Author Archives: spann
Sun, Heat, Storms
HAPPY FOURTH! On this Independence Day, we have your classic summer mix of sun, heat, humidity, and thunderstorms. Scattered storms this afternoon are moving westward, on the bottom of a strong upper high to the north. This “backwards” storm motion is pretty common in Alabama during the summer months, when the mid-latitude westerlies shift well to the north. Continue reading
Hot, Humid Independence Day Weather; A Few Storms
EARLY MORNING FIREWORKS: An easterly wave was responsible for the development of some robust thunderstorms across Alabama during the pre-dawn hours; they brought nature’s fireworks with a vivid lightning display, and in some cases strong, gusty winds. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for parts of Shelby and St. Clair Counties a little before 3:00 a.m…. a few trees were brought down by that storm. The storms have mostly dissipated at daybreak. Continue reading
Quiet Afternoon In The Weather Office
RADAR CHECK: As expected, showers and storms are fewer in number across Alabama today thanks to sinking air motion in the wake of a disturbance over Louisiana that is moving westward. There are a handful of storms on radar over the northern half of the state, but most communities are simply hot and dry with temperatures generally in the low 90s. Continue reading
Storms Fewer In Number Today
ON THE MAPS: A weak upper is not far from New Orleans this morning; this feature brought an enhanced coverage of showers and storms to Alabama yesterday… but it is moving westward, and today should be drier statewide with only widely scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. Otherwise, today will be partly to mostly sunny with a high in the low 90s. Continue reading
Storms Fewer In Number Tomorrow
RADAR CHECK: As expected, we have scattered to numerous thunderstorms in progress across Alabama this afternoon… stronger storms are producing heavy rain, very frequent lightning, and gusty winds. They are moving slowly westward, around the periphery of an upper low over the northern Gulf of Mexico. Continue reading
Scattered To Numerous Showers/Storms Today
SUN AND STORMS: Again this morning a moist, unstable airmass covers Alabama, and with a weak upper impulse/circulation noted over the northern Gulf (not any kind of tropical system), we expect scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms across our state later today and tonight; chance of any one spot getting wet is in the 50/60 percent range. Otherwise, we will forecast a mix of sun and clouds today with a high between 86 and 91 degrees for most locations. Continue reading
Quiet Afternoon For A Change
RADAR CHECK: As I write this around 3:00 this afternoon, we have absolutely nothing on radar over the northern two-thirds of the state…. the only echoes are over southern Mobile and Baldwin counties, and even there they are very isolated. The big MCS/derecho that raked our state really worked the atmosphere over; dewpoints and instability values today are much lower, and temperatures are in the upper 80s in many places. Just not hot or unstable enough to get storms going. Continue reading
Storms Not As Widespread Today
STORMS MORE SCATTERED IN NATURE TODAY: That was quite the thunderstorm complex that moved through Alabama yesterday. An MCS (mesoscale convective system) for sure, and possibly a “derecho”… there is a strict definition involved and we will look at the data today to see if the complex hit that criteria. One way or another it was responsible for taking down hundreds and hundreds of trees statewide on the journey from north to south, on the eastern periphery of an upper high to the west. Continue reading
Hot, Humid, More Afternoon Storms
CLASSIC SUMMER MIX: This time of the year, you can say the weather will be hot and humid with a chance of scattered afternoon storms… and you will be correct 99 percent of the time. That is the situation again today for Alabama; most of the sun will come this morning, and most of the storms will come from 1:00 until 11:00 p.m. Like yesterday, where storms do form this afternoon they will be capable of producing strong straight line winds Continue reading
Strong Storms Across North Alabama
RADAR CHECK: On this hot summer afternoon strong storms are in progress over the northern half of Alabama… heavier storms are producing gusty winds, small hail, heavy rain, and lots of lightning. SPC maintains a “slight risk” (level 2 out of 5) for the northeast corner of the state through tonight, with a “marginal risk” (level 1 out of 5) for the rest of North and Central Alabama. Continue reading
