Alabama 811 | Know What's Below.

Warm And Mostly Dry Today

| April 8, 2015 @ 6:12 am

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SUMMER PREVIEW: We are projecting a high in the mid 80s across much of North/Central Alabama today… making it one of the warmest days so far this year, and well above the average high of 72 degrees for April 8 (for Birmingham). The sky will be partly sunny, and the chance of any one spot seeing a shower this afternoon is only about one in ten.

While we enjoy the calm weather, severe storms are likely later today and tonight across parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri, where SPC has defined an “enhanced” severe weather threat.

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Not much change tomorrow; there is an “enhanced” severe weather threat from near Chicago down to below St. Louis, but in Alabama the day will be warm with only widely scattered afternoon showers or storms; we reach the low to mid 80s tomorrow afternoon with a mix of sun and clouds.

FRIDAY FRONT: The surface low, partly responsible for the active weather across the nation’s mid-section today and tomorrow, will move up into eastern Canada, dragging a cold front into Alabama Friday. Data from the high resolution NAM hints the main band of showers and storms ahead of the front will impact North/Central Alabama from 4:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon Friday. The severe weather potential continues to look very low; SPC has a “marginal” severe weather risk defined for the southern two-thirds of the state.

Instability values are marginal, bulk shear is low, wind fields are weak, and lapse rates are not especially steep. You have to watch any thunderstorm in April in Alabama, but it just doesn’t look like a severe weather setup. Rain amounts around 1/2 inch are likely.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Global models continue to trend dry for the northern half of the state. Saturday now looks mostly sunny with a high in the 70s… any showers should be confined to far South Alabama. And, while moisture begins to return Sunday, the 00Z GFS is pretty dry with only a small threat of shower for the northern counties. The high Sunday afternoon will be close to 80 degrees.

Next week scattered showers and storms are possible Monday through Wednesday, but again the best chance of organized severe weather seems to stay well to the north and west of Alabama, where better dynamic support exists. See the Weather Xtreme video for the maps, graphics, and more details.

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ON THIS DATE IN 1998: An EF-5 tornado cut through the western suburbs of Birmingham… communities like Oak Grove, Rock Creek, Sylvan Springs, McDonald Chapel, Edgewater, and Pratt City killing 32 people. The same parent thunderstorm dropped another tornado in St. Clair County, killing two north of Pell City.

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I have a weather program this morning at East Elementary in Cullman… look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon. Enjoy the day!

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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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