Winter Weather Advisory & Winter Storm Watch for Tonight & Tomorrow

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a Winter Weather Advisory and Winter Storm Watch for all of West Alabama.  Details are listed below.

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

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NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
316 PM CST SAT FEB 28 2009

…WINTER WEATHER POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY…

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL DROP SOUTHEAST INTO THE AREA LATE TONIGHT AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY. AS THE COLD AIR AND MOISTURE MOVE INTO THE AREA… SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FIRST IN THE NORTHWEST SECTIONS LATER TONIGHT AND POSSIBLY ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA ON SUNDAY.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR TONIGHT…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY. A WINTER STORM WATCH HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED. THIS WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

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RAIN BECOMING MIXED WITH SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NEAR MIDNIGHT… THEN CHANGE TO ALL SNOW BY MORNING. SNOW ACCUMULATION UP TO ONE INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE… MAINLY ON GRASSY SURFACES… ALTHOUGH SOME ELEVATED ROAD SURFACES COULD BECOME SLICK.

ON SUNDAY AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES THROUGH… SOME SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA…ALTHOUGH A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE AMOUNTS AND LOCATIONS REMAIN AT THIS TIME. AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS… MORE INFORMATION WILL BECOME AVAILABLE.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE:  MARION… LAMAR… FAYETTE… WINSTON… WALKER… BLOUNT… PICKENS… TUSCALOOSA… JEFFERSON… SHELBY… BIBB… ETOWAH… CALHOUN… CHEROKEE… CLEBURNE… ST. CLAIR… TALLADEGA… CLAY… RANDOLPH… SUMTER… GREENE… HALE… PERRY… CHILTON… COOSA… TALLAPOOSA… CHAMBERS… MARENGO… DALLAS… AUTAUGA… LOWNDES… ELMORE… MONTGOMERY… MACON… BULLOCK… LEE… RUSSELL… PIKE… BARBOUR.

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF… HAMILTON… SULLIGENT… VERNON… FAYETTE… DOUBLE SPRINGS… JASPER… ONEONTA… CARROLLTON… TUSCALOOSA… BIRMINGHAM… HOOVER… COLUMBIANA… PELHAM… ALABASTER… CENTREVILLE… GADSDEN… ANNISTON… CENTRE… HEFLIN… PELL CITY… MOODY… TALLADEGA… SYLACAUGA… ASHLAND… ROANOKE… LIVINGSTON… EUTAW… GREENSBORO… MOUNDVILLE… MARION… CLANTON… ROCKFORD… ALEXANDER CITY… DADEVILLE… VALLEY… LANETT… LAFAYETTE… DEMOPOLIS… LINDEN… SELMA… PRATTVILLE… FORT DEPOSIT… HAYNEVILLE… WETUMPKA… TALLASSEE… MONTGOMERY… TUSKEGEE… UNION SPRINGS… AUBURN… OPELIKA… PHENIX CITY… TROY… EUFAULA.

Winter Weather Tonight/Early Tomorrow – Update at 3:14 p.m.

HPC's forecast map for today.

Well, it’s looking like we will see at least some snowfall across our area late tonight/early Sunday. An upper level low will move into the area later this evening. As you’ve noticed, we’ve already cooled of quite a bit today… temperatures have been falling. We’ll see a cold rain to start off with later this evening, and overnight, that rain will turn over to snow.

There could be areas of 1 to 3 inches of snow in the area… much of it accumulating on grassy surfaces. With systems like this, there could be a narrow band of heavier snowfall.
This shouldn’t cause major travel issues… as temperatures will be in the 40s by Sunday afternoon.

This evening, we will have a better handle on possible snowfall accumulations as we get fresh data and computer models. As of my writing this, there are no winter weather advisories for West Alabama.

With weather systems like this, it’s hard to pinpoint all the facets of the forecast until a short time before it happens.

We’ll have blog updates here online, and Richard Scott will have the full forecast tonight, on WVUA News at 10:00.

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Perry and Hale Counties Until 6:15 a.m.

