SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
310 PM CDT SUN JUL 5 2009

ALC063-065-052045-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0367.000000T0000Z-090705T2045Z/
HALE AL-GREENE AL-
310 PM CDT SUN JUL 5 2009

…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM CDT
FOR CENTRAL GREENE AND NORTHWESTERN HALE COUNTIES…

AT 310 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO DETECT A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL…AND DAMAGING
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR UNION…OR 6
MILES NORTH OF EUTAW…MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
KNOXVILLE…WEDGEWORTH…EVANSVILLE…AKRON…MOUNDVILLE AIRPORT…
MOUNDVILLE…MOUND STATE PARK…HARPER HILL AND ELLIOTS CREEK

THIS INCLUDES…
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 40 THROUGH 52

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

IN ADDITION TO DAMAGING WINDS…CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING
IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY! LIGHTNING IS
ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS. REMEMBER…IF YOU CAN HEAR
THUNDER…YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTHERN ALABAMA.

WVUA-TV’s Richard Scott

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
ALC063-107-119-125-052015-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0366.090705T1926Z-090705T2015Z/

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
226 PM CDT SUN JUL 5 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
  GREENE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF EUTAW…
  SOUTHERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…PICKENSVILLE…CARROLLTON…
  ALICEVILLE…
  NORTH CENTRAL SUMTER COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
  SOUTHWESTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 315 PM CDT

* AT 226 PM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETECTED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL…AND DAMAGING
  WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR MEMPHIS

..AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  GARDEN…MCMULLEN…PANOLA…NEW WEST GREENE…BENEVOLA…WEST
  GREENE…MANTUA…JENA…UNION AND ALLISON

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH…PREPARE
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS…DESTRUCTIVE HAIL…AND DEADLY CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER…
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTHERN ALABAMA.

WVUA-TV’s Richard Scott

A good Sunday to you! Severe weather may become an issue this afternoon. The Storm Prediction Center has placed much of our area under a severe thunderstorm watch until 8 PM. The main threat today will be from damaging winds and lightning. We got a report that someone was struck by lightning in Elmore County this morning. The best word of advice is to go inside when a thunderstorm approaches you. The good news out of this is the plentiful amounts of rainfall moving into our area. For places like Fayette and Jasper, it has been raining nearly all day. While it has been dry for Tuscaloosa and points south, rain will move in over the next couple of hours. Storms are beginning to develop over our southwestern counties and could become severe soon. Be sure to keep it here to our weather blog page. If any additional watches or warnings are issued, I will post it right here on the blog. Also, tune into WVUA-TV for more. Our weather bug and crawl will be up, and I’ll have a full look at your forecast tonight at 10 PM.

A cold front is slowly marching southward and will enter the Tuscaloosa area tomorrow. This will introduce dry air into our northern counties by tomorrow afternoon, and all of the WVUA coverage area by Tuesday morning. Rainfall totals could exceed 2 inches in some locations. This is certainly a beneficial rain, but we are going to deal with some severe weather in spots. Temperatures will stay a little cooler today and tomorrow, with highs in the 80s.

We get back into a typical summer-like routine on Wednesday through next weekend. A stray shower or storm is possible during the afternoon hours, with highs warming in the lower to middle 90s. Lows at night will approach the lower 70s.

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Have a great day!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WS 550
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
210 PM EDT SUN JUL 5 2009

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 550 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

ALABAMA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

AUTAUGA              BARBOUR             BIBB
BULLOCK              BUTLER              CHAMBERS
CHILTON              CHOCTAW             CLARKE
COFFEE               CONECUH             COOSA
CRENSHAW             DALE                DALLAS
ELMORE               GREENE              HALE
HENRY                LEE                 LOWNDES
MACON                MARENGO             MONROE
MONTGOMERY           PERRY               PICKENS
PIKE                 RUSSELL             SUMTER
TALLAPOOSA           TUSCALOOSA          WASHINGTON
WILCOX

WVUA-TV’s Richard Scott

A Happy Independence Day to you! The 4th day of July has been rather hot but not humid for us. Dewpoints have remained rather low today, but the moisture is beginning to move into the Tuscaloosa area. You’ll begin to notice the increase in moisture later tonight at tomorrow. Very muggy conditions can be expected to start off our Sunday. Also, rain will be entering the forecast. A big storm-system to our northwest will swing a cold front in here tomorrow and Monday, which will serve as a focal point for showers and thunderstorms. The Storm Prediction Center has placed much of Alabama under a slight risk of severe weather tomorrow. The main threat will come during the afternoon hours, when we could have storms producing large hail and damaging winds. The main window of showers and thunderstorms for Tuscaloosa looks to be during the afternoon hours. Most of the morning will remain dry for areas south of Tuscaloosa. As the front slowly drifts southward, the rain chances will progress with it. With more clouds in the mix, daytime highs will remain in the 80s.

