Archive for July, 2012
Mid-Afternoon Update on Last of July
Well, July certainly went out in a big way with a huge thunderstorm complex (or complexes) that produced a variety of severe weather and flooding especially in Jefferson and Shelby counties. That complex of thunderstorms which exploded late last night as a small upper disturbance moved southeastward in the northwesterly flow was off the Gulf coast early this afternoon leaving partly to mostly cloudy skies in its wake as the water from 4 to 6 inches of rainfall began to recede from those flooded creeks such as Buck Creek in Helena, Pelham, and Alabaster.
Around 3:30 pm radar showed a few showers developing in the warm, moist air over northern Georgia and parts of northeastern Alabama. These appeared to be more of the garden variety summer showers that were moving from north to south in the upper air flow.
The latest GFS model run continued to suggest a weakening of the northwesterly flow over the next couple of days as the ridge over the Rockies edges slightly eastward. That together with a strong upper level trough moving across southern Canada during the last of the week and into the weekend will dampen the ridge and the trough which should put us back into a more typical summer pattern with daily scattered showers. However, until the northwesterly flow is completely dampened we will need to be vigilant for any disturbances in that flow that could produce another mesoscale convective complex like we saw this morning. Models do not typically handle this kind of situation well, so we must keep a watchful eye to the northwest. Last nights system also developed right in our backyard, so to speak, as opposed to developing further off and moving into Alabama. That close explosive development gave us little time to provide updated forecasts.
Temperatures and humidity will remain unchanged. Look for morning lows in the lower and mid 70s while afternoon highs will climb mainly into the mid 90s.
-Brian-
PS Quick personal note: I recorded 4.74 inches of rain early this morning at my house which almost doubled my July rainfall to slightly over 10 inches.
Flooding Continues
Widespread 3-5 inches rainfall amounts have fallen across the area, especially from Selma to Birmingham to Double Springs and Cullman.
Grady in Chelsea reports 7.43 inches of rain!
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
* FLOOD WARNING FOR…
JEFFERSON COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
SHELBY COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
* UNTIL 430 PM CDT TUESDAY
* AT 1027 AM CDT…EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT…STORM SPOTTERS AND THE
PUBLIC HAVE REPORTED MADE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FLOODING ACROSS
JEFFERSON AND SHELBY COUNTIES. ALTHOUGH RAIN RATES HAVE
DECREASED CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED IN TRAVELING AS IT WILL
TAKE SOME TIME FOR FLOOD WATERS TO SUBSIDE WITH A FEW ADDITIONAL
RISES STILL POSSIBLE.
So the situation is not over even though the rain is ending.
Our intrepid scanner monitors, including John Talbot and Doug Bennett, report so many road closures in the Birmingham Metro, including the City, Centerpoint and Irondale, that crews cannot keep up.
Public safety officials all over the Metro are covered up. Birmingham Fire is still doing water rescues. Doug reports that as soon as a unit will go in service, they are assigned another call.
So many people trying to drive through water and having to be rescued. Don’t be that guy today. Turn around, don’t drown.
The rain is stopping or will stop soon generally north of US-82/I-20. It will end across Jefferson County in the next 45 minutes. This afternoon looks dry as stable air reigns over the area. Tomorrow should feature less showers and hotter temperatures again.
Rain Just Keeps Coming…Dangerous Situation
The rain just keeps coming in the Birmingham Metro.
We THINK the end is in sight, but we’re not there yet.
Public safety officials across Jefferson County are very busy with the flooding. It is a dangerous situation with the flooding.
Centerpoint Fire working an person trapped in car in rising water at Old Springville Rd @ Red Hollow Rd.
Be careful if you must be out and about. Remember, do not drive or walk into flowing or standing water. Turn around, don’t drown!
Even after the rain ends, it will take some time for the flood waters to go down.
The severe thunderstorm warning for Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Talladega Counties is being allowed to expire.
UPDATE: The warning was canceled at 9:34 for Chilton, Coosa, Shelby and Talladega Counties. The storms are weakening as they push south. Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues for parts of Chilton, Coosa, Shelby and Talladega Counties till 9:45 AM CDT.
Here is the radar situation:
0.73 inches of rain in the last 30 minutes at the Birmingham Airport. 3.11 inches is the storm total at the Airport since midnight.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Chilton/Coosa/Shelby/Talladega until 9:45
The wave of thunderstorms pushing south out of the Birmingham Metro is moving southeast at 40 mph and will push across parts of southern Shelby, Chilton, Coosa and Talladega Counties.
Theheaviest precipitation and greatest threat of wind damage extends from Homewood and Vestavia Hills to Chelsea and Harpersville. It is nearing Childersburg.
Areas from Calera to Columbiana, Wilsonville, Childersburg, Sylacauga and Talladega Springs will experience the storm in the next 20 minutes.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
NORTHEASTERN CHILTON COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
COOSA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
SOUTHERN SHELBY COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
SOUTHWESTERN TALLADEGA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
* UNTIL 945 AM CDT
* AT 905 AM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A LINE OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
OF 60 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM
PELHAM TO CHILDERSBURG…AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
WILSONVILLE…COLUMBIANA…SYLACAUGA…TALLADEGA SPRINGS…
CALERA…STEWARTVILLE…WEOGUFKA AND ROCKFORD.
WINDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH WILL BREAK LARGE TREE LIMBS AND CAUSE SOME
DAMAGE…ESPECIALLY TO SMALLER STRUCTURES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
FOR YOUR PROTECTION…MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF
YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Birmingham Metro
Storms have intensified in the Birmingham Metro. They are capable of producing 60 mph winds that will break large tree limbs.
A flash flood warning is also in effect for the county.
2.94 inches of rain at the Birmingham Airport through 8 a.m. Heavy rain has started again at the airport.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
JEFFERSON COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
SOUTHWESTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
NORTHERN SHELBY COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
CENTRAL TALLADEGA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
EASTERN WALKER COUNTY IN ALABAMA…
* UNTIL 930 AM CDT
* AT 840 AM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A LINE OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
OF 60 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM
SMITH DAM TO FULTONDALE TO PELL CITY…AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25
MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
LEEDS…IRONDALE…CORDOVA…SUMITON…DORA…MOUNTAIN BROOK…
BIRMINGHAM AND HOMEWOOD.
