Mid-Morning Update

James Spann | January 29, 2007 @ 9:21 am | 67 Replies

Interesting output from GrADS… The Grid Analysis and Display System. This comes from GFS data, and this shows accumulated snow as of 6am Thursday:

This suggests snow accumulation of two inches over the Tennessee Valley of extreme North Alabama, with one inch down to Birmingham. Let me stress I do NOT agree with this; I think the main snow will be from U.S. 72 north, mainly up into Tennessee.

Main issue for North Alabama will be freezing rain late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, especially north of Birmingham. Birmingham should be somewhere between 30 and 34 around 6:00 a.m. Thursday; if we are at 30 we will have icy travel and big problems, if we are at 34 just a cold rainy day. Sure seems like a better chance of ice problems up toward U.S. 278.

But, this map just goes to show you what is not totally out of the question in this complicated forecast. The 12Z NAM/WRF run is in the house, and it is a little slower, and shows some good warm air advection during the day Thursday. But, nothing there to really make us change our thinking right now.

I will have another complete discussion and a new video by 3:30 or so this afternoon. Hang in there.

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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.