Mike Wilhelm's Alabama Weather Blog

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Bamawx.com

Tennessee River at Decatur at 11:30 a.m. It was 66F at the time on my car thermometer.

This morning was just a little bit cooler than yesterday morning in North and Central Alabama. At my place the low was 48 this morning.

J.B. Elliott has compiled another list this morning. Here were the lowest readings he found:

40 Grantley

43 Muscadine, Scrougeout, Valley Head

44 Munford, Cottondale. Camp Hill, Hamilton, Lafayette

45 Lincoln, Hanceville, Owens Crossroads, Scottsboro, Hartselle, Pinson, Ft. Payne Airport, Crossville

46 Russellville, Russell Cave National Monument, Anniston Airport, Cullman Airport, Decatur, Meridianville

47 Marion, Moulton, Alexander City, Centreville, Sylacauga, Muscle Shoals, Bankhead National Forest

48 Clanton, Jasper, Evergreen, Albertville, Huntsville Airport, Evergreen, Troy, Coker, NE Huntsville

...

J.B. Elliott, on Alabamawx.com, documented numerous low temperatures across Alabama in the 40's and 50's. Fall has arrived! Here were the coolest locations in Alabama:

41 Fort Payne
42 Hamilton, Vigo
43 Grantley, Valley Head
44 Scrougeout
45 Crossville, Munford

It was 50 on my thermometer in Huntsville this morning.

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4:15


4:17 Decatur

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
400 PM CDT FRI SEP 25 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
SOUTHERN LIMESTONE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
NORTHWESTERN MORGAN COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 445 PM CDT

* AT 358 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR TRINITY...OR ABOUT 9 MILES
NORTHWEST OF DECATUR...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RIPLEY...
DECATUR...
TANNER...
ATHENS...
FRENCH MILL...BELLE MINA...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DOPPLER RADAR 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.

&&

7:17 am west of Cullman.


7:15 Highway 157 between West Point and Cullman


6:37 a.m Tennessee River at I-65

Visibility was one-tenth to one quarter of a mile in dense fog between Hartselle and Vinemont in S Morgan County and N Cullman County at 6:49 am. A dense fog advisory was issued by the NWS Huntsville.

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
643 AM CDT FRI SEP 25 2009

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-251400-
/O.NEW.KHUN.FG.Y.0006.090925T1143Z-090925T1400Z/
LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN-
MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLORENCE...MUSCLE SHOALS...
RUSSELLVILLE...MOULTON...ATHENS...HUNTSVILLE...DECATUR...
GUNTERSVILLE...SCOTTSBORO...FORT PAYNE...CULLMAN...LYNCHBURG...
FAYETTEVILLE...WINCHESTER
643 AM CDT FRI SEP 25 2009

...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A DENSE FOG
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING.

CLEAR SKIES...LIGHT WINDS...AND A SATURATED GROUND HAVE ALLOWED
DENSE FOG TO DEVELOP ACROSS NORTH ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN MIDDLE
TENNESSEE. VISIBILITIES OF ONE-QUARTER MILE OR LESS CAN BE EXPECTED
THIS MORNING. CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE AFTER 900 AM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A DENSE FOG ADVISORY MEANS VISIBILITIES WILL FREQUENTLY BE
REDUCED TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE. IF DRIVING...SLOW DOWN...
USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS...AND LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU.

&&

$$

I looked at the CoCoRaHS site this evening to do a little research on rainfall amounts in Alabama so far this month. Rain has fallen every day this month in the state. Serious flooding has occurred in several areas. Numerous areas have received over received over 10 inches during the first 23 days of the month. More rain is in the forecast through the weekend before drier air finally moves into the state early next week.

