Wednesday Afternoon Weather Discussion; Posted at 4:35 p.m.

A Happy New Year’s Eve to you! Cooler weather has settled into the state on this last day of 2008. Temperatures have reached the lower 50s in many locations and are now on a quick down-hill trend. By midnight, many of us will be in the lower 30s, with an average of 32 degrees in T-town by midnight. Lows will reach 27 degrees, and as winds calm down after midnight, we’ll see a little frost after midnight. On Thursday, lots of sun will start off our day, with temperatures in the middle to upper 50s. Clouds will increase and showers enter the forecast late at night. We will have mostly cloudy skies around on Friday, as a weak cold front moves in. Don’t expect anymore than light showers around for much of the day. Highs will reach the upper 50s, but the cold front will stall out across central Alabama.

On Saturday, a breezy south wind will develop and a warm front will move on through the state. Expect a big warm-up, with highs in the upper 60s on Saturday. We’ll have a few showers through the day. On Sunday, another cold front will move in and we’ll see more rain in the forecast. There is a chance for a few thunderstorms, but we don’t expect anything severe. Highs will make the middle 60s.

Cooler weather will enter the picture on Monday, with highs in the middle 50s. There could be a stray shower around the southern counties but don’t expect much. A surface low develops along the coast and moves into southeast Alabama on Tuesday; rain will overspread the state, with a chilly rain expected. We’ll be watching that one close, as if more cold air gets involved, we could see some wintry weather across our northern counties. Be sure to join be tonight at 5 and 6 for the latest on your weather. I’m filling in for Wes Today. There will not be a 10 p.m. show tonight.

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Tuesday Afternoon Weather Update; Posted at 3:40 p.m.

More sunny weather has been around and really warm temperatures. Highs reached the middle to upper 60s in many locations across the state. A cold front is on the way, which will bring a shot of colder weather by tomorrow; highs will only reach the lower 50s. The good news is that there is very limited moisture to work with, so don’t expect any rainfall. This will set the stage for a cold New Year’s Eve night, so bundle up if you are heading our for the midnight activities. Lows Wednesday night will reach the upper 20s. We will also deal with a little frost by Thursday morning. Sunny weather will be with us to start off Thursday morning, but clouds will fill in later in the day; highs will be in the middle to upper 50s.

On Friday, a wave of low pressure drifts into our area, which will spark off some rain at times. Mostly cloudy skies can be expected and highs in the upper 50s. We will temporarily dry out on Saturday but a shower is possible, with highs in the middle 50s. Overnight lows will warm up a good bit with the introduction of clouds in the forecast; expect lows in the lower 40s for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings. Another area of low pressure looks to move right over the state on Monday and Tuesday; expect a good deal of rain if that is the case, with highs near 60 degrees. Be sure to join us tonight at 4, 5, 6 and 10 for the latest on your forecast. I’ll be in for Wes Wyatt again today for the forecast. Have a great Tuesday!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Monday Afternoon Weather Update; Posted at 3:20 p.m.

I hope your Monday has been good to you! The weather has turned out nice this afternoon, with lots of sun around and temperatures in the lower 60s. We are in for a cool night, as high pressure moves right over head; we’ll have temperatures drop into the lower 30s. Don’t be surprised to see a little frost around to start off our Tuesday morning. A cold front is on the way late Tuesday, which will bring some clouds with it late in the day, but don’t expect any rain as there will be very little moisture to work with. This front will set us back to seasonal temperatures, as highs on Wednesday and Thursday will be in the middle to upper 50s. Lows for the first morning of 2009 will be cold, with a start in the upper 20s. The good news is that rain will not be in the forecast for all of the festivities going on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Clouds will be on an increase late on Thursday, with highs in the upper 50s. A very dynamic storm-system will move in here on Friday, but it will be a quick mover. Rain and a few thunderstorms will move in during the day, as highs approach 60. After the front moves through Friday afternoon, a pop of cold weather will return on Saturday, with highs in the lower to middle 50s. This will be shortly lived, with highs back in the lower 60s on Sunday and middle 60s on Monday. Be sure to join us tonight at 10 p.m. for the latest on your forecast. Robert will have your weather at 4 p.m., but I’ll be in for Wes Wyatt at 5, 6 and 10.

