Light Showers this Morning (East of I-65)

CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE-CLAY-CLEBURNE-ETOWAH-LEE-RANDOLPH-TALLADEGA-TALLAPOOSA-
545 AM CDT MONDAY
APRIL 7, 2008.

LIGHT SHOWERS...MOVING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH...WILL AFFECT THEEAST CENTRAL ALABAMA COUNTIES THROUGH 7 AM. THE HEAVIEST ONE HOURRAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH.

What is a Wedge?

A few light rain showers have popped up this morning East of I-65 around Anniston. The reason we are seeing these showers this morning is due a wedge to the East of us. A Wedge refers to an elongated area of shallow high pressure at the earth's surface. It is generally associated with cold air east of the Rockies or Appalachians. Areas west of I-65 this afternoon will warm up into the mid to upper 70's. Communities east of I-65 will not warm up quite as much this afternoon due to the cloud cover and wedge off to the east.

Ohhhhh Hail! No You didn't!

These photos made at 2:25 today Caldwell Mill Road at Oak Mtn. High School. Lots of hail and hard rain. Ground photo doesn't show as much as really was.

These photos were sent to us from "Pam."

Earth Gauge: Severe Storm Prep

Did you know that typical thunderstorm lasts about 20 to 30 minutes and has a diameter of fifteen miles? Severe thunderstorms can be accompanied by a range of dangerous conditions, including high winds, hail, and tornadoes. Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which can strike up to ten miles away from any rainfall, and often strikes outside of areas where heavy rain is falling. As a matter of fact, the National Weather Service estimates that more than 50 percent of lightning deaths happen after the thunderstorm has passed.

Make sure you're prepared for severe thunderstorms by picking a safe spot in your home - try to choose a room that does not have skylights, windows, or glass doors which could be broken by high winds or hail. Try to designate your "safe spot" on the lowest floor or your home or building, in case a thunderstorm is accompanied by tornado warnings. During severe storms, it's best to avoid telephones and electrical appliances, which can transmit electricity through wires; bathtubs, water faucets, and sinks can also transmit electricity through metal pipes.

(Sources: Talking About Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages. Produced by the National Disaster Education Coalition, Washington, DC, 2004.)

Fayette--Jefferson--Tuscaloosa--Walker (Significant WX Alert until 1:15)

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FAYETTE...JEFFERSON...TUSCALOOSA ANDWALKER COUNTIES UNTIL 115 PM CDT...AT 1228 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONGTHUNDERSTORM NEAR BOLEY SPRINGS...OR 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CORDOVA...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... THE WYE. OAKMAN. GOODSPRINGS. CORDOVA. BELOIT. SUMITON.A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FORSOUTHERN ALABAMA.

Increasing Tornado Threat this Afternoon

THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT FOR TORNADO WATCH 164 CONTINUES.

THREAT FOR DAMAGING WIND APPEARS GREATEST WITH LINE OF STORMS MOVING INTO W CNTRL AND SW MS NEXT COUPLE HOURS. THE THREAT FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES IS ALSO EXPECTED TO INCREASE FROM CNTRL AND SRN MS THROUGH CNTRL AL. LINE OF STORMS EXTENDS FROM NERN AL SWWD THROUGH CNTRL MS...SWD ALONG THE MS/LA BORDER THEN SWWD INTO SERN TX. PORTION OF LINE OVER WRN MS IS MOVING EAST AT AROUND 50 KT. LOW CLOUDS ARE MIXING OUT ALLOWING THE DOWNSTREAM WARM SECTOR TO DESTABILIZE AS TEMPERATURES CLIMB TO NEAR 80 ALONG WITH MID 60S DEWPOINTS. VWP DATA SHOW THE BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW HAS VEERED TO SSWLY WITH 0-1 KM STORM RELATIVE HELICITY FROM 100 TO 150 M2/S2...BUT WITH EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR FROM 40 TO 50 KT. THIS WIND PROFILE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ORGANIZED STRUCTURES INCLUDING BOW ECHOES AND SUPERCELLS WITHIN THE LINE WITH A THREAT FOR DAMAGING WIND AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. THE 15Z RAOB FROM JACKSON MS SHOWED THE THERMODYNAMIC PROFILE BETWEEN 850-700 MB HAS COOLED AND MOISTENED...EFFECTIVELY MINIMIZING THE CAPPING INVERSION. MOREOVER...RECENT RADAR TRENDS CONFIRM THE CONVECTIVE INHIBITION HAS WEAKENED WITH DISCRETE CELLS INCREASING AHEAD OF THE LINE FROM SRN MS NEWD THROUGH CNTRL AL. THIS CONVECTION MAY POSE A THREAT FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES AND LARGE HAIL IF IT CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY AND BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED AS DISCRETE SUPERCELLS.

Severe T'Storm Warning--Cullman until 11:45am

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1145 AM CDTFOR NORTHEASTERN CULLMAN COUNTY...AT 1121 AM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A SEVERETHUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF CULLMAN...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.THIS STORM HAS DOWNED TREES...POWERLINES AND STREET SIGNS IN THE CITY OF CULLMAN.OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TOFAIRVIEW...HOLLY POND...BAILEYTON AND JOPPA.SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCEWARNING. MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO A STORM SHELTER...BASEMENT...OR STURDYSTRUCTURE IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED.