Mike Wilhelm's Alabama Weather Blog

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Bamawx.com

Huntsville, Alabama


Madison, Alabama


Mooresville, Alabama


I-565


Just north of the Tennessee River


Backwaters of the Tennessee River


Near the Tennessee River


Tennessee River


Decatur, AL


Hartselle, Alabama


North of West Point, Alabama


Vinemont, Alabama


Vinemont, Alabama


Vinemont, Alabama


Vinemont, Alabama


Vinemont, Alabama


Vinemont, Alabama


Monte Sano, Huntsville, Alabama

From the NWS Huntsville:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...AMENDED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1102 PM CST SUN DEC 26 2010

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF SNOWFALL TOTALS RECEIVED TODAY FROM
OBSERVERS FOR THE CHRISTMAS WEEKEND SNOW EVENT. MINOR ADDITIONAL
ACCUMULATIONS MAY HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE DAY BUT SHOULD NOT
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE FINAL TOTALS LISTED BELOW.

CITY..................SOURCE........AMOUNT

ALABAMA---------
HUNTSVILLE AIRPORT    COOP           4.8
MERIDIANVILLE         SPOTTER        4.5
IDER                  COOP           4.0
PHIL CAMPBELL         SPOTTER        4.0
VALLEY HEAD           COOP           4.0
ATHENS                COCORAHS       3.8
HOLLY TREE            COOP           3.8
BOAZ                  COOP           3.5
HARVEST               COCORAHS       3.5
OWENS CROSSROADS      COOP           3.5
PAINT ROCK            COCORAHS       3.5
WEST POINT            COOP           3.5
MOULTON               COOP           3.1
HUNTSVILLE NWS OFFICE NWS STAFF      3.0
SCOTTSBORO            COOP           3.0
ANDERSON              COOP           2.5
PRICEVILLE            COOP           2.3
ROGERSVILLE           MEDIA          2.0
KILLEN                SPOTTER        1.0

TENNESSEE-------
SEWANEE               POLICE         7.0*
WINCHESTER            COOP           4.2*
HUNTLAND              COOP           3.5
LOIS                  POLICE         3.0
COLDWATER             COOP           2.1
BOONSHILL             POLICE         1.5

*UPDATED TOTALS RECEIVED AFTER THE PREVIOUS ISSUANCE OF THE
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT.


THE FOLLOWING REPORTS WERE RECEIVED DURING CHRISTMAS DAY. THESE
TOTALS MAY NOT BE REPRESENTATIVE OF FINAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS
BECAUSE SNOWFALL WAS ONGOING AT THE TIME OF THE REPORT. NO
FURTHER UPDATES WERE RECEIVED FOR THESE LOCATIONS.

CITY..................SOURCE........AMOUNT

ALABAMA---------
HUNTSVILLE-MONTE SANO SPOTTER        6.0
SKYLINE               SPOTTER        5.5
PEEKS CORNER          EMA            4.0
VINEMONT              SPOTTER        4.0
MOULTON 6W            PUBLIC         3.5
MADISON               NWS STAFF      3.5
FRENCH MILL           SPOTTER        3.0
LITTLEVILLE           PUBLIC         3.0
RED BAY               HAM RADIO      3.0
STEVENSON             SPOTTER        3.0
HAMPTON COVE          COCORAHS       2.9
FYFFE                 PUBLIC         2.5
HARTSELLE             POLICE         2.5
NEW MARKET 6SW        NWS STAFF      2.5
HOLLY POND            PUBLIC         2.0

TENNESSEE-------
COWAN                 POLICE         6.5


$$

CCC/KDW

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GFS


NAM

Snow cover loop (NAM)

A rare "White Christmas" is not out of the question for North Alabama. Stay tuned.

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Videos:







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Alabama experienced the coldest air of the season this morning. The map above shows numerous unofficial reports of temperatures between 6 and 9 degrees in Limestone, Madison, and Jackson counties. These were found on the MesoWest site. The coldest low temperature I found was 6.3, reported at the USDA site between Hytop and Skyline in northern Jackson County.

Alabama low temperatures ranged from 6 at Hytop to 24 in Mobile. J.B. Elliott posted his usual excellent list on Alabamawx.com.

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Image from NWS Jackson, MS. 9:45 p.m. base reflectivity (left) and storm relative velocity (right) over Atalla County, MS while storm was producing EF3 damage.

On Monday November 29 and Tuesday November 30, 2010, the Deep South was raked with numerous tornadoes. Survey crews from National Weather Service offices have been out all week surveying the damage. Although most survey activity is complete, there may be a few more tornadoes confirmed before all is said and done.