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Sunday Afternoon Weather Discussion; Posted at 4:45 p.m.

Clouds have hung tough around the state, with temperatures in the middle 50s. A cold front moved through the state and brought some rain last night. There are still some showers along the front over deep south Alabama; in-fact, the front has stalled out just to the south of Highway 80. As a disturbance rides along that front during the overnight hours, expect some light to moderate rain to overspread places along and south of I-20/59. There is a band of moderate rain now moving into southern Sumter and Marengo Counties. The heavier rain will stay south of Highway 80. This disturbance will move out of here by daylight, leaving us with sunny and warmer conditions for tomorrow; highs will be back into the lower 60s. We will have to go through a cold night before a big warm-up on Tuesday. Temperatures will start off Tuesday in the lower 30s. With plentiful sunshine, we’ll have highs into the upper 60s. Lower 70s can be expected for communities over south Alabama.

A cold front will move into the state late Tuesday evening, but there will be limited moisture to work with, so don’t expect any rain. There will be some cooler weather in the forecast on Wednesday, with highs in the upper 50s. Middle 50s can be expected on Thursday. This will set the stage for seasonal weather on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. No rain will be found in the forecast until Friday. A very dynamic storm system will march into town Friday, which will set the stage for showers and storms. Rainfall could be heavy at times. Temperatures will reach the lower 60s on Friday.

Expect a quick shot of cold weather on Saturday; highs will top out in the lower 50s, with sunny skies making a return. Sub-freezing weather will be around on Sunday morning, as lows make 30 degrees. A quick warm-up is in store for Sunday, with a high close to 60 degrees.

Looking ahead, we will have some really cold weather in the forecast in 8 or 9 days. Stay with us as we move into some colder days ahead. Be sure to join be tonight at 10 p.m. for the latest on your forecast. Have a great Sunday!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Saturday Afternoon Weather Discussion; Posted at 6:45 p.m.

Very warm weather was with us again today, with temperatures in the lower to middle 70s; in-fact, it is still 71 degrees at the Tuscaloosa Airport as I’m writing this discussion. Temperatures will slowly cool off into the middle 60s by midnight. Clouds will continue to hang tough for the rest of the night, and rain will increase from west to east.

All day, there have been numerous severe weather and even some tornado reports as far north as northern Missouri. A Spring-like system has been moving across the Midwest today and is bringing some severe weather to places that don’t normally see rough weather this time of the year. Now that the sun has set, showers and thunderstorms are weakening, which is some good news for us. There is still an outside chance for a strong storm or two along and north of I-20/59, but that chance is decreasing. A squall line has set up from Chicago, southward to Huston, Texas. We will all see some rainfall out of this late tonight. The best timing on this will be 10 – 11 p.m. across northwest Alabama, 12 – 1 am in Tuscaloosa, and 2 – 6 am for Demopolis. The line of showers and storms will be weakening as it progresses across the state, as daytime heating will be lost, and the best upper air support will be moving well to our north.

Cooler air will roll into Alabama tomorrow, with temperatures only reaching 60 degrees for a high. That is cooler compared to the near record warmth we felt today. Clouds will hang around for much of the day and showers will stick around south of Highway 80. Skies will clear out by Sunday night, with lows in the upper 30s. High pressure will settle into the state on Monday, and we will see lots of sun and nice conditions; highs will make the lower 60s. On Tuesday, a big warm-up will take place, with temperatures in the upper 60s. This will be temporary, as a surge of cooler air moves in on Wednesday and Thursday; highs will be back down in the upper 50s on Thursday. The computer models have now trended drier with that system, so I’ve taken the rain out of the forecast on New Year’s Eve day. Expect a few clouds but that’s about it.

