Windy, Cool April Weather Continues
CHILLY MORNING: Our Skywatcher up at Black Creek (just northeast of Gadsden),Vic Bell, reports 33 degrees early this morning with some frost; most places are in the 38-42 degree range with a clear sky and cool north breeze. Today will be sunny, breezy, and cool with a high in the mid 60s this afternoon.
FROST POTENTIAL EARLY TOMORROW: While Vic reported a bit of frost this morning, we expect it to be more widespread at daybreak tomorrow with clear sky and calm wind. We project a low in the 35-40 degree range for most communities around here, but the colder pockets should drop below freezing. Growers need to be aware of this potential.
The good news is that April cold snaps don’t last long, and we warm up nicely over the weekend. With sunshine in full supply, we expect a high in the low 70s tomorrow, followed by upper 70s Sunday.
NEXT WEEK: The “wave train” has shut down for a while, and the week looks very quiet. We will mention just a small risk of a shower late Tuesday, Tuesday night, or Wednesday with a weak surface front to the north, but moisture will be limited and there is no upper support, so rain amounts if any will be light and spotty.
Highs for the week will be in the upper 70s and low 80s. No sign of any severe weather threats through the next 7 to 10 days thanks to the pattern change. See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.
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STORM SPOTTER TRAINING IN BIRMINGHAM IS TOMORROW: The biggest weather event of the year in Alabama will feature both the basic and the advanced storm spotter classes, I will be speaking as well. If you love weather, don’t miss this. It is at the BJCC in Birmingham, and will run from 9am until 2pm. It is free, no need to register, just show up with a curious mind. I hope to see many of you there.
4.8.1998 ANNIVERSARY TOMORROW: April 8, 1998 was a day that defined our TV station, and to some degree, my career at the time. Our policy of aggressive, long form coverage during tornado warnings was relatively new since ABC 33/40 had been on the air for less than two years. The deal was that we go on the air, and stay on the air anytime any county within our television market is under a tornado warning. Doesn’t matter if the county is rural, or in the Birmingham metro.
Nobody else in the market was doing it; we were all alone at the time. Other stations could come and go during tornado warnings.
The policy paid off in many ways the night of April 8, 1998. We were on the air, non-stop, from 6:30 until almost midnight. Initially, we were there to warn people of a supercell storm that showed a very well defined tornado signature. Later, we were on the air to provide riveting video of the damage from the tornado, which would ultimately be rated EF-5, the most violent type of tornado known to man.
The tornado cut a 31-mile long, 3/4-mile wide swath through nine Birmingham suburbs including Oak Grove, Sylvan Springs, Rock Creek, Pleasant Grove, Concord, Maytown, Pratt City, and Edgewater before lifting in the western limits of the City of Birmingham. The worst of the destruction occurred across the Oak Grove, Rock Creek and McDonald Chapel areas.
Thirty-two people were killed in this tornado including three in Oak Grove, eleven near Rock Creek, four in Sylvan Springs, two in Wylam Heights, nine in Edgewater, two in McDonald Chapel and one in West Ensley.
The same parent storm would drop another tornado that killed two more people in St. Clair County near Wattsville.
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 have a weather program this morning at Elvin Hill Elementary in Columbiana… look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon. Enjoy the day!
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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.Subscribe
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