Tonight... OK here we go again. It is spring time in Alabama and you all know what that means...storms!! We are in for a treat again tonight. The National Whether Service has the East TNN Valley at a slight risk for tornadoes, and the West TNN Valley at a moderate risk. What does this mean...well west of I65 hold on to your hats, its gonna be a long night. East of I65...stay weather aware as well...we can't predict the exact timing and areas affected until its actually happening, so please tune those weather radios tonight and keep an eye on the sky. Activation of storm spotters is expected tonight.
Here is my predictions on timing, the majority of Forecasters are expecting around the same timing of these storms.
9:30 PM The rain will start out to the west at the AL MISS line.
10 PM to around 1:30 AM
Wayne, Lawrence, Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin and Marion Counties will see severe storms with damaging winds, possible hail and maybe even a few rotating super cells that could produce tornadoes.
1:30 AM to around 3 AM
The storms are expected to weaken a bit as they move east but that doesn't mean they will. The threat for severe storms at this time will be for counties like Madison, Morgan, Limestone, and Cullman.
3 AM to around 7 AM
At this point the storms are expected to be weaker. All though there is still a chance of isolated storms for Marshall, Jackson, DeKalb, Etowah, and Blount Counties at this time of the morning.
Please take the word "expected" lightly. It is very hard to predict the exact timing and areas effected by this system more than a few hours ahead. Even at 3 in the afternoon, it is too far to tell where exactly these storms are gonna hit, what time, and how severe they will be. Stay Weather Aware!!
ALSO...WATCH THE TEMPS AS THESE STORMS MOVE PAST US ON FRIDAY...IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE THAT WE HAVE A FREEZE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. MY FORECASTER TEMP IS 36...BUT IT COULD GET LOWER...ILL LET YOU KNOW CLOSER TO FRIDAY NIGHT. JUST WANTED ALL MY REDNECK GARDENERS TO BE AWARE!
HERE ARE A FEW PICS FROM OUR LOCAL FORECASTERS ON TONIGHT'S SYSTEM.
MY SPRING OUTLOOK
I did have a big blog on my spring outlook, but couldn't get enough people to participate with questions...sorry to the two people who did...but without enough questions, the blog i wrote wasn't gonna work...so here is my simple and brief Spring Outlook....
What you see is what you get!!!
Meaning..... The last two weeks have pretty much been what i predicted for this spring. I believe it will continue up and down like this into the middle to last week of May. I don't think we will hit the mid 90's (Summer) till around the early part of June. We will continue to see rain, storms, wind, and possible tornadoes for the next month or two. Some 80's, then a cold front will move through producing storms in its path, and then back to the 60's. Rinse and Repeat. It will be like this for most of the spring. I believe our chance for the stronger storm systems will be in the next 3 weeks. Stay weather aware all spring.
Hurricane season is also on the horizon ..i believe we are in for a treat this season. Because of the way the boundaries have been flowing lately, i believe if the gulf sees the hurricanes i think they will...Tropical Storm for the TN Valley will be in our future this year.
Severe Weather Safety
Why Worry About Thunderstorms?
Lightning...
■ Causes an average of 55-60 fatalities and 400 injuries each year
■ Occurs with all thunderstorms
■ Costs more than $1 billion in insured losses each year
Tornadoes...
■ Cause an average of 60-65 fatalities and 1,500 injuries each year
■ Can produce wind speeds in excess of 200 mph
■ Can be 1 mile wide and stay on the ground over 50 miles
Straight-line Winds...
■ Can exceed 125 mph
■ Can cause destruction equal to a tornado
■ Are extremely dangerous to aviation
Flash Floods and Floods...
■ Are the #1 cause of deaths associated with thunderstorms, more
than 90 fatalities each year Hail...
■ Can be larger than a softball (5 inches in diameter)
■ Causes more than $1 billion in crop and property damage each year
Tornado Fiction and Fact
FICTION: Lakes, rivers, and mountains protect areas from tornadoes.
FACT: No geographic location is safe from tornadoes. A tornado near Yellowstone National Park left a path of destruction up and down a 10,000 foot mountain.
FICTION: A tornado causes buildings to “explode” as the tornado passes overhead.
FACT: Violent winds and debris slamming into buildings cause the most structural damage.
FICTION: Open windows before a tornado approaches to equalize pressure and minimize damage.
FACT: Virtually all buildings leak. Leave the windows closed. Take shelter immediately. An underground shelter, basement or safe room are the safest places. If none of those options are available, go to a windowless interior room or hallway.
FICTION: Highway overpasses provide safe shelter from tornadoes.
FACT: The area under a highway overpass is very dangerous in a tornado. If you are in a vehicle, you should immediately seek shelter in a sturdy building. As a last resort, you can either: stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible, OR if you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Your choice should be driven by your specific circumstances.
FICTION: It is safe to take shelter in the bathroom, hallway, or closet of a mobile home.
FACT: Mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes! Abandon your mobile home to seek shelter in a sturdy building immediately. If you live in a mobile home, ensure you have a plan in place that identifies the closest sturdy buildings.
Here is a good link to the NWS storm safety booklet. Please, read, save, and print for your safety in this severe weather season.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask...
Stay Tuned...
Laura
