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WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY: What a refreshing morning… Vic Bell up in Northeast Etowah County is reporting 39 degrees at 5:00; Cullman is at 40, while Haleyville reports 41. Not many more of these before the long, hot summer sets in, so enjoy it. We will have maximum sunshine today with a high in the mid 70s.
The weather stays dry through Friday, with a high around 80 tomorrow, followed by mid 80s on Friday. But, to the west, a major storm system will bring the chance of a significant outbreak of severe thunderstorms and a few tornadoes Friday, in the area from East Texas north through the Great Plains and parts of the Midwest.
STORMY SATURDAY: Our next major rain event here in Alabama will come Saturday. Still looks like rain will begin during the pre-dawn hours Saturday, with occasional rain and a few thunderstorms throughout the day. The greatest risk of severe storms during the daytime hours Saturday will remain west of Alabama, over Mississippi and West Tennessee. We do note that SPC has Northwest Alabama in a severe weather risk for Saturday night, and it could very be a situation where we have a risk of strong to severe storms late Saturday night and into the pre-dawn hours Sunday. Surface based CAPE values over 1,500 j/kg are expected to be in place through the night, and helicity values will be impressive. At first glance it seems like our greatest risk of severe weather will come from about 10:00 p.m. Saturday through 6:00 a.m. Sunday.
As always, the final severe weather risk will be determined by mesoscale parameters that we can’t define this far in advance. We will be watching closely as the system approaches the state.
Guidance continues to suggest we can expect 1 to 2 inches of rain with this system… the rain will taper off Sunday morning, and the sky should become partly sunny Sunday afternoon as a dry slot moves over Alabama. Watch the Weather Xtreme video for more details on this big storm and how it will impact Alabama.
RACE WEEKEND: Saturday will be the day with weather problems at the Talladega Superspeedway; it will be very difficult to get the Aaron’s 312 in due to the threat of rain most of the day. However, the weather will be much better Sunday; we believe the showers will be over by the time the Aaron’s 499 begins. The high Saturday will be in the mid to upper 70s Saturday, followed by low 80s Sunday.
NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND: The 00Z GFS is dry Monday through Wednesday with highs in the 70s. The next major rain event shows up around May 4.
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I have a weather program this morning at Ohatchee Elementary over in Calhoun County… be looking for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:30 this afternoon. Enjoy the day!
