Cold Front Pushing Southeast with Heavy Rain, Strong Wind Gusts; Some Damage Reported

A line of cellular convection is pushing southeast across Central Alabama this morning ahead of a cold front. The cold front is trailing from a low over Northeast Alabama and is closely aligned with the line of showers/storms. There is no lightning since the cells are very low topped.

Brief heavy rain and winds gusting to 50 mph have accompanied the line as it pushed through. At the Birmingham International Airport, winds gusted to 33 mph and 0.36 inches of rain fell, nearly all of it in 37 minutes between 8:16 and 8:53 a.m. Temperatures fell from 69F to 59F degrees.

Post frontal rains will continue much of the day with cooler temperatures and a cool northwest breeze. Temperatures are falling back into the 55-60F range.

As the line pushes southeast, it will encounter more instability with CAPEs over 1,000 joules/kg and decent bulk wind shear (over 60 knots), so more damaging wind gusts will be possible. The best low level helicity has moved into Georgia, but there is some still across Central Alabama ahead of the line. We can’t rule out a small, isolated tornado, but the threat is very small.

A wind advisory remains in effect for Central Alabama for areas ahead and along the line of storms and cold front until later this afternoon. Behind the line, winds shift to the northwest and average 10-15 mph. Ahead of the line, they are averaging 10-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph and there are occasional gusts to 50 mph with the line.

Skies will begin to clear late in the late from the northwest and tomorrow promises to be a cool and bright day, with highs around 60F and near total sunshine. The weekend looks nice too with rain not returning until early Monday.

There have been a few reports of trees downed with the line of showers/storms.

Damage Reports

Attalla (Etowah Co.): Bruton Gap Road, powerlines reportedly down and across the roadway.

Hueytown (Jefferson Co.): Hueytown Road at Highland Drive, Trees and power poles knocked down.

Broomtown Community (Cherokee Co.): Tree downed and across Hwy 35 just south of State Hwy 273.

Damage reports from Spann’s Twitter feed:

From Jacksonville…

@spann A straight line wind came through and knocked down this big tree outside my apartment here at JSU. The wind was so loud it woke me up just in time for classes! pic.twitter.com/3EoSEdb9Ye

— Sadie Appleton (@tonisadapple) March 1, 2018

Storm damage in Jacksonville… Photos from Clint Evans pic.twitter.com/OATYNG3y9I

— James Spann (@spann) March 1, 2018

Power line down on Highway 204 just outside of Jacksonville in Calhoun County.@spann pic.twitter.com/hgGK0So30E

— DMc Geography ?? (@GeographyDMc) March 1, 2018

Category: ALL POSTS, The Attic