* The High Risk area for severe weather today, not only covers most of Alabama, but it extends well over into Georgia, but mostly south of the Atlanta-Athens area.
* In Alabama, the High Risk area includes everybody but the Tennessee Valley in the extreme NE. Please do not let your guard down, because those areas are under a Moderate Risk.
* Huge Moderate Risk from near Baton Rouge, Little Rock, St. Louis, Springfield, Illinois and South Bend east as far as Nashville, Chattanooga, Spartanburg and Wilmington, North Carolina and the north half of the Florida Peninsula. The High Risk area also covers NW Florida, including Pensacola, Ft. Walton, Apalachicola and Tallahassee.
WHERE THE ACTION IS NOW
Tornado Warnings are being issued currently from the NWS in St. Louis, Springfield, Illinois and Paducah, Kentucky. A number of Severe Thunderstorm Warnings from Little Rock, Memphis and Jackson.
LATE RADAR CHECK
First, in Alabama there are scattered storms across the Tennessee Valley and also over the SE. To our west, a line of storms was forming from North-Central Mississippi to west of Jackson. Another line of storms extended from NW Mississippi down over NE Louisiana to SW Louisiana. Still another line of storms from east of Little Rock to just east of Shreveport. All of those are growing stronger and that is why it is so difficult to describe a precise time line for Alabama later today.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
We urge you to just simply stay on your toes and keep fully abreast of fresh weather information. Long ago, you should have had a pow-wow with your family and your co-workers about where to go when a tornado or severe thunderstorm warning is issued.
OUR CURRENT TORNADO WATCH
It goes until 6:00 o’clock this evening and is labeled a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS). That is what the Storm Prediction Center calls them when there is a danger of significant tornadoes. Any tornado that hits your house is significant, even if it is an F0. But in a weather pattern like this, at least a few of the tornadoes may be very powerful. Those tend to stay on the ground for longer mileage.
PERSONAL
I certainly am hoping and praying that we will get by with minimal problems. This is sort of a unique business to be in when you predict something and then turn right around and hope and pray that you are wrong. Life goes on.
