Author Archives: murray
The July 1980 Heat Wave in Alabama
on July 10, 1980, the high temperature at the Birmingham Airport reached 101F, the first of eight straight days where the mercury reached the century mark or higher. It would be the longest streak of consecutive 100 degree plus days … Continue reading
East Coast Heat Wave Photo
From Jeff Hansen, Senior Reporter for the Birmingham News. J.B., a high school classmate sent this picture from West Lebanon, New Hampshire yesterday… Thought you’d like to see it…best, Jeff. It was the fourth day of record heat along the … Continue reading
Book Review: Landstrike
(Following is a fictional scenario from a new disaster novel…) It’s Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010…and the city of New York is virtually isolated from the rest of the world tonight after a devastating encounter with Hurricane Nicole. Packing top winds … Continue reading
Eye on the Tropics
Thunderstorms associated with the tropical wave over the western Caribbean (#1) flared up Sunday afternoon, and it looks like we could be watching our next named storm getting ready to form. The Canadian model develops a storm over the southern … Continue reading
Fireworks Forecast
Radars are clear across Alabama in this Independence Day afternoon. skies are are still partly cloudy, with a nice cumulus field that will dissipate after sunset. Temperatures are falling from their afternoon highs in the upper 80s. The interesting thing … Continue reading
Be Safe With Fireworks
I saw a report last night that a New York man had blown off his arm shooting party fireworks Saturday night. Another too oft reported story. To help you celebrate safely this Fourth of July if you must shoot fireworks, … Continue reading
Short Term Watering Needs
The official rainfall total at the Birmingham Airport for 2010 stands at 31.47, which is 1.97 above normal. Other locations in Central Alabama are not as fortunate in the precipitation department. Anniston is nearly six inches below normal, Tuscaloosa nearly … Continue reading
Sad Rip Current Story
It’s a sad story that is oft repeated unfortunately. A Pelham woman drowned on Friday while trying to rescue a young child that was struggling in the surf at Orange Beach. The child drowned as well. Here are some rip … Continue reading
Giving Away New Hurricane Novel on WeatherBrains
Author Ken Bass will be on WeatherBrains Monday night to talk about his novel Landstrike, about a Category 4 hurricane hitting New York City. Ken relies on extensive research to try to present an accurate but frightening portrayal of what … Continue reading
The Mobile Hurricane of 1916
Cotton bales and other debris on tracks of Southern Railway in Mobile From: “The Floods of July, 1916”, copyright 1917, Southern Railway Company. Library Call Number F215.F55 1917. Courtesy NOAA. Early on the morning of July 3, 1916, The Mobile … Continue reading
