Bill Murray is the President of The Weather Factory. He is the site's official weather historian and a weekend forecaster. He also anchors the site's severe weather coverage. Bill Murray is the proud holder of National Weather Association Digital Seal #0001 @wxhistorian
A gorgeous Saturday is in progress across Alabama. Skies are mostly sunny with just a nice cumulus field beginning to develop in areas of higher dewpoints where temperatures have reached their convective temperature mark.
Birmingham and much of Central and North Alabama experienced a rash of severe weather on this date back in 1962.
As we approach the end of March, the lambs have replaced the lions, and relatively calm weather affects Alabama. In the two forecast periods, we will deal with some strong storms on Tuesday and again at the end of the week. But for now, some fine weather is in store for this Easter weekend.
In a moment of celestial serendipity, Cole Patterson, an engineering major at the University of Alabama, captured a breathtaking image earlier this week that embodies the beauty of the night sky over Tuscaloosa.
No tornadoes have been reported in Mississippi. There have been sporadic reports of wind damage.
Monday night temperatures will be in the 20s and lower 30s with a freeze expected all the way into South Alabama.
Rain with storms near the coast are moving across South Alabama this afternoon after a morning batch in the North. Temperatures are cool and will get colder, with a freeze likely Monday night into Tuesday morning.
Freeze watches are in effect for Monday night and Tuesday morning across North and Central Alabama as cold air advection will bring much colder conditions into the state over the next 48 hours. No rain is forecast until late Thursday and Friday.
An intense thunderstorm has developed along US-80 in Macon County between Shorter and Tuskegee. It is moving east at 35 mph. It has hail to the size of ping pong balls. Damaging winds as well. The low level helicity is around 70 m2/s2, which is insufficient for tornado development. These storms will only continue to strengthen as we go through the afternoon and the line of storms drops south.
The severe weather threat should continue to increase this afternoon across South Alabama, with chances for large hail, damaging winds to 65 mph, and a couple of tornadoes.
At 815 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Maylene, or over Alabaster, moving east at 35 mph.
Severe thunderstorms are in effect over East Alabama. A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 10 a.m.
At 652 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Fyffe, or 8 miles southwest of Rainsville, moving east at 40 mph.
Our long time friend, mentor, and charter Weather Factory member, J.B. Elliott, passed away on May 11, 2015. Click HERE to read James' tribute.