Sylacauga 9.2 S - 16.55
Trinity 1.7 SW - 15.40
Anderson 2.1 NE - 14.90
Florence 0.6 NE - 14.14
Aliceville 9.4 WSW - 13.39
Killen 3.0 ESE - 13.06
Dadeville 6.2 SSW - 13.06
Mentone 6.9 SSE - 12.73
Deatsville 3.4 NW - 12.55
Holt 11.4 SSE - 12.49
Northport 11.3 WSW - 12.29
Spruce Pine 1.5 W - 12.03
Rogersville 2.3 NNW - 11.93
Trussville 3.4 N - 11.92
Fairfield 1.8 NE - 11.84
Addison 3.8 N - 11.84
Helena 1.8 SE - 11.76
Wilton 5.0 SSW - 11.55
Lake Purdy 5.8 ENE - 11.17
Argo 1.5 NW - 11.15
St. Florian 2.9 NNE - 11.13
Jacksons Gap 3.4 SW - 10.96
Alabaster 2.0 WSW - 10.72
Moody 2.0 ESE - 10.60
Bessemer 8.6 S - 10.45
Odenville 4.5 ENE - 10.44
Jacksonville 1.6 NNE - 10.43
Springville 6.7 NE - 10.30
Hoover 3.6 ESE - 10.26
Alexander City 2.7 S - 10.19
Wilmer 7.9 SE - 10.06

CoCoRaHS is a grassroots volunteer network of backyard weather observers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow) in their local communities. If you enjoy keeping up with the weather, consider being a volunteer.

As bad as conditions have been across Alabama, things have been much worse over Georgia during the past three days. Over 20" of rain has fallen in some areas during that time, resulting in severe flooding that has been responsible for nine deaths at lat report. My friend Dewdrop has provided some very thorough coverage of the Georgia flooding. My friend Michael Detwiler is covering the flooding in Tennessee.

Update from the NWS Huntsville at 7:56 pm:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
754 PM CDT WED SEP 23 2009

...RECENT PRECIPITATION TOTALS FROM AROUND THE AREA...

A SERIES OF VERY SLOW MOVING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS HAVE BROUGHT
HEAVY RAINFALL TO MUCH OF THE AREA OVER THE LAST SEVEN TO NINE
DAYS. MOST OF THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL HAS BEEN CONCENTRATED OVER
WESTERN AND FAR EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE HUNTSVILLE FORECAST
AREA...WHERE RAINFALL TOTALS OVER FIVE INCHES ARE COMMON. BELOW IS
A LIST OF SOME AREA STATIONS THAT HAVE REPORTED OVER FIVE INCHES
OF RAINFALL DURING THE LAST SEVEN DAYS. PRECIPITATION TOTALS ARE
CUMULATIVE FROM SEPTEMBER 16TH THROUGH 100 PM CDT TODAY.

LOCATION NAME                   RAINFALL (INCHES) 
======== ====                   =================
ALLD23   FLORENCE HS AREA          11.56
ALLD08   AQUA VISTA                11.29
ANDA1    ANDERSON COOP             10.85
VYHA1    VALLEY HEAD               10.64
LRWA1    DESOTO STATE PARK         10.04
VHXA1    VALLEY HEAD HCN-M         10.01
ALLD20   ROSE PARK (FLORENCE)       9.88
BHFA1    BANKHEAD NTL FOREST        9.67
ALLD18   3 NE ROGERSVILLE           9.60
ALLD04   MCFARLAND PARK (FLORENCE)  9.51
ALLD31   2 NE ANDERSON              9.15
ALLD32   CENTRAL FLORENCE           9.07
WHLA1    WHEELER DAM                9.00
MLTA1    MOULTON TVA                8.86
ALLS08   ELKMONT                    8.84
MUSA1    MUSCLE SHOALS COOP         8.44
ALLS10   5 N ATHENS                 8.44
LYCT1    LYNCHBURG COOP             8.37
ALLR02   CHALYBEATE SPRINGS         8.00
ALDK08   3.5 E SYLVANIA             7.97
ALLD01   FLORENCE DOWNTOWN          7.78
ALLS09   4 NW ATHENS                7.58
ALLD02   3 N ROGERSVILLE            7.54
OAKA1    OAKLAND                    7.46
HYTA1    HYTOP                      7.39
FYTT1    FAYETTEVILLE               7.38
TNLC11   TAFT (ARDMORE 10.8 E)      7.37
FAVT1    COLDWATER                  7.21
RVLA1    RUSSELLVILLE TVA           7.16
RUXA1    RUSSELLVILLE AIRPORT       6.76
LCXA1    LAWRENCE COUNTY AIRP       6.70
MOUA1    MOULTON COOP               6.64
AHNA1    ATHENS TVA                 6.63
TNCA1    TOWN CREEK                 6.54
WLSA1    WILSON DAM / FLORENCE      6.52
LYNT1    LYNCHBURG TVA              6.34
TFDT1    TIMS FORD DAM PRECIP       6.33
MSXA1    MUSCLE SHOALS TVA HCN      6.18
CULA1    CULLMAN AWIS               6.14
SWNT1    SEWANEE                    5.84
MCAT1    PARK CITY 2 SW AAMU        5.84
MRGA1    MORGAN (WEST DECATUR)      5.73
NTFT1    ESTILL SPRINGS             5.65
SEWT1    SEWANEE TVA                5.61
IDRA1    IDER                       5.51
ALDK09   FORT PAYNE                 5.49
CUXA1    CULLMAN HCN-M              5.44
ATNA1    CAPSHAW / ATHENS           5.44
CLVA1    COLLINSVILLE               5.41
FYVT1    FAYETTEVILLE WTR PLANT     5.32
ALLD29   2 N ROGERSVILLE            5.18
ALCT07   LITTLEVILLE                5.18
SMCA1    CROSSVILLE CRN             5.13
WDCA1    WIDOWS CREEK               5.10
ALLD09   MACEDONIA (WATERLOO)       5.03

