Archive for October, 2009

El Niño in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean is expected to be a dominant climate factor that will influence the December through February winter weather in the United States, according to the 2009 Winter Outlook released today by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. Such seasonal outlooks are part of NOAA’s suite of climate services.

“We expect El Niño to strengthen and persist through the winter months, providing clues as to what the weather will be like during the period,” says Mike Halpert, deputy director of the Climate Prediction Center – a division of the National Weather Service. “Warmer ocean water in the equatorial Pacific shifts the patterns of tropical rainfall that in turn change the strength and position of the jetstream and storms over the Pacific Ocean and the U.S.”

“Other climate factors are also likely to play a role in the winter weather at times across the country,” added Halpert. “Some of these factors, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation are difficult to predict more than one to two weeks in advance. The NAO adds uncertainty to the forecast in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic portions of the country.”

Read the rest of the story from NOAA here

FREEZE WARNING

.COLD HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TONIGHT
ALLOWING CALM WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES TO DEVELOP. AS A RESULT…
TEMPERATURES WILL FALL RAPIDLY AFTER SUNSET WITH MANY LOCATIONS
FALLING TO OR BELOW THE FREEZING MARK.

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

…FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT MONDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A FREEZE
WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT MONDAY.

CALM WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO FALL TO OR
JUST BELOW FREEZING MONDAY MORNING ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORMALLY
COLDER VALLEYS AND RURAL LOCATIONS. WITH AMPLE GROUND MOISTURE IN
PLACE…FROST WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE IMMINENT OR
HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER
SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

FROST ADVISORY

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

…FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT MONDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A FROST
ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT MONDAY. THE
FREEZE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE LOW TO MIDDLE 30S TONIGHT ACROSS
ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED
AFTER 1 AM LASTING BETWEEN THREE AND SEVEN HOURS AT MOST
LOCATIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FROST ADVISORY MEANS THAT FROST IS POSSIBLE. SENSITIVE OUTDOOR
PLANTS MAY BE KILLED IF LEFT UNCOVERED.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
634 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 2009

…NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT…

MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-
CHEROKEE-CLEBURNE-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-SHELBY-ST. CLAIR-
TALLADEGA-CLAY-RANDOLPH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…HAMILTON…SULLIGENT…VERNON…
FAYETTE…DOUBLE SPRINGS…JASPER…ONEONTA…GADSDEN…
ANNISTON…CENTRE…HEFLIN…CARROLLTON…TUSCALOOSA…
BIRMINGHAM…HOOVER…COLUMBIANA…PELHAM…ALABASTER…
PELL CITY…MOODY…TALLADEGA…SYLACAUGA…ASHLAND…ROANOKE
634 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 2009

…FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH
MONDAY MORNING…

A FREEZE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH
MONDAY MORNING.

TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE LOWER 30S SUNDAY NIGHT GENERALLY
ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM CARROLLTON TO ALABASTER TO ROANOKE.
NEAR FREEZING OR SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER 3
AM AND LAST BETWEEN ONE AND FOUR HOURS.

A FREEZE WATCH MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE.
THESE CONDITIONS COULD KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

The last batch of showers is located from Tuscaloosa – Birmingham – Anniston this hour. Dewpoints behind the boundary are already falling into the 50′s across the northwest as a Cp (Continental Polar) frontal push invades the area through the weekend. This will being a drying trend across the area.

High temperatures on Friday will struggle into the upper 50′s across central sections as cloud cover hangs tough through the day before clearing in the afternoon/evening hours. Overnight Friday, the thermometer will drop into the 40′s quickly and bottoming out in the 38-44 degree range. Our traditionally colder spots could get down into the mid 30′s. The coldest days appear to be on Sunday and Monday mornings where a frost seems quite possible with much of the area dipping into the mid 30′s with some colder spots attempting to break the freezing mark.

Tranquil weather will prevail and a gradual warming trend will commence into next week. However, guidance continues to suggest that some wedging will remain over east Alabama and could hold the region a bit cooler through the period. We will update as more information becomes available later. Enjoy the beautiful weekend!

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
801 AM CDT THU OCT 15 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR (KBMX) LOCATED AT THE
SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT WILL BE OUT OF SERVICE TODAY DUE TO REPAIRS
BEING DONE ON THE RADOME. THE RADOME IS THE OUTER COVERING THAT
PROTECTS THE RADAR DISH FROM THE RAIN. DURING THIS OUTAGE…
METEOROLOGISTS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER RADARS LOCATED AT COLUMBUS
MISSISSIPPI…HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA…ATLANTA GEORGIA…MAXWELL AIR
FORCE BASE…AND MOBILE ALABAMA. THESE RADARS PROVIDE ADEQUATE
COVERAGE FOR WEATHER ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA.

MOBILE, Ala. — Bob Barnett, manager of Technip’s facility off Dauphin Island Parkway in south Mobile County, spotted this waterspout about 10 a.m. Monday morning as a line of thunderstorms moved through the area.

