WVUA-TV Weather Blog

A good Saturday to you! The weather was perfect to be outdoors today, with highs in the upper 70s. That is actually below our average high of 84 degrees, so it was nice to see a little break from the heat. This morning was very chilly, with temperatures starting out in the upper 40s! We won’t see temperatures like that again for a while, as we approach the summer months. It will certainly feel more like summer through next weekend, with highs approaching 90 degrees.

Tonight, lows will be in the middle 50s, but a big time warming trend can be expected by tomorrow; highs will be in the lower 80s. A weak front is expected to make it in here by tomorrow afternoon, which will help to spark off a shower or two during the late afternoon hours. Many places will stay dry, as limited moisture will be available for the storms to work with. Some even drier air will move in on Monday, which will shut off any rainfall activity. Moisture will quickly return and temperatures will be on the rise. Highs on Tuesday will be in the upper 80s, with a small chance for a stray afternoon storm. Another front will work in here and stall out Tuesday and Wednesday, as there is a 20% chance for afternoon storms.

The heat really cranks up on Wednesday and Thursday, with highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s. It will certainly feel like summer around here, with hot temperatures and afternoon storms possible on through next Saturday. It won’t be a washout either day next week, but don’t be surprised to see a stray storm develop overhead on through next weekend. Be sure to watch our newscast tonight for the latest on your forecast. Take care and have a great Saturday!

Richard Scott
WVUA Weather

Here are more unofficial Cooperative Observer reports regarding yesterdays deluge: Centreville-2.70”, Livingston-3.44”, Clanton-1.70”, Jasper-1.96”, Calera-1.44”, Cordova-1.59”.

Today has been a much different day, as it has been dry, breezy, and cooler. The low clouds have been tough to budge even though we’ve gotten some rays of sunshine. Tonight the sky will clear out nicely and since we’re cool already, there is a good chance many spots will wake up with temperatures in the upper 40s early tomorrow morning. Our official low is for 50-degrees in Tuscaloosa tomorrow. Even though the morning will be on the cool side a greater supply of sunshine will warm us to near 80-degrees by tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow night the sky will be fair, with lows in the middle 50s.

A disturbance dropping in from the north will bring an increase in clouds for Sunday, with isolated showers and thunderstorms. This fast moving feature should depart the region on Monday, with mostly sunny skies returning. Tuesday also looks like a nice day with afternoon temperatures expected to warm into the middle 80s. The warm daytime temperatures by next Wednesday and Thursday will help to spark some isolated showers and thunderstorms, so we’ve kept a small 20% chance of rain in our forecast. Otherwise, for a good portion of the area we should enjoy a nice stretch of weather for the first half of next week.

Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

I think the term “quagmire” is rather appropriate for today’s weather, as heavy rain marched across West Alabama. Some severe thunderstorms popped up over the southern half of the area and at one point Marengo County was underneath a severe thunderstorm warning. The Tuscaloosa Airport measured a whopping 3.80” of rain for the day! According to airport data, we haven’t measured this much rain in a single day for about 18 years. You have to go all the way back to February of 1990, when 3.92” of rain was measured on the 15th. Much of the area measured at-least 2”of rain and some of the waterways are on the rise. A flood warning is now in place for Sumter County and for full details on that advisory Click Here.

We could still experience a passing shower or thunderstorm tonight as a cold front pushes through the area. Temperatures will bottom out in the 60s, with highs reaching the mid 70s tomorrow. Morning clouds will give way to sunshine tomorrow and highs will be in the 70s. The clearing will allow us to cool off into the low 50s tomorrow night and we will have some areas of fog early Saturday.

A northwesterly flow aloft will guide a couple of weaker systems in our direction starting on Sunday. The first feature is the weakest and this may squeeze out a stray shower or thunderstorm on Sunday and Monday. We will catch a break on Tuesday and now it looks like another feature will drop in during the Wednesday/Thursday timeframe. Rain chances don’t look as impressive early in the week and many spots will stay dry through next Tuesday. The late week system looks to bring a better coverage of scattered showers and thunderstorms.