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
534 AM CST SAT FEB 28 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
WEST CENTRAL AUTAUGA COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…
SOUTHWESTERN CHILTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…
NORTHERN PERRY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF MARION…
NORTHEASTERN DALLAS COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA…
EAST CENTRAL HALE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF GREENSBORO…

* UNTIL 615 AM CST

* AT 530 AM CST…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL. THIS STORM WAS
LOCATED 10 MILES NORTH OF MARION…AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR…
PARNELL AND MAPLESVILLE BY 610 AM CST…
PLECHER BY 615 AM CST…

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM CST SATURDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHERN ALABAMA.

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

WVUA-TV’s Richard Scott

Saturday Morning Thoughts; Posted at 5:22 a.m.

Good morning to you! I just wanted to throw around some thoughts about the severe weather and wintry weather. The severe weather threat is over for Tuscaloosa now, but there is still a severe thunderstorm warning for many counties to our east and south. The severe activity will be out of our area by 7 am or so. There is still a tornado watch until 9 a.m. for counties south of Tuscaloosa. With colder and more stable air moving in, we’ll see the rain quickly shut off across all of our coverage area in the next couple of hours. It has been a long day and night for the entire staff at WVUA, but we are about done with the severe weather.

Now, our next weather issue will be a little more fun. A winter storm threat is going to move in tonight, with a chance for snow all across central Alabama. Accumulations are likely for most of the area, with the heavier totals east of Tuscaloosa. Expect a dusting – 2 inches area wide, with a heavier amount somewhere in there. It is hard to tell where that will occur, but our best bet is a strip less than 50 miles wide across our western and central counties will give us some higher totals. We will be here with you for updates during the winter weather threat and will be on the air if necessary tonight through tomorrow morning. With it being a weekend, there won’t be many people on the roadways, so that will be a good thing. I don’t think we have any major travel issues, but it could get a little icy on the elevated roadways and overpasses. Just use common sense and take caution if traveling on the roads tonight. Be sure to stay with us. We’ll have a live newscast tonight at 10 p.m., but you can also get our latest thoughts right here on our weather blog page. Have a great Saturday!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Severe Thunderstorm Warning Until 5:45 a.m.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
  BIBB COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…CENTREVILLE…BRENT…
  NORTHWESTERN CHILTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF JEMISON…
  SOUTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…HOOVER…BESSEMER…
  NORTHERN PERRY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  SHELBY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…PELHAM…MONTEVALLO…HELENA…
  WILSONVILLE…COLUMBIANA…CHELSEA…CALERA…ALABASTER…
  SOUTHERN GREENE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF EUTAW…
  HALE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF GREENSBORO…
  SOUTHEASTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 545 AM CST

* AT 450 AM CST…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A LINE OF
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL…AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED
  ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NORTH JOHNS TO MERTZ TO BOLIGEE…OR
  ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES WEST OF BESSEMER TO 15 MILES
  WEST OF BRENT TO 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF EUTAW…AND MOVING EAST AT 50
  MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR…
  RAIMUND…BESSEMER AND SAWYERVILLE BY 500 AM CST…
  REGIONS PARK OR HOOVER MET…WEST CENTREVILLE…HARRISBURG AND
  CENTREVILLE BY 505 AM CST…
  RIVERCHASE…INDIAN SPRINGS VILLAGE AND RIVERCHASE GALLERIA BY 510
  AM CST…

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 219 THROUGH 247…
INTERSTATE 459 EXIT NUMBERS 1 THROUGH 13…
AND INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 86 THROUGH 108.

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

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM CST SATURDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHERN ALABAMA.

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

WVUA-TV’s Richard Scott

Flash Flood Warning Until 7:00 AM For Lamar

A new Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Lamar County until 7:00 a.m.

Severe T-Storm Warning Until 4:15 AM

A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect until 4:15 for Greene, Hale, Tuscaloosa, and Pickens County.  Damaging straight-line winds will be possible with this storm and large hail. A tornado warning may be issued south of this line as some rotation is being depicted by radar in East Mississippi. Stay tuned!

New Tornado Watch Until 9:00 AM

Tornado Watch

 A new tornado watch has been issued for our area and this watch covers, Autauga, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Montgomery, Perry, Sumter, and Tallapoosa Counties. The watch will be in place until 9:00 AM. The threat will end first in our western counties as a front approaches the area. Our other counties that were under the watch have been dropped so the severe weather threat has ended for Tuscaloosa and Pickens counties and points northward.

