Lots of weather going on across the Southern USA today, including some snow in some unusual locations, some heavy rain in Florida and a risk of some severe thunderstorms.
The Storm Prediction Center has South Florida, from about Tampa southward, under a Slight Risk of a few severe thunderstorms this afternoon and the same general area is outlooked for that tomorrow.
A low-pressure area continues to develop over the West and NW Gulf of Mexico. It will wind up tighter and more intense and move NE rather quickly. Latest model data has the low centered off the North Carolina/Virginia coast by noon Saturday.
THE SNOW STORY
Much of the Houston area is now white with snow and it continues to come down. Mind you, the average snow for all of December in Houston is only 1/10 of an inch. Traffic cams from there this morning show that it is really coming down. The NWS at midday now says that a widespread snow event is occurring across SE Texas with 2 to 4 inches accumulation possible in part of the area. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 8:00 tonight including the Houston area.
FURTHER EAST
It appears that a moderate to heavy snow band will develop later from the Houston area north eastward through Central Louisiana to the SW corner of Mississippi. It will be in a band about 60 miles wide.
ALABAMA
At least two of our main weather models now indicate a changeover to snow late tonight including the greater Birmingham area. We think that any accumulation in the BHM area will be anywhere from a dusting to an outside chance of 1 inch on some of the grassy areas. Latest model data indicates a low of around 30 by daybreak Saturday, so that will help accumulation a little bit. Even so, we do not foresee travel problems. Not absolutely unlikely, if we were to get 1 inch, that we could have a few icy spots on elevated bridges and overpasses. Seems unlikely though. The snow will be ending in the Birmingham area Saturday morning. Certainly no reason to go out and stock up on milk, bread and Pop-Tarts.
MIDDAY SPOT REPORTS
* Austin…39, snow flurries, gusts to 25
* Houston…33, moderate snow, visibility 3/4 of a mile
* Corpus Christi…39, light snow, wind N gusts to 38
* New Orleans…48, cloudy, wind NE 16
* 11-foot waves reported over part of the NW Gulf as the low-pressure area continues to develop.
Be sure and check the afternoon video discussion, which James will post by mid-afternoon. We will keep this weather BLOG busy with fresh information all evening and even into Saturday morning as the situation dictates.
