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Improving Weather

| April 4, 2013 @ 4:40 pm

**No afternoon Weather Xtreme video today… we are programming Weather Radio receivers at the Publix in McCalla/Bessemer at Colonial Promenade… if you need help, come see us!**

Thanks to J.B. Elliott for these forecast notes…

A HISTORIC WEATHER DAY: We don’t have space to go into great detail here, but we hope you saw the 33/40 Weather Blog story by James Spann this morning about the ultra-powerful tornado (known as the Smithfield Tornado) that moved across the west and northwest side of Birmingham on this date in 1977. James tells a story that only he knows how. There are also lots of photographs and some interesting side stories. I was still with the National Weather Service at 11 West Oxmoor Road when this occurred and NOAA Weather Radio was in its infancy. Nevertheless, we got so many calls and reports about the tragedy unfolding on the edge of the city, that I decided to go live on the weather radio for 90 minutes. That had never been done before. Of course I had help. Jay Shelley, my immediate supervisor at the time, kept bringing me special notes of the damage and Jay even brought me a plastic overlay of the radar that I ad-libbed from. It was a date I will never forget. Come to think of it, it is one of a bunch of dates that I will never forget in my weather career. Enough of that, let’s get back to the present.

BACK TO TODAY: We have had enough rain lately to make a lot of people sick of it. I guess I am a rain monger because I still like rainy days. Patches of rain have continued to move east and southeast across the state today and clouds have persisted, but better things are ahead. We could still see a stray thunderstorm or two this afternoon and tonight. The air is cool, however, but even so we will drop to near 43 by morning. Look for some leftover patchy fog and drizzle early Friday, but mostly sunshine the rest of the day. You need to look forward to Saturday because it should be a day of full sunshine, a cool morning, but a mild afternoon in the mid-70s. More sun than clouds on Sunday and mild with a high near 76. Monday should also have a warm 76 to 78 and warm and breezy. Even warmer on Tuesday with a high of 81. It should be very mild with a few thunderstorms, however, Tuesday night.

THIS IS THE DAY TO REMEMBER: How about the warmest day so far this year on Wednesday. It will be warm and windy. The latest model data, which we trust pretty much (we just about have to trust some of them) shows a high of 84 for Birmingham on Wednesday. There will also be some thunderstorms later in the day, Wednesday night, or Thursday. A few of those could even be severe.

As discussed earlier today, WAY too early to determine the magnitude of the severe weather threat, timing, placement, and modes of severe weather. We will know much more in a few days.

WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 90 minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40.

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I had a great time today seeing the home school group at Riverchase Baptist Church, and the kids at Southminster Day School. Be looking for them on the Pepsi KIDCAM at 5 and 6:00 on ABC 33/40 News. The next Weather Xtreme video will be posted here by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow…

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Category: Alabama's Weather

About the Author ()

James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.

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