I had a great time out at Faucett-Vestavia school today speaking to the 3rd graders. They did a great job on our practice weather wall and they had some wonderful questions and stories. I was also able to handout some of our great severe weather safety guides.

Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… MARENGO COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF LINDEN…

* UNTIL 12:45 PM CDT

* AT NOON… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR NANAFALIA… OR 19 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LINDEN… AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR…
6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MYRTLEWOOD BY 12:05 PM CDT…
MILLER… 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF WAYNE AND 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF SHILOH BY 12:10 PM CDT…
LINDEN BY 12:15 PM CDT…
DAYTON AND THOMASTON BY 12:20 PM CDT…
6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FAUNSDALE BY 12:25 PM CDT…

WINDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH WILL BREAK LARGE TREE LIMBS AND CAUSE SOME DAMAGE… ESPECIALLY TO SMALLER STRUCTURES.

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED AN

* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR…

WESTERN AUTAUGA COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…

BIBB COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF… CENTREVILLE… BRENT…

CHILTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF… JEMISON… CLANTON…

JEFFERSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF… VESTAVIA HILLS… PINSON-CLAY-CHALKVILLE… MOUNTAIN BROOK… IRONDALE…HUEYTOWN…   HOOVER… HOMEWOOD… GARDENDALE… FULTONDALE… FAIRFIELD… BIRMINGHAM… BESSEMER…

PERRY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…

SHELBY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES  OF… PELHAM… MONTEVALLO… HELENA… COLUMBIANA… CHELSEA… CALERA… ALABASTER…

DALLAS COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA…  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF… VALLEY GRANDE… SELMONT-WEST SELMONT… SELMA…

* UNTIL 2:00 PM CDT

* AT 11:07 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA.  RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES HAVE BEEN OBSERVED AND AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS… AND PONDING OF WATER IN URBAN AREAS… HIGHWAYS… STREETS AND UNDERPASSES AS WELL AS OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS… AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED AN

* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR… MARENGO COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF… LINDEN… DEMOPOLIS…

GREENE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF EUTAW…

HALE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF GREENSBORO…

PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF… REFORM… PICKENSVILLE… GORDO… CARROLLTON… ALICEVILLE…

SUMTER COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…YORK… LIVINGSTON… CUBA…

WESTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA… THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF… TUSCALOOSA… NORTHPORT… HOLT…

* UNTIL 1:45 PM CDT

* AT 10:39 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES HAVE ALREADY BEEN OBSERVED AND AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS…AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

A FLOOD ADVISORY MEANS RIVER OR STREAM FLOWS ARE ELEVATED OR PONDING OF WATER IN URBAN OR OTHER AREAS IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT.

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

We haven’t seen much rain around the area today, but that is now starting to change as a shield of rain marches into the northern portion of our area. For the next few hours rain will be more likely, along and north of the I-20 corridor. A more vigorous complex of thunderstorms and heavy rain is entering south Mississippi. In fact, one lone storm has prompted a tornado warning just east of Jackson. A tornado watch is up for portions of southwest Mississippi and Louisiana. These storms may end up bringing some rough weather to southwest Alabama overnight. Even though the strongest storms will be to our south, we still can’t rule out thunderstorms or a good coverage of rain. Tonight we should see totals on average, ranging from 0.25” to 0.75”. Of-course, the areas that experience a thunderstorm will end up with more rain. (Image: SPC Current Tornado Watch)

Rain and thunderstorms will return tomorrow and some of the cells may be severe. The primary threat with the storms will be gusty straight-line winds. Also, we should see more decent rainfall totals. We will catch some breaks in the rain and tomorrow night the occasional rain will be more concentrated to our east. A front will gradually drop through the area and we will see the wet weather tapering off early on Friday. Even though the rain will be ending, we will still have considerable cloudiness. (Image: SPC Outlook For Tomorrow)

An unseasonably strong upper air trough will setup show over the eastern U.S. This will put us under a northerly flow aloft. This should bring us pleasant conditions for Saturday, with a partly cloudy sky and highs in the upper 70s. A couple of disturbances in this northwest flow aloft will trigger rain chances. On Sunday an isolated shower or thunderstorm can’t be ruled out. Also, during the late Monday and Tuesday timeframe, there will be a better chance for a passing thunderstorm. The setup should keep our highs near seasonal, with cool nights.

Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

I was on the road today, visiting the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center. I spoke to Community Residential Care Personnel about severe weather safety. I noticed the sky was mostly sunny during the first part of the day; however, the clouds made a quick return. The models did a terrible job with a small scale system that’s now squeezing out some light showers over the area. This feature will keep our sky cloudy and tonight we could have some sprinkles or light showers. We have made these adjustments in our forecast for tonight. You can expect the lows to be much milder tonight, with lows near 60-degrees.

The weather is going to be on the unsettled side through the rest of the work-week and you can expect cloudy skies to dominate. A moist southwest flow will send a few rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms in our direction. Tomorrow will be a partly cloudy day, with afternoon showers and thunderstorms likely. We will continue to see a good coverage of showers and storms through tomorrow night and into the day on Thursday. Some of the storms on Thursday may be severe, with large hail and high winds.

The main storm center back over the southwest will send energy eastward and this will carve out quite a trough over the eastern U.S. As this transition takes place, this will create another opportunity for thunderstorms and heavy rain Thursday night and into the day on Friday. Some of the storms may be on the strong or severe side during this time frame, especially south. Highs will be in the 70s, with lows in the 60s. We will catch some breaks in the wet weather; however, during rainy periods temperatures will be slow to change. Saturday will start off on a chilly note, with pleasant daytime temperatures. The sky will be partly cloudy, with a stray shower possible. Be sure to join us tonight for more weekend details!

Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

An EF-1 tornado hit Marion County on Saturday May 10th. Winds reached up to 100 mph and fortunately no fatalities were reported. The tornado spun up very quickly approximately 2.5 miles southwest of the Shottsville community along County Road 13, between Reedy Branch Road and County Road 154. The tornado mostly traveled in a heavily wooded area and thousands of trees were either snapped or uprooted. Also, many mobile homes received damage as well as one carport. The damage path of the EF-1 tornado was 25.5 miles long and its widest point was at 400 yards. (Source: NWS)

Corbin Burns
WVUA Intern

We started off the week with another cold-May-Monday morning in West Alabama. Jasper dropped to 48-degrees last night, Livingston dropped to 47, Centreville 49, and Tuscaloosa 50-degrees. Other than the cool start, it has been a really pleasant day for us. Tonight we will experience more cold temperatures, with lows dropping into the upper 40s. Even though this is cold for May standards, we still aren’t expecting to set a new record low. The actual record low for tomorrow is 36-degrees and that was set in the year 1960. The weather tomorrow will be much like today, mostly sunny with pleasantly warm temperatures.

Unfortunately, things will go downhill quickly starting tomorrow night as high pressure slides east of us. A south flow will usher in more clouds and the light breeze should keep us in the 60s tomorrow night. We will have a partly cloudy sky on Wednesday and during this time a cold front will be coming into view over the southeast. Look for isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms to develop late Wednesday and Wednesday night. As the cold front moves into Alabama it will become stationary, due to a more west to east oriented upper flow pattern. This will set the stage for the possibility of multiple rounds of thunderstorms and heavy rain.

First off, thunderstorms will be likely on Thursday and some of the storms may grow severe. Due to the time of year, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple of thunderstorm complexes migrate east/southeastward over the area. These complexes are called an MCS, short for Mesoscale Convective System. You may see or hear this term from time to time in some of the National Weather Service products. Another good round of thunderstorms is possible on Friday. In both cases, some storms may grow severe.

The main storm center associated with this system, will be closing in on our area Saturday. This energetic system will bring the threat for more thunderstorms on Saturday and we could deal with some big hail producing storms due to the colder air aloft. Look for the rainy weather to finally make a departure by Sunday. Let me say that the forecast setup is quite complex and the timing of the storms is rather broad at this point. However, as we close in on Thursday and Friday we will be able to lay out finer details. Have a great evening!

Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist