At 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Four was located near latitude 15.0 North, longitude 48.8 West. The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 22 mph (35 km/h) and this general motion is expected to continue through Saturday.
Strong storms will affect northern Jefferson County from I-65 eastward for the next 30 minutes. Damaging winds are very possible.
At 5:01 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. This will cause urban and small stream flooding in the advisory area.
UPDATE: Radar data are flowing once again from KBMX, and the official word from the NWS Birmingham office is that the issue has been resolved.
All counties in Central Alabama have been removed from the Tornado Watch as the threat of organized severe weather has come to an end behind the line of storms.
At 330 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to showers and a few thunderstorms. This will cause urban and small stream flooding. Overflowing poor drainage areas will result in minor flooding in the advisory area. An inch of rain will fall in a short period if time on already saturated ground.
At 325 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to showers and a few thunderstorms. This will cause urban and small stream flooding. Overflowing poor drainage areas will result in minor flooding in the advisory area.
The latest from the SPC in their Mesoscale discussion has much of north and central Alabama outlined in a possible tornado watch. The likelihood of the watch being issued is 80%.
Moderate to heavy rains will relax across the area tonight, but will quickly redevelop Friday. Tropical system Cindy has already dumped 2 to 4 inches of rain with locally higher amounts up to 6 inches. An additional 2 inches of rain or so is possible Friday into Saturday.
While a brief tornado ot two can’t be ruled out, the tornado threat is lessening and the tornado watch is canceled.
There is still a threat of tornadoes across much of the area tonight. Make sure you have a reliable way to receive warnings overnight, even when you are sleeping.
At 228 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated moderate to heavy rain continued to spread across areas that have already received two to three inches during the past 24 hours.
At 142 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated moderate to heavy rain continued to spread across the area. Rainfall of two to three inches with localized higher totals has fallen over this area during the past twenty four hours.
A Tornado Watch has been issued for nearly all of Central Alabama until 10PM CDT tonight.
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.
