Temperature Round Up..

As Cooler Temperatures emerge, I wanted to list for you the Highs and Lows of the day.

HIGH LAST 12 HOURS. LOW LAST 18 HOURS. PRECIP LAST 24 HOURS: READINGS AS OF 10/12/00Z OR 7PM LOCAL

STATION ID HI LO PCPN

:ANNISTON :ANB 71 / 49 / 0.00:

AUBURN :AUO 75 / 54 / 0.00:

BIRMINGHAM INTL :BHM 71 / 49 / 0.00:

BROOKLEY FIELD :BFM 84 / 59 / 0.00:

CALERA :EET 72 / 52 / 0.00:

DECATUR :DCU 70 / 42 / 0.00:

DOTHAN :DHN 82 / 54 / 0.00:

EVERGREEN :GZH 79 / 53 / 0.00:

HUNTSVILLE :HSV 70 / 45 / 0.00:

MOBILE :MOB 83 / 62 / 0.00:

MONTGOMERY :MGM 78 / 51 / 0.00:

MUSCLE SHOALS :MSL 71 / 45 / 0.00:

TROY :TOI 79 / 50 / 0.00:

TUSCALOOSA :TCL 74 / 53 / 0.00

Weather Discussion is forthcoming.

Weather History - Oct. 11

1846 - The Great Key West Hurricane of 1846 struck Florida on this date, marking one of the most devastating hurricanes in the 19th century. The storm put Key West under 5 feet of water and destroyed two major lighthouses.

1988 - Low pressure brought gale force winds to the Great Lakes Region, with snow and sleet reported in some areas. Unseasonably warm weather prevailed in the north central U.S. The mercury hit 84 degrees at Cutbank MT and Worland WY. The temperature at Gunnison CO soared from a morning low of 12 degrees to a high of 66 degrees.

If Spring has Sprung Does Fall Fall?

If we say "Spring has Sprung" would we say "Fall has Fallen?" Hello, I'm Meteorologist, Charles Daniel.

I don't think I have ever actually said, "Spring has Sprung," (I think mostly because it is bad grammar and a bit cliche').

But Fall has Fallen.. I know, I know. I said it. (Shaking my head in disgust).

The Cold Front that brought us rain on Tuesday is long gone, but a secondary Cold Front with a re-enforcement of dry and cooler air is on its way this evening. We actually still saw Highs in the mid 80's on Thursday (just like I said it would be), but those will be no more for a few days.

A clear night will allow the maximum radiational cooling to occur and I wouldn't be surprised to see several sites, namely Gadsden, Hamilton, and maybe even Cullman or Holly Pond to see the mid 40's overnight tonight. Brrrrr! I am a warm weather kinda guy. Really.

With plenty of sunshine to go around on Thursday and Friday I think we will warm up to the mid to maybe upper 70's. So its going to be quite a change from what we have had the last few weeks. The air-mass will be extremely dry as well so for those of you prone to sinus infections etc.. get out those humidifiers if you haven't already.

...VERY LOW RESERVOIR LEVELS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...

THE CURRENT DROUGHT IN CENTRAL ALABAMA HAS PRODUCED MUCH BELOW NORMAL ELEVATIONS ON AREA LAKES AND RESERVOIRS. THE MOST SEVERELY IMPACTED MAJOR RESERVOIRS ARE THOSE LOCATED ON THE COOSA AND TALLAPOOSA RIVERS...WITH MANY AT OR BELOW NORMAL WINTER POOL LEVELS. HOWEVER...THESE LEVELS HAVE NOT YET REACHED RECORD LOW LEVELS SET IN PREVIOUS YEARS. LISTED BELOW ARE SOME OF THE MOST SEVERELY IMPACTED ALABAMA POWER COMPANY RESERVOIRS...THEIR RECORD LOW LEVELS AND DATES OF OCCURRENCE...AND TODAY`S STAGES.