WVUA WEATHER

Severe Threat Continues/More On Tonight’s Snow Chance

NAM Simulated Radar Reflectivity (Sunday Morning)

Good morning! It has been a very busy day for us and we are still in the weather center monitoring the latest conditions. As things stand right now there are still flooding concerns as rain totals in many areas approach the four inch mark. Needless to say, if you have a camp or maybe live along the local waterways this is an issue we’ll probably be dealing with over the next several days. From about Aliceville southeastward to Uniontown, and points northward, the air has stabilized quite a bit due to the cold pool associated with the rain. However, elevated strong to severe thunderstorms will remain a possibility with the primary threat being large hail and straight-line winds. As for areas south of this line, temperatures are bordering the 70 degree mark. A surface low is taking shape over west Mississippi and this will pull the cold front through our area during the late morning hours. Temperatures are in the 40s in Greeneville Mississippi, while it’s a warm 72 in Vicksburg, just south along the Mississippi River. As the low approaches Alabama the threat for thunderstorms and tornadoes will return, especially over southern sections of our area.

What is the deal with the snow? Well I’ve been fairly confident in some snow occurring over our area tonight. The possibility is out there for up to two inches of snow to occur in some spots according to the latest data. The setup all depends on how the dry air interacts with the upper air cold pool arriving overnight. If you recall during the last event a few months ago, when Baton Rouge was slammed with accumulating snow, a cold core low produced no snow over the immediate area. However, we had quick accumulations in Marion and Winston Counties. During that particular event, everybody under the moon was calling for a good accumulation over central Alabama. The dry air eroded much of the precipitation before it reached central Alabama. However, if you look back on another event in 1998, you will find that we picked up nearly six inches of snow in parts of West Alabama.

Some of the best guidance out there continues to agree that we could see measurable snow, the question remains how much. Based on guidance we feel our forecast snow total map of 1 inch plus is a good call for areas to the north, with a dusting or more possible in the central and southern sections. This is based on current data and let me stress that this may be adjusted as we approach the event and examine radar trends. The current forecast panel attached is the NAM forecasted radar reflectivity for tomorrow morning and the returns you see would certainly represent snow falling in our area. A lot of snow will melt initially and that is another fly in the ointment of trying to pinpoint an exact accumulation. Winter Storm Watches are up now for northern Mississippi. Stay with your local weather team for the latest updates!

Wes Wyatt
WVUA Chief Meteorologist

Friday Evening Weather Discussion; Posted at 9:44 p.m.

A good Friday evening to you! What a busy day it has been for all of us, with numerous severe weather warnings, including tornado warnings. We’ve dealt with one of the longest lasting tornado events we’ve seen in a long time. Fortunately, we haven’t seen much in the way of damage reports, which we hope will continue. Round one is over, but we are expecting a secondary round of severe weather to begin over the next few hours. We are all under a tornado watch until 3 a.m. This activity will finally come to an end by the late morning hours tomorrow, as cold air really moves behind a strong cold front. Temperatures will fall through the day on Saturday, with 40s expected by the afternoon. The rain will be gone for a short while, but more active weather will be in Saturday night.

A winter storm threat will be moving into our area, with an accumulating snow event possible for most of central Alabama Saturday night into Sunday morning. The National Weather Service office has talked about issuing a heavy snow watch of warning for our area for this event. We’ll know word on that later tonight or early tomorrow. Either way, I feel confident that this could be a snowy setup for us. I’ve forecasted 1 – 2 inches for Tuscaloosa and points north. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more than that somewhere across our area as a cold core upper level low moves west and central Alabama. These systems bring their own cold air, and through a process of dynamic cooling from aloft, we’ll see a quick change over from rain to snow late Saturday night. We could deal with some travel issues as temperatures dip below freezing by early Sunday morning. With warm surface conditions, the main issues will come from overpasses and elevated roadways.

The sun will be back out by Monday and we will start to warm up; expect temperatures in the 50s on Monday and 60s on Tuesday. Lots of sun will be around through next Friday, with temperatures in the 70s by then. Be sure to join us tonight at 10 p.m. for the latest on your weather on WVUA-TV. Also, stay with us through out the night incase more severe weather moves in. Have a great evening!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor