell reports from Black Creek that showers have occurred all around him the last several days but he continues to miss rain by several miles.
* Nathan Jones, the Helena WeatherWatcher seemed to include a bit of desperation in his report when he reported today's rain as "NONE AGAIN" (all CAPS)
FINAL PERSONAL NOTE
At this very hour (9 pm, CST) 36 years ago tonight, I was already parked in my car on a west slope (bench area) of the Wasatch Mountains just east of Clearfield, Utah. I did so to improve radio reception on my car radio. I sat there for at least 4 hours listening to "wall-to-wall" coverage of the very dramatic landfall of Hurricane Camille on the Mississippi Coast. I was an employee of the National Weather Service, Birmingham Forecast Office at the time but were were on vacation at the time visiting my wife's folks. (Or was it still called U. S. Weather Bureau at the time
No Category 5 hurricane has ever ventured as far north as Camille.
I was getting almost unbroken reception from a legendary 50,000 watt radio station in New Orleans, WWL. Traveling across the USA, I have picked up WWL at night in such distant locations as Salt Lake, Evanston, Wyoming, Bismark, North Dakota, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Washington, D. C. Even though I was tuned in by radio that night, it was equal, or more dramatic than if I had been watching on TV. In radio, we call it "wall-to-wall" or "long-form" coverage when there are no breaks in the coverage--no commercials, no music, etc.
In those days, there was no such thing as The Weather Channel, or 24 hour news channels such as MSNBC, CNN, or Fox News. And no weather by internet!
Elsewhere on this blog is an excellent story on Camille written by James Spann this morning. Also click on "Weather Notebook" on the 3340 web page for Bill Murray's excellent account.