Alabama 811 | Know What's Below.

Severe Storms Possible After Midnight Tonight

| April 8, 2020 @ 5:54 am

ACTIVE PATTERN: We are in the core of the spring tornado season in Alabama, and we have multiple severe weather threats in the days ahead. Today will be warm with a mix of sun and clouds; temperatures should reach the low 80s this afternoon. The air becomes unstable, and scattered showers and thunderstorms will form by early afternoon. These could be strong, possibly severe, with potential for hail and strong gusty winds. High resolution model data suggests the best potential for the stronger storms this afternoon will be across the central counties of the state.

LATE TONIGHT/EARLY TOMORROW: An approaching cold front will bring potential for severe thunderstorms to Alabama after midnight tonight, and through the pre-dawn hours tomorrow. SPC has defined an “enhanced risk” (level 3/5) of severe storms for that part of Alabama near the Tennessee border, including places like Muscle Shoals, Athens, and Huntsville. A “slight risk” (level 2/5) is up as far south as Camden and Eufaula, and a “marginal risk” (level 1/5) is on the board down to Atmore and Dothan.

TIMING: A line of severe storms will enter Northwest Alabama around midnight/1:00 a.m…. then pushing southward during the early morning hours. The line should reach places like Tuscaloosa/Birmingham/Anniston/Gadsden around 3:00/4:00 a.m…. and then Montgomery/Opelika around 6:00 a.m.

THREATS: Storms overnight will be capable of producing large hail and damaging winds. A few isolated tornadoes are possible as well.

RAIN: The thunderstorms will be moving fairly quickly, so rain amounts should be generally 1/2 inch for most places; flooding issues are not expected.

CALL TO ACTION: Remember, this is a “middle of the night” severe weather event, so be sure you have a way of hearing warnings. Every Alabama home needs a NOAA Weather Radio, with fresh batteries and properly programmed. Have WEA (Wireless Emergency Alerts) enabled on your phone, and get the free ABC 33/40 Weather app. Do not put your phone in the “Do Not Disturb” mode. And, in your safe place have helmets for everyone, along with portable air horns (if you need to get the attention of first responders), and hard sole shoes for everyone. And, if you live in a mobile home, know where you are going and how to get there quickly.

COVID 19: The decision to seek shelter in a community storm shelter is certainly made more difficult by the consideration for COVID-19, and each individual will need to make an educated decision on where and when to shelter from a tornado. At this time, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is recommending that your first priority should be to protect yourself from a potential tornado. If a warning is issued for your area, you are more likely to be affected by the tornado than the virus.

However, the decisions to open any community shelters are done at the local or county level. Before you make a decision to go to a community shelter, you should check with your community shelter managers to ensure they are open, and if there are any local COVID-19 considerations. Certainly, wherever you choose to shelter from a tornado, you should use as many precautions as possible to inhibit the spread of COVID-19 as best as you can. If you rely on public community shelters, now may be the time to explore other options that might keep you safer from severe weather and possibly limit your exposure to COVID-19.

TOMORROW THROUGH SATURDAY: The sky becomes sunny tomorrow with a high between 70 and 75 degrees. The weather stays dry through Saturday; the high Friday will be in the mid 60s, and close to 70 Saturday. Keep in mind Saturday morning will be cold for April with lows between 36 and 44… some of the colder spots could see a bit of light frost. Clouds will increase late Saturday through Saturday night.

SEVERE WEATHER THREAT EASTER SUNDAY: SPC has defined a severe weather threat for most of the Deep South, including Alabama, in their “Day 5” outlook for Sunday. A dynamic weather system will interact with unstable air, setting the stage for strong to severe thunderstorms. It is simply too early to discuss timing or the magnitude of the threat; we will do that after the pre-dawn storms tomorrow. But it looks like all modes of severe storms will be possible Sunday, including large hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes.

NEXT WEEK: After the storms Sunday, temperatures are expected to be well below average next week, and we could easily see one or two mornings with a freeze/frost threat over the northern half of the state. Growers will need to watch temperature forecasts closely. Most of the week, for now, looks dry.

ON THIS DATE IN 1998: An EF-5 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.

BEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.

WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 90 minute show anytime on your favorite podcast app. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40.

CONNECT: You can find me on all of the major social networks…

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Snapchat: spannwx

Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!

Tags: , ,

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Weather Xtreme Videos

About the Author ()

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.

Comments are closed.