LAKE/RIVER RECORD LOW LEVEL/DATE TODAY`S LEVEL

WEISS LAKE/COOSA RIVER 556.31 FT 1/01/1970 557.6 Ft

NEELY HENRY LAKE/COOSA RIVER 498.45 FT 2/13/1997 504.8 FT

LOGAN MARTIN LAKE/COOSA RIVER 458.27 FT 10/17/1972 459.8 FT

HARRIS LAKE/TALLAPOOSA RIVER 779.40 FT 11/07/2000 781.2 FT

MARTIN LAKE/TALLAPOOSA RIVER 452.12 FT 6/29/1941 477.2 FT

LEWIS SMITH LAKE/BLACK WARRIOR 488.84 FT 12/02/1971 492.2 FT

THESE VERY LOW LEVELS HAVE MADE MANY...IF NOT MOST...BOAT LANDINGS UNUSABLE ON THESE LAKES. MANY DOCKS ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF THE WATER. SOME COMMUNITIES NEAR THESE LAKES ARE ALSO BEING THREATENED WITH WATER SHORTAGES...AS LAKE STAGES DROP TO NEAR THE LEVELS OF WATER INTAKES USED TO PUMP WATER INTO THEIR SYSTEMS.

OTHER MAJOR RESERVOIRS ALONG THE TOMBIGBEE AND BLACK WARRIOR RIVERS HAVE ALSO BEEN IMPACTED BY THE DROUGHT...ALTHOUGH NOT AS SEVERELY AS THOSE ON THE COOSA AND TALLAPOOSA RIVERS

WITH A LA NINA CURRENTLY UNDERWAY...THE OUTLOOK HEADING INTO THE WINTER SEASON IS FOR WARMER AND DRIER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. IF A DRIER THAN NORMAL WINTER DOES MATERIALIZE...IT IS UNLIKELY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN WATER SHORTAGES ON THESE RESERVOIRS WILL OCCUR ANYTIME SOON.

Dry Conditions Can be Dangerous

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM WEDNESDAY TO 6 PM WEDNESDAY...AND 10 AM THURSDAY TO 6 PM THURSDAY.FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS...NORTHERLY FLOW WILL BRING DRIER AIR INTO THE REGION AS TEMPERATURES WARM TO ABOVE NORMAL. THIS WILL CAUSE RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES TO FALL INTO THE 27-32 PERCENT RANGE FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA AS 20 FOOT WINDS OCCASIONALLY PEAK ABOVE 10 MPH.A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

Weather History -- Oct. 10

1804 - A famous snow hurricane occurred. The unusual coastal storm caused northerly gales from Maine to New Jersey. Heavy snow fell across New England, with three feet reported at the crest of the Green Mountains. A foot of snow was reported in the Berkshires of southern New England, at Goshen CT.

1989 - Thunderstorms produced torrential rains along the northeast coast of Florida. Augustine was deluged with 16.08 inches of rain. The heavy rain caused extensive flooding of homes and businesses, and left some roads under three feet of water. Ten cities from South Carolina to New England reported record low temperatures for the date, including Concord NH with a reading of 23 degrees. Temperatures dipped into the 30s in the Carolinas.

Weather History -- Oct. 09

1987 - Eighteen cities in the southeastern U.S. and the Middle Atlantic Coast Region reported record low temperatures for the date. Asheville NC dipped to 29 degrees, and the record low of 47 degrees at Jacksonville FL marked their fourth of the month. A second surge of cold air brought light snow to the Northern Plains, particularly the Black Hills of South Dakota.

1988 - Ten cities in the northeastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Hartford CT with a reading of 28 degrees. Snow continued in northern New England through the morning hours. Mount Washington NH reported five inches of snow. Warm weather continued in the western U.S. Los Angeles CA reported a record high of 102 degrees.

1989 - Unseasonably cold weather continued in the Upper Midwest. Thirteen cities in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana reported record low temperatures for the date, including Marquette MI with a reading of 20 degrees. Unseasonably warm weather continued in the western U.S. as the San Francisco Giants won the National League pennant. San Jose CA reported a record high of 91 degrees.