BELOW ARE PRECIPITATION TOTALS FROM A FEW OTHER SITES OF INTEREST GOING
BACK TO SEPTEMBER 14TH THROUGH 100 PM CDT TODAY.

MSL      MUSCLE SHOALS AIRPORT      6.46
HSV      HUNTSVILLE AIRPORT         4.69
DCU      DECATUR AIRPORT            4.52 
GUXA1    GUNTERSVILLE RADIO STN     3.06
SCXA1    SCOTTSBORO AIRPORT         2.97

$$

KDW

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Time lapse from Birmingham Nexrad of the 9/21/09 Sumter County, Alabama Storm from 1:48 p.m. until 3:35 p.m.

2:02

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
209 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009

ALC119-211930-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0145.000000T0000Z-090921T1930Z/
SUMTER AL-
209 PM CDT MON SEP 21 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
SUMTER COUNTY...

AT 205 PM CDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS A CONFIRMED SIGHTING OF A
TORNADO ALONG HIGHWAY 12 NEAR THE ALABAMA STATE LINE WEST OF
BOYD...MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. IF YOU IN THE PATH OF THIS
STORM MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER NOW.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
PAYNEVILLE BY 220 PM CDT...
BOYD BY 225 PM CDT...
EMELLE AND SUMTERVILLE BY 230 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBER 17

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

LAT...LON 3261 8818 3258 8840 3260 8840 3260 8839
3264 8840 3268 8839 3269 8838 3279 8837
3284 8822
TIME...MOT...LOC 1906Z 263DEG 14KT 3266 8842

$$

08


2:20


2:19

BMX issues Tornado Warning for Greene, Sumter [AL] till 3:15 PM CDT ...* AT 220 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUES TO INDICATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE REPORTED A TORNADO JUST NORTHWEST OF BOYD... MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
...

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1008 AM CDT MON SEP 21 2009

…LIFE THREATENING FLASH FLOODING CONDITIONS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA…

A VERY PERSISTENT WET PATTERN OF THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS HAS CREATED
HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. SINCE SUNDAY
AFTERNOON…ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 10 PLUS INCHES OF RAINFALL…WITH
LOCALLY HIGHER TOTALS…HAVE FALLEN ACROSS AREAS OF WESTERN
ALABAMA GENERALLY NORTH OF U.S. 80 AND ALONG AND WEST OF
INTERSTATE 65. ALL COUNTIES ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA HAVE RECEIVED
SUBSTANTIAL RAINFALL OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. PERIODS OF HEAVY
RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT…WITH AN
ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE
AREA WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. GROUNDS ARE SATURATED ACROSS
CENTRAL ALABAMA AND WE HAVE TRANSITIONED TO LIFE THREATENING FLASH
FLOODING CONDITIONS. RESIDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO USE CAUTION WHEN
TRAVELING AS MUCH MORE THAN THE USUAL LOW LYING AREAS WILL BE
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLASH FLOODING.

An EF0 tornado was confirmed today by the NWS Birmingham for Chilton County.

NWS and Today's Chilton County Storm - Op/Ed by James Spann

Storm Survey with Tornado Photo - From ABC 33/40

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
508 PM CDT WED SEP 16 2009

.TIME… …EVENT… …CITY LOCATION… …LAT.LON

.DATE… ….MAG…. ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. …SOURCE.

..REMARKS..

1058 AM TORNADO LOMAX 32.88N 86.66W
09/16/2009 F0 CHILTON AL NWS STORM SURVEY

MINOR ROOF DAMAGE TO A FEW HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN LOMAX.
PATH LENGTH OF 0.66 MILES WITH A WIDTH OF 30 YARDS AT ITS
WIDEST POINT.

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AN UNUSUAL WEATHER PATTERN…WITH A DEEP UPPER LOW OVER THE
ARKLATEX…AND A SURGE OF GULF MOISTURE…CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT
FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA…WITH A MARGINAL THREAT FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. CONDITIONS WERE ALSO FAVORABLE FOR ROTATING
THUNDERSTORMS…WHICH PRODUCED SEVERAL REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS…
AND ONE CONFIRMED TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN THE TOWN OF LOMAX IN
CHILTON COUNTY. THIS WAS A RATHER RARE OCCURRENCE…AS MOST
TORNADOES IN SEPTEMBER ARE TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH LANDFALLING
TROPICAL SYSTEMS.

..LOMAX TORNADO

EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2009
EVENT TYPE: EF-0 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 60 TO 70 MPH
INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE
EVENT START TIME/ 1058 AM
LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.8737/-86.6605
EVENT END TIME/ 1100 AM
LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.8822/-86.6552
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.66 MILES
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 30 YARDS

A WEAK TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF REED ROAD AND
JUDGE AVE…WHERE IT REMOVED A FEW SHINGLES OFF OF A HOME AND PEELED
BACK THE TIN ROOF OF AN OUTBUILDING. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTH-
NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS OLD HENRY ROAD…TO THE INTERSECTION OF US
HIGHWAY 31 AND LOMAX DRIVE. AS THE TORNADO PASSED THIS LOCATION…
EYEWITNESSES SAW A FUNNEL IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AS IT CROSSED
U.S. HIGHWAY 31…AND PHOTOGRAPHED THE TORNADO AS IT MOVED AWAY. A
METAL ROOF WAS TOTALLY LIFTED OFF OF AN OUTBUILDING…WITH
PORTIONS OF THIS DEBRIS DEPOSITED 0.4 MILES DOWNSTREAM. DAMAGE WAS
RELATIVELY MINOR AND LIMITED TO A VERY NARROW YET DISCERNIBLE
PATH. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF A MILE LONG
AND WAS 30 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE
CHILTON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY…THE CLANTON FIRE
DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THIS STORM.

A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
PROGRAM IS THE RECEIPT OF STORM REPORTS FROM ALL OUR CUSTOMERS AND
PARTNERS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. IF YOU WITNESSED OR ARE AWARE OF
ANY STORM DAMAGE DUE TO HIGH WINDS OR TORNADOES…PLEASE CONTACT
YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE…OR CALL OUR STORM
REPORTING HOTLINE AT 1-800-856-0758.

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9:37 am in Decatur


9:36 am

Radar estimates that at least an inch of rain has fallen in Decatur. Most of that has fallen in the past hour. Rain is moving to the north so we will soon have a break before more arrives later.

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At 6:39 a.m. in NE Hunttsville it was 69 degrees with steady moderate rain falling. Rain is expected throughout the week. Get out the ponchos and umbrellas.

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I took this of the Tennessee River, Monday 9/7/09 6:44 p.m.


My friend Cathy took this nice sunset picture near Irondale, AL on her cell phone on Monday 9/7/09 6:44 p.m.

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6:31 a.m. Greenbrier


6:35 a.m. Tennessee River

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