RADAR CHECK: It has been a busy day in the weather office with strong storms, flooding, and a few small, isolated tornadoes. Heaviest rain this afternoon is falling over parts of South Alabama, but all storms are below severe limits at 3pm.
At this point it looks like we have three brief tornado touchdowns in Alabama today…
*Gallion, east of Demopolis
*Eastern Tuscaloosa between Vance and Abernant
*Baileyton/Holly Pond/Brooklyn in Cullman County
There is major flooding in parts of Mobile and far northern Baldwin counties; some places saw over one foot of rain around Creola.
Rain and storms will slowly fade tonight.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND: We will deal with scattered showers and storms tomorrow and Sunday statewide, but they won’t be as numerous as the ones we experienced today. Chance of any one spot getting rain both days is 50-60 percent, and most of the showers (but not all) will come from about 2:00 until 10:00 p.m. Otherwise expect a mix of sun and clouds both days with highs in the mid 80s.
Pretty much the same thing on Monday/Memorial Day. Cloudy at times, the risk of a passing shower or storm, highs in the 80s.
REST OF NEXT WEEK: The overall pattern won’t change much as the ocean of humidity continues to cover the Deep South. We will have the risk of scattered showers and storms daily, most active during the afternoon and evening hours. Highs hold in the 80s… See the video briefing for maps, graphics, and more details.
ON THIS DATE IN 2011: An EF-5 tore through Joplin, Missouri causing catastrophic damage. The tornado killed 158 people (including eight indirect deaths) and injured some 1,150 others. The tornado devastated a large portion of the city of Joplin, damaging nearly 8,000 buildings and destroying over 4,000 houses. The damage—which included major facilities like one of Joplin’s two hospitals as well as much of its basic infrastructure—amounted to a total of $2.8 billion (equivalent to about $4 billion today), making the Joplin tornado the costliest single tornado in U.S. history.
Look for my next video briefing here by 6:00 a.m. Monday… enjoy the weekend!
