Tornado Watch Until 6 am Saturday

BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
     TORNADO WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WT 1
     NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
     1045 PM CST FRI DEC 31 2010
    
     TORNADO WATCH 1 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM CST FOR THE
      FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     
    ALABAMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE
    
     FAYETTE              GREENE              LAMAR              
     MARION               PICKENS             SUMTER             
     TUSCALOOSA           WALKER              WINSTON

WVUA Meteorologist Richard Scott

Severe Weather Update – Posted at 4pm Friday

A happy New Year’s Eve! I wish I had better news for you, but I don’t… A very dynamic storm system is bringing severe weather to areas that usually don’t even get storms this time of the year, much less, severe weather. The St. Louis area was pounded by severe weather, with numerous confirmed reports of tornadoes and lots of damage. The good news is that the better dynamics are well removed from the southeast, which will keep us from getting a significant outbreak in Alabama. That being said, ingredients are there for some severe storms, including the risk of a couple of tornadoes.

A tornado watch has just been issued for all of Mississippi, as the environment is primed for severe weather. We still have a little way to go before the atmosphere in Alabama reaches that point, but that will be happening later this evening and late tonight. We are all under a flash flood watch until noon on Saturday, as 2 to 4 inches of rain is expected here. As the line of storms move through central Alabama late tonight and early tomorrow, there is a risk of a few rotating storms. While I don’t think we have the right setup for multiple tornadoes, it only takes one to do significant damage. The best chance for rotating storms in the Tuscaloosa area is after 9pm, with the threat increasing slowly as we approach midnight. If you have outdoor plans for midnight, make sure you are weather alert. Our bug will be on the television screen on WVUA-TV, and will list all watches and warnings. If a tornado warning is issued, I’ll be on the air with you until it’s over.

Heavy rain will last through lunch, with rain ending from west to east through the day. We get a bit cooler for the next 5 days, with highs returning into the 50s and lows below freezing. Be sure to join me at 5 and 6 for the latest on your forecast. Have a great day!

WVUA Meteorologist Richard Scott

Tornado Watch for All of Mississippi… Updated at 4 PM

URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
   TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 773
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   400 PM CST FRI DEC 31 2010
  
   THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
  
          EASTERN ARKANSAS
          NORTHEAST LOUISIANA
          MISSISSIPPI
  
   EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 400 PM UNTI  1100 PM CST.
  
   TORNADOES…HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER…THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH…AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
  
   THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 80 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF NATCHEZ MISSISSIPPI TO 40 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF OXFOR  MISSISSIPPI.  FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU3).
  
   REMEMBER…A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR  TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
  
   OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 769…WW 770…WW
   771…WW 772…
  
   DISCUSSION…TSTMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND   INTENSITY THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF MS AS PACIFIC FRONT INTERACTS WITH A MOISTENING ENVIRONMENT.  SSWLY LLJ IS FORECAST TO PERSIST ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT RESULTING IN MORE  THAN SUFFICIENT LOW AND DEEP-LAYER SHEAR TO SUPPORT EMBEDDED  SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF TORNADOES AND DAMAGING WINDS.

WVUA Meteorologist Richard Scott

Flash Flood Watch Until Noon on Saturday – Updated at 3:50 PM

…EXCESSIVE RAINFALL EXPECTED NEW YEARS DAY…

.A HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT ACROSS MAINLY THEWESTERN HALF OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. AVERAGE STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREAS WILL BE 2 TO 3 INCHES. THERE MAY BE HIGHER LOCALIZED TOTALS. SOME LOW-LYING AREAS WILL LIKELY FLOOD.

MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-BLOUNT-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA- JEFFERSON-SHELBY-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-MARENGO- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…HAMILTON…SULLIGENT…VERNON… FAYETTE…DOUBLE SPRINGS…JASPER…ONEONTA…CARROLLTON… TUSCALOOSA…BIRMINGHAM…HOOVER…COLUMBIANA…PELHAM… ALABASTER…LIVINGSTON…EUTAW…GREENSBORO…MOUNDVILLE… MARION…CENTREVILLE…DEMOPOLIS…LINDEN 348 PM CST FRI DEC 31 2010

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA…NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS…IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…BIBB…BLOUNT…JEFFERSON…
 ERRY…SHELBY AND WALKER. IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA…MARION AND WINSTON. IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…FAYETTE…GREENE…HALE… LAMAR…MARENGO…PICKENS…SUMTER AND TUSCALOOSA.