On Monday, we’ll see a good chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some rainfall will be locally heavy, with a few spots picking up well over 1 inch. The front will be right over the Tuscaloosa area on Monday, but will shift southward on Tuesday. I have a good chance of storms in the forecast for Tuesday, but that will be for areas south of Tuscaloosa. We could see a stray shower in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday, but the heavier totals will be along and south of HWY 80.

Some drier air begins to move in on Wednesday and Thursday, so the rain chances will reflect that. We could have a stray shower each day, but the rain chance on Wednesday through next weekend will remain at or below 20%. Temperatures will remain more seasonal for this time of the year, with highs close to 90 degrees. Be sure to join me tonight at 10 p.m. for the latest look at your forecast on WVUA-TV.

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Have a great day!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

It’s the 4th of July weekend and that means lots of folks are either shooting fireworks or going to watch fireworks. It is very dry out there and with the dew points being low, the relative humidity has also dropped off. If you are planning on using fireworks be extra careful and make sure you have a good water source handy. It wouldn’t take a fire long to get out of hand in this type of weather. Play it safe this weekend. Also, some parts of our viewing area have laws against setting off fireworks, the city of Tuscaloosa included. A great local event is the July Jubilee happening at Sokol Park. The fireworks display will being at 9:00 p.m. on the 4th. If you look towards the northeast part of Tuscaloosa, across the Black Warrior River, you should be able to see some of the fireworks, especially if you live in a highly elevated area. Take care and have a safe holiday weekend!

Wes

The radar remains quiet this afternoon and we will remain dry through this evening. Warm temperatures will persist through the late evening, with a mostly clear sky. I’m still expecting a hot and steamy 4th of July. Highs tomorrow will be rising into the middle 90s, with a mostly sunny sky. As the fireworks start flying tomorrow night, a few more clouds will enter the area with the chance for a stray shower.

A moist air mass will gradually build into Alabama by Sunday afternoon and this will make it feel much hotter than the actual temperatures. Some spots may get quite a cool down in the form of scattered thunderstorms and showers. I’m expecting the better chance of rain however, to arrive on Monday. The new data continues to agree that Monday will be a mostly cloudy day, with rain and thunderstorms likely. Some storms may grow severe on Monday and the Storm Prediction Center already has our area under a slight risk for severe weather. Temperatures won’t be quite as warm, with highs in the 80s.

A surface front will slowly work north to south over the coverage area during the Monday/Tuesday time frame. This will bring another good chance of rain on Tuesday and depending on the fronts southern progress we may have another good coverage of showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday and Thursday. I will have more weather details for you tonight at five, six, and ten. Be safe out there and have a wonderful holiday weekend!

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Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

Dry air continues to pour into the area and today this made for more hot and arid conditions. A front is stalled over south Alabama and heavy thunderstorms were developing along this boundary and pushing into the Florida Panhandle. If you were wondering on whether there was a need to water the yard today or tomorrow, go ahead and do so. Our outlook on rain doesn’t look good through tomorrow. We will remain dry with highs in the 90s and lows in the 60s. We managed to squeeze out another day, with less humid weather but I’m still expecting the humid and hazy conditions to make a big come back over the weekend. Our 4th of July will be a hot, humid, and hazy day, with isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening. The rain and storms will die off quickly with the loss of daytime heating Saturday afternoon.

A wave of low pressure will swing to our north on Sunday and this will bring us a better opportunity for a passing shower or thunderstorm. There will be more clouds in the mix for Sunday and especially on Monday. As the low passes to our north a front will setup over Central Alabama and this will be the focal point for rain and storm development through next Tuesday. The timing for rain each day is still a bit uncertain however, the good news is that we will have a much better opportunity for rain. By next Wednesday and Thursday it appears we will have a better supply of sunshine, with the threat for mainly scattered afternoon thunderstorms. Be sure to join us tonight for more details!

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Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

Paul Seifert, Fargo, ND courtesy spaceweather.com

How could a Russian volcano affect your view of the sunset? On June 12 Sarychev Peak volcano erupted spewing massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. This has caused people all over the world to view a sunset that now includes a lavender shade and ripples of white. These white ripples are the result of blue light hitting the particles of sulfur dioxide and volcanic ash in the atmosphere, and as the sun falls, the blue light mixes with the traditional red colors found in sunsets to create a shade that is being called “volcanic lavender”. (Source: Spaceweather.com)

Cecilia Reeves
WVUA Weather