As of Friday morning December 3, 15 tornadoes have been confirmed in Mississippi and 5 have been confirmed in Alabama. Here is a list of those confirmed thus far.

Alabama:

1:41-1:43 a.m., Millport, Lamar County, EF 1

4:15-4:16 a.m., Scott Station, Perry County, EF1

7:09-7:11 a.m., Blountsville, Blount County, EF1

9:57-10:06 a.m., Prattville, Autauga County, EF1

10:20-10:45 a.m., Dexter/Santuck, Elmore County EF0

Fortunately there were no injuries or fatalities associated with any of these tornadoes. Read more detailed descriptions of survey data at this link from the NWS Birmingham.

Mississippi:

7:27-7:25 p.m., Issaquena/Sharkey Counties, EF0

7:46-8:00 p.m., Yazoo County, EF2

8:04-8:06 p.m., Warren County, EF0

8:07-8:10 p.m., Yazoo County, EF2

8:30-8:30 p.m., Claiborne County, EF0

9:09-9:18 p.m., Hinds County, EF0

9:25-9:26 p.m., Claiborne County, EF1

9:38-9:50 p.m., Leake/Attala Counties, EF3 (6 injured)

11:08-11:09 p.m., Oktibbeha County, EF2 (15 injured)

11:26-11:29 p.m., Clay County, EF1

11:52-11:52 p.m., Monroe County, EF2 (11 injured) - NWS Memphis

2:43-2:58 a.m., Smith County, EF2

2:59 a.m., Amite County, MS, EF0 - NWS New Orleans

5:50-5:58 p.m., Jones County, EF0

7:40 a.m., Hancock County, Waterspout - NWS New Orleans


More can be read about the Mississippi tornadoes here and here.

Article by Johnny Kelley

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Tuscaloosa, Alabama 11/27/10


Tuscaloosa, Alabama 11/27/10


Tuscaloosa, Alabama 11/27/10


Morgan County, south of Falkville, AL 12/2/10


Morgan County, south of Falkville, AL 12/2/10

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Mississippi tornado damage video and storm survey data from the NWS Jackson...

Radar images and warning audio...



WAPT 16 Jackson Video

WAPT Video from Attala County

More video from the Salas community in Attala Co., MS from WAPT Jackson

Storm survey reports from the NWS Jackson today...

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
550 AM CST TUE NOV 30 2010

...NWS STORM SURVEY CREWS WILL EXAMINE DAMAGE IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS 
TODAY...

PROBABLE TORNADOES HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IN SEVERAL 
LOCATIONS ACROSS CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI OVERNIGHT.  LOCATIONS THAT HAVE 
BEEN IMPACTED WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THIS POINT INCLUDE...

YAZOO CITY...
ATTALA AND LEAKE COUNTIES SOUTH OF KOSCIUSKO...
WARREN COUNTY NORTHEAST OF VICKSBURG...
STARKVILLE...
SMITH COUNTY NEAR AND WEST OF RALEIGH...

THE NWS WILL BE DISPATCHING THREE STORM SURVEY TEAMS TO EXAMINE 
AS MUCH DAMAGE AS POSSIBLE TODAY. HOWEVER...SURVEYING THE DAMAGE 
REPORTED TO THIS POINT WILL LIKELY TAKE AT LEAST TWO DAYS...AND IT 
IS LIKELY THAT ADDITIONAL STORMS PRODUCED DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE 
TORNADOES THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPORTED. WE WILL PROVIDE UPDATES 
REGARDING THE PROGRESS OF OUR SURVEY TEAMS...AND WILL ISSUE FINDINGS 
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1230 PM CST TUE NOV 30 2010

...TORNADOES CONFIRMED IN SMITH AND OKTIBBEHA COUNTIES BY NWS SURVEY 
TEAMS...

COUNTY/COUNTIES:   SMITH
BEGINNING POINT:  2.5 MILES E TRAXLER AT 243 AM CST
ENDING POINT:  6 MILES NE RALEIGH AT 258 AM CST
RATING: EF2, MAX ESTIMATED WINDS 125 MPH
PATH LENGTH: 11 MILES
MAXIMUM WIDTH: 0.3 MILE
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0

SUMMARY OF DAMAGE:  AT ITS WIDEST POINT THE TORNADO PRODUCED 
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO A BRICK HOME...REMOVING HALF OF THE ROOF AND 
SEVERELY DAMAGING THE REMAINING HALF. THE WALLS OF THE HOME FELL IN 
THE SECTION OF THE HOUSE WHERE THE ROOF WAS REMOVED. SEVERAL OTHER 
HOUSES RECEIVED MINOR TO MODERATE ROOF DAMAGE. NUMEROUS SHEDS AND 
SMALL BARNS WERE DESTROYED OR DAMAGED. TIN ROOFING AND SIDING WAS 
REMOVED FROM A STORAGE SHED...SOME OF WHICH BECAME PROJECTILES THAT 
WERE FORCED THROUGH THE WALLS OF A WOOD FRAME HOUSE. A MOBILE HOME 
WAS BLOWN FROM ITS FOUNDATION. WIDESPREAD TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED. 

