Strong Storms Across North and Central Alabama; Damaging Wind Gusts, Some Flooding Possible This Afternoon

Current BMX radar reflectivity in the large panel, with lightning top left and rainfall so far in bottom left. Areas in blue, purple and white have picked up 1-2 inches of rain today.

A hot and humid day is in progress across North and Central Alabama.

A weak surface low is over Central Tennessee, and on its southern flank, showers and thunderstorms have become fairly numerous. There is a concentration over Northeast Alabama with a band lying generally along I-20 from east to west.

There is certainly plenty of instability available to the storms, but there is no bulk shear whatsoever, so organized storms aren’t going to happen.

But with the intense updrafts you get in summer storms, that air must come back down, and the result can be powerful downbursts. They can bring down trees and produce other damage.

Winds have already gusted to 47 mph at the Birmingham Airport at 12:16 as storms were in that area. Not much rain there, only .14 so far.

All of the storms will produce torrential downpours, dangerous cloud to ground lightning, some small hail and gusty winds to 30-40 mph. The stronger storms could produce wind gusts to 60 mph as they collapse. There will be localized flooding with the heavy rain.

The storms over Northeast Alabama have caused significant flooding in the Guntersville area with major flash flooding reported on highways 431 and 205 in the area.

Be alert if you are outside and see dark clouds nearby. A storm is developing or in progress. And when thunder roars, go indoors. If you are close enough to hear the thunder, then you are in danger of being struck.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS