Things have calmed temporarily across Central Alabama tonight as a surge of moisture lifts northward. This area of warm air and moisture produced widespread thunderstorms this evening that became severe. Cooler air moving in aloft in association with an upper level disturbance produced conditions that were ripe for hail.
Several reports of hail from the size of nickels to as large as baseball were received. A rapidily developing storm on the east side of Birmingham around 11 p.m produced a 46 mph wind gust at the Airport and knocked out all power there as well as over a large part of the Crestwood/Crestline neighborhoods. A tree was reported on a house in that area.
The airmass over Alabama is very moist and unstable now and thunderstorms over Mississippi will progress eastward overnight. No warnings are in effect in Central Alabama now, but a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 4 a.m. Additional watches and warnings will be likely as we go through the overnight and additional storms move across the area.
Storms will continue into Monday morning and break by afternoon.
Dr. Tim has an extended severe weather analysis coming up. I am going to work on the new forecast package now and be monitoring the severe weather alerts as they happen.