COUNTY/COUNTIES:   OKTIBBEHA
BEGINNING POINT: 1.5 MILES SW STARKVILLE AT 1108 PM CST 
ENDING POINT: STARKVILLE AT 1109 PM CST 
RATING: EF2, MAX ESTIMATED WINDS 115 MPH
PATH LENGTH: 1.5 MILES
MAXIMUM WIDTH: 200 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: SOME MINOR INJURIES

SUMMARY OF DAMAGE:  INITIAL DAMAGE WAS ROOF AND SIDING DAMAGE TO A 
CHURCH ALONG LYNN LANE. THE TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST THROUGH AN AREA 
OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS, CAUSING MINOR TO MODERATE ROOF DAMAGE TO A 
NUMBER OF BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS DOWNING SEVERAL TREES.  THE TORNADO 
THEN MOVED INTO THE PINES TRAILER PARK, WHERE IT DESTROYED A NUMBER 
OF MOBILE HOMES.  TWO LARGE MOBILE HOMES WERE ROLLED AND DESTROYED, 
AND SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES WERE MOVED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE AND 
DESTROYED.  NUMEROUS LARGE PINE TREES WERE SNAPPED NEAR THE BASE, 
WITH SEVERAL LANDING ON MOBILE HOMES CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE.  NUMEROUS 
UTILITY LINES WERE SNAPPED AND DOWNED, AND A COUPLE OF POLES WERE  
DOWNED.  THIS WAS THE LOCATION OF MAXIMUM DAMAGE.  THE TORNADO THEN 
MOVED  NORTHEAST ACROSS LOUISVILLE ROAD, CAUSING ROOF DAMAGE TO 
SEVERAL HOMES AND CONTINUING TO SNAP TREES.  IT MOVED THROUGH 
ANOTHER TRAILER PARK, BLOWING OUT THE SKIRTING ON SEVERAL MOBILE 
HOMES AND CAUSING MINOR ROOF AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO A COUPLE.  AS 
THE TORNADO PASSED THROUGH THE EAST SIDE OF THE STARKVILLE HIGH 
SCHOOL COMPLEX, IT TWISTED SOME LIGHT STANDARDS ON THE ATHLETIC 
FIELDS AND CAUSED SOME MINOR FENCE DAMAGE.  IT THEN CROSSED YELLOW 
JACKET DRIVE, BLOWING OUT A PORCH ON A RESTAURANT AND CAUSING SOME 
MINOR ROOF DAMAGE.  AS IT CROSSED HIGHWAY 12, IT BLEW DOWN A COUPLE 
OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS, BLEW OUT A BUSINESS SIGN, AND DAMAGED ANOTHER 
PORCH ON A RESTAURANT.  THE TORNADO SNAPPED A FEW TREES AND CAUSED 
SOME SHINGLE DAMAGE TO A COUPLE OF HOMES ON SOUTH MONTGOMERY STREET, 
AND THEN APPEARS TO HAVE DISSIPATED.  THE TORNADO WAS RATED EF2 
BASED ON THE SMALL AREA OF THE MOST INTENSE DAMAGE IN THE PINES 
TRAILER PARK; THE REMAINDER OF THE DAMAGE WAS GENERALLY EF1 IN 
NATURE.

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 
515 PM CST TUE NOV 30 2010 

...TORNADOES CONFIRMED IN ATTALA AND LEAKE COUNTIES BY NWS SURVEY  
TEAM... 