* FROM MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING

* STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BRING IN GULF MOISTURE AHEAD OF A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING. EXTENDED PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH LOW- LYING AREAS LIKELY TO FLOOD. AVERAGE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE WATCH AREA. STAY AWARE OF POSSIBLE UPGRADES TO FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

WVUA Meteorologist Richard Scott

Severe Weather Tonight… Updated 11:50AM Friday

It’s looking more and more like parts of west Alabama may have some severe weather issues tonight and early tomorrow. There is now a tornado watch for southwest AL through the evening hours. As moisture increases and upper air energy moves in, storms will become numerous and there’s a chance of a couple of tornadoes between 7pm tonight and 4am tomorrow morning. The big deal will be from flooding rains during this time period, but a weak tornado or two is possible.

I’ll have much more on the afternoon weather discussion. I’ll have it on here by 3pm. Keep weather aleart tonight. I know it’s New Year’s Eve, but severe weather can happen, so make sure you have a plan incase a tornado warning is issued for your area. I’ll be in today at 5 and 6 on WVUA-TV for the latest on what we expect. Plus, if  a tornado warning is issued tonight, tune into WVUA-TV for non-stop coverage. I’ll have upates on the blog this evening as well. Have a great day!

WVUA Meteorologist Richard Scott

Tornado Watch Southwest AL – Updated 11:30am Friday

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A  TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
  
          SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA
          WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE
          SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
          SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
          COASTAL WATERS
  
   EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY MORNING AND EVENING FROM 1140 AM UNTIL 700 PM CST.
  
   TORNADOES…HAIL TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER…THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH…AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
  
   THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 110 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 85 MILES NORTHEAST OF PINE BELT MISSISSIPPI TO 45 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF HOUMA LOUISIANA. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).
  
   REMEMBER…A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR  THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENT  AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
  
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 767…WW 768…
  
   DISCUSSION…SCATTERED STORMS DEVELOPING IN WARM ADVECTION REGIME ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST AND GRADUALLY INTENSIFY WITH POTENTIAL TO  BECOME SURFACE BASED. HODOGRAPHS WILL SUPPORT SUPERCELLS ALONG THE LOW LEVEL JET AXIS WITH A THREAT FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES AS WELL AS DAMAGING WIND AND HAIL.
  
   AVIATION…TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL  SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE  WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO  500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 22035.
  
WVUA Meteorologist Richard Scott

West Alabama Forecast for Friday, December 31

Have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve and Day!  It looks like we will have a good chance of rain in West Alabama starting later today through most of the day Saturday.  A slow moving front will bring showers for the New Year’s Eve/Day window…including a few areas that may see up to 1 – 2 inches of rain.  We may also see a few thunderstorms Friday afternoon.

Behind the front we will see cooler, drier air move in on Sunday.

Be careful on the roadways this holiday!

Meteorologist Jon Mason

West Alabama Weather for Thursday, December 30

Scattered showers are moving into West Alabama this evening from Mississippi…and we should see the scattered showers continue overnight and early Thursday as well.  We will also see a warming trend with higher dewpoints and higher afternoon temperatures Friday.  Afternoon highs will get close to 70 in many areas.  A cold front will approach West Alabama Friday evening and slowly move into and across West Alabama Saturday.  With the slow moving front, there will be plenty of rainfall…heavy at times.  So it looks like a wet start to 2011! We will keep you posted on the rain chances as we get closer to New Year’s Eve.

Meteorologist Jon Mason

West Alabama Weather for Wednesday Evening

Showers are developing an moving across Mississippi this evening and should arrive in parts of West Alabama after midnight tonight.  So look for rain chances late tonight into early Thursday.  Lows tonight will stay in the low to mid 40′s.  Tomorrow, with off and on showers, we will see a high around 63 degrees.

Rain chances are looking strong for late Friday night (New Year’s Eve) and Saturday (New Year’s Day)…in fact…we may see a heavy rainfall event for parts of Alabama as the system bringing the rain slows over the state.  We will keep you posted on the New Year’s Eve/Day forecast in the days to come.

Meteorologist Jon Mason

West Alabama Weather for Wednesday, December 28

We should start the day with sunshine and a few clouds across West Alabama with temperatures in the upper 20′s / lower 30′s in most locations.  During the day Wednesday, look for clouds to increase…and rain chances to increase by tomorrow evening.

We will continue with a gradual warm-up through the end of the week, with on and off cloud cover and scattered shower chances.

The best chance of showers and a few thunderstorms late Friday into early Saturday as a cold front moves through New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day.

Meteorologist Jon Mason