We will quickly warm up into the 60s on Friday, with an approaching storm system. This one bears watching, as we will be in more of a favorable spot for strong storms. Stay with us as we fine-tune the forecast for Friday. A quick shot of colder air works in on Saturday, as highs stay in the 50s. Be sure to join me tonight at 10 p.m. for the latest look on your weather forecast. Have a great Saturday!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Friday Afternoon Weather Discussion; Posted at 3:45 p.m.

More warm weather has settled into the state today, with temperatures in the lower 70s. A strong south flow has developed and will continue to pull in warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. With dewpoints in the lower 60s tonight, lows won’t cool off too much; expect a low of 61 for tonight. Winds will really begin to increase tomorrow and could gust as high as 25 MPH. This is in advance of a vigorous storm-system west of us. Showers will increase late tomorrow evening, but don’t expect anything heavy until after midnight. Highs will reach the middle to upper 70s tomorrow, especially if we see a little more sunshine.

Late Saturday night, we’ll see showers and storms move into Mississippi. Some will be severe along the Mississippi River, but as the line of storms move in our direction after midnight, we will lose daytime heating. Storms will be on a weakening trend, but there will still be a strong storm or two across central Alabama. The main timing looks to be 12 am until noon on Sunday. Then, this activity will shift into southern Alabama. The better dynamics with this system will be well to the north of Alabama, which greatly reduces our risk for severe weather, but stay with us incase a storm or two get out of hand.

Cooler temperatures will move in on Sunday, with highs in the upper 50s. Most of the cold air will stay north of Alabama. After a chilly start in the middle 30s on Monday morning, we’ll see a nice recovery into the lower 60s by the afternoon. Sun will be out in full force, which will make for a pleasant day. On Tuesday, highs will reach the upper 60s, with clouds on an increase. Showers and storms will roll into town by New Year’s Eve, but most of the rain will be south of Tuscaloosa; temperatures will be near 40 by daylight Thursday morning. Expect showers to diminish on Thursday and highs in the middle 50s. More rain returns on Friday, with a high of 56 degrees. I’ll be in for Wes Wyatt today for weather, so be sure to join me on Television tonight at 5, 6 and 10. Have a great Friday!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Tornado Warning Tuscaloosa County Until 5:30 p.m.

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
514 PM CST WED DEC 24 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…TUSCALOOSA…NORTHPORT…HOLT…

* UNTIL 530 PM CST

* AT 512 PM CST…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 9 MILES WEST OF
COKER…OR 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GORDO…MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR…
LAKE LURLEEN STATE PARK AND COKER BY 525 PM CST…
NORTHPORT…TUSCALOOSA…7 MILES NORTHWEST OF HOLT AND 7 MILES
NORTHWEST OF UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA BY 530 PM CST…

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH…PREPARE
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS…DESTRUCTIVE HAIL AND DEADLY CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE…SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES…EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE…LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning Until 5:45 p.m. – Greene, Pickens & Tuscaloosa Counties

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
457 PM CST WED DEC 24 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL GREENE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
SOUTHERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…GORDO…CARROLLTON…ALICEVILLE…
WEST CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF NORTHPORT…

* UNTIL 545 PM CST

* AT 455 PM CST…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR ALICEVILLE…AND MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO COKER…LAKE LURLEEN STATE PARK AND UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS INDICATED SOME WEAK ROTATION WITHIN THIS STORM. WHILE NOT IMMEDIATELY LIKELY…A TORNADO MAY STILL DEVELOP. IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED…ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A STURDY STRUCTURE…SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER… CALL 1-800-856-0758.

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

Tornado Warning Update For Perry County

The tornado warning is no longer in effect for Perry County. We will continue to monitor the situation. Stay tuned to WVUA for possible break-ins and severe weather crawls as strong thunderstorms march into the area.

Wes

…A TORNADO WARNING UNTIL 315 PM CST FOR PERRY AND DALLAS

AT 245 PM CST…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR UNIONTOWN…MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 40 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR…
VALDEN BY 300 PM CST…
HAMBURG BY 305 PM CST…
RED FORD AND MARION BY 310 PM CST…
SPROTT BY 315 PM CST…

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE…SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES…EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE…LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.