COUNTY/COUNTIES:  LEAKE/ATTALA 
BEGINNING POINT:  3.5 MILES NORTHWEST OF THOMASTOWN AT 938 PM CST 
ENDING POINT:  3 MILES EAST MCADAMS AT 950 PM CST 
RATING: EF3, MAX ESTIMATED WINDS 140 MPH 
PATH LENGTH: 10 MILES 
MAXIMUM WIDTH: 400 YARDS 
FATALITIES: 0 
INJURIES: 6  

SUMMARY OF DAMAGE: THE INITIAL DAMAGE WHERE THE TORNADO DEVELOPED  
WAS LIMITED TO SOME MINOR TREE DAMAGE ALONG BUDDY ODOM ROAD. THE  
TORNADO TRACKED NORTH NORTHEAST AND RAPIDLY BECAME STRONG, WITH EF2  
AND LOW END EF3 DAMAGE OCCURRING ALONG THE REST OF THE PATH. THE  
TORNADO AFFECTED SHILOH AND BUDDY ODOM ROADS AS WELL AS STATE  
HIGHWAY 429 IN LEAKE COUNTY; AND COUNTY ROADS 4022, 4033, 4126,  
4045, 4171, 4142 AND STATE HIGHWAY 14 IN ATTALA COUNTY. SEVERAL  
MOBILE HOMES, INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO DOUBLE WIDES, WERE COMPLETELY  
DESTROYED AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS ALONG THE PATH, WITH DEBRIS CARRIED  
WELL AWAY FROM THE REMAINS. IMPRESSIVE TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED AT  
NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ALONG THE PATH, INCLUDING A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS  
WHERE SOME DEBARKING/DENUDING WAS NOTED. VEHICLES WERE ROLLED OR  
TOSSED AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS. A FRAME HOME WAS PUSHED OFF ITS  
FOUNDATION AND A NUMBER OF FRAME HOMES SUFFERED MODERATE TO MAJOR  
ROOF DAMAGE. NUMEROUS POWER POLES WERE SNAPPED ALONG THE PATH. THE  
WIDEST POINT OF THE DAMAGE PATH WAS AROUND A QUARTER MILE, AND WAS  
NEAR HIGHWAY 14 IN ATTALA COUNTY.   

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Significant Tornado Parameter >=1 at 3 a.m. Tuesday per the SREF


0-3 KM Helicity (shear) >=300m


CAPE 500 J/kg at 3 a.m. Tuesday


SPC Day Two Outlook

It looks like the models are showing a very small window during the early morning hours Tuesday when instability and shear may phase up and provide an opportunity for a slight risk of a tornado in Alabama. Instability will be very limited and it is still questionable if all ingredients will be in place at the same time. It is a situation that needs to be watched closely.

A few notes from official sources...

SPC Day Two Outlook:

THE ARRIVAL OF STRONGER FORCING FOR
ASCENT/HEIGHT FALLS AHEAD OF THE DIGGING SHORTWAVE TROUGH TOWARD
CENTRAL TX SUGGESTS STORMS SHOULD RAMP UP AGAIN LATE IN THE
EVENING/OVERNIGHT OVER THE LOWER MS VALLEY.  THE INLAND INTRUSION OF
THE MOIST WARM SECTOR WILL AID IN SUFFICIENT DESTABILIZATION FOR
SURFACE BASED STORMS INTO THE SRN HALF OF MS AND SWRN AL OVERNIGHT.
FURTHER INCREASE IN MIDLEVEL WINDS ATOP THE LLJ WILL SUPPORT STRONG
DEEP LAYER SHEAR AND INCREASING LOW LEVEL HODOGRAPH CURVATURE FOR A
LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT TORNADO THREAT...SOME OF WHICH MAY BE
SIGNIFICANT.  A THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE.

NWS Birmingham Hazardous Weather Outlook:

THERE IS A CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING THE THREAT OF
TORNADOES...ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ON TUESDAY...ASSOCIATED WITH THE
PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT. BECAUSE OF THE SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
DURING THE HEAT OF THE DAY...AND UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE TIMING OF THE
FRONT...THERE IS STILL A LOW DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE WITH THIS SEVERE
WEATHER THREAT.

NWS Birmingham Forecast Discussion:

ALTHOUGH CONFIDENCE IS LOW AND WINDOW IS SMALL...WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A
SMALL WINDOW FOR SVR POSSIBLY EVEN TORNADIC ACTIVITY...MOST LIKELY
SE PORTIONS OF CWA IF ANY...DEPENDING ON TIMING OF FRONT.

NWS Huntsville Forecast Discussion:

THE END RESULT FOR US IS A SYSTEM
THAT WILL BE A LITTLE LESS POTENT IN TERMS OF INSTABILITY. HOWEVER...
HELICITY VALUES REMAIN IMPRESSIVE. OVERALL...BELIEVE THE SEVERE
THREAT WITH THE STORMS ALONG THE FRONT ARE RATHER LOW. HOWEVER...WITH
A 50-60 KT LOW LEVEL JET JUST OFF THE SURFACE...ANY MIXING DOWN OF
THOSE WINDS COULD CAUSE BRIEF DAMAGING WIND EVENTS.

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