Using a small, digital camera, he snapped several pictures of the waterspout as it crept south behind a rig moored at Alabama State Docks property. It was gone in about five to 10 minutes, he said.

Barnett, who has managed the facility for the past three years, said he’s seen several waterspouts at the site before, but this is the first one he’s seen this year.

The waterspout caused no damage, he said.

Paris-based Technip established its Theodore facility in 2001. Since then, it has become one of the company’s most prolific spoolbases, so called because lengths of pipe for deepwater oil and gas exploration are spooled from there onto a vessel for shipment and installation in the Gulf of Mexico.

Source: AL.COM

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
CENTRAL MOBILE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 400 AM CDT

* AT 306 AM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL…AND DAMAGING
WINDS OVER 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF TANNER
WILLIAMS…OR ABOUT 14 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LUCEDALE…AND MOVING
EAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR…
BIG CREEK LAKE BY 320 AM CDT…
KUSHLA BY 355 AM CDT…

FREQUENT 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.

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 ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING…PREFERABLY IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY
OR A ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET OR BATHROOM.

Flash Flood Warning remains in effect for Cullman county until 2:15AM CDT.
Flash Flood warning remains in effect for Lamar county until 1:00AM CDT.

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON…

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA…NORTHEAST ALABAMA AND
NORTHWEST ALABAMA…INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS…IN NORTH
CENTRAL ALABAMA…CULLMAN AND MORGAN. IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA…
DEKALB AND MARSHALL. IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA…COLBERT…FRANKLIN
AL AND LAWRENCE.

* PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA…EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA…NORTHEAST
ALABAMA…NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS…IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…BIBB…
BLOUNT…JEFFERSON…SHELBY…ST. CLAIR…TALLADEGA AND
WALKER. IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA…CALHOUN…CLAY…CLEBURNE
AND RANDOLPH. IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA…CHEROKEE AND ETOWAH. IN
NORTHWEST ALABAMA…MARION AND WINSTON. IN WEST CENTRAL
ALABAMA…FAYETTE…GREENE…HALE…LAMAR…PICKENS…SUMTER
AND TUSCALOOSA.

* HEAVY RAINFALL OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS HAS SATURATED SOILS
AND FILLED AREA STREAMS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. AN ADDITIONAL
TWO TO THREE INCHES OF RAINFALL…WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS…ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. LIGHT RAIN WILL
SPREAD INTO WESTERN ALABAMA THIS EVENING…INCREASING IN
INTENSITY BEFORE MIDNIGHT ACROSS THE WEST. MODERATE TO HEAVY
RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD EASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL
ALABAMA THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY.

* ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO CREATE RAPID RUNOFF
CONDITIONS THAT WILL CAUSE ALREADY SWOLLEN STREAMS TO OVERFLOW
THEIR BANKS AND FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS. SOME ROADS MAY BECOME
IMPASSABLE…ESPECIALLY AROUND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued another Flash Flood Watch until 4PM Wednesday for portions of the viewing area. Another upper level wave is expected to cause more showers and thunderstorms to develop later this evening into the overnight and tomorrow. Amounts of 3-5″ will likely be common across the watch area.

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA…INCLUDING
THE FOLLOWING AREAS…IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…BIBB…BLOUNT…
JEFFERSON…SHELBY…ST. CLAIR…TALLADEGA AND WALKER. IN EAST
CENTRAL ALABAMA… CALHOUN…CLAY…CLEBURNE AND RANDOLPH. IN
NORTHEAST ALABAMA… CHEROKEE AND ETOWAH. IN NORTHWEST
ALABAMA…MARION AND WINSTON. IN WEST CENTRAL
ALABAMA…FAYETTE…GREENE…HALE… LAMAR…PICKENS…SUMTER
AND TUSCALOOSA.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
754 AM CDT MON OCT 12 2009

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM MONDAY AFTERNOON…

.LOW PRESSURE WILL SHIFT FROM WEST TO EAST ALONG THE INTERSTATE
20 CORRIDOR TODAY. MOISTURE WILL BE TRANSPORTED ACROSS THE AREA
AND WITH A WARM FRONT IN THE VICINITY…LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL
WILL BE POSSIBLE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES HAVE FALLEN
WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL POSSIBLE.

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS
AFTERNOON…

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA…EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA…NORTHEAST
ALABAMA…NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS…IN CENTRAL ALABAMA…BLOUNT…
JEFFERSON…SHELBY…ST. CLAIR…TALLADEGA AND WALKER. IN EAST
CENTRAL ALABAMA…CALHOUN…CLAY…CLEBURNE AND RANDOLPH. IN
NORTHEAST ALABAMA…CHEROKEE AND ETOWAH. IN NORTHWEST
ALABAMA…MARION AND WINSTON. IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…
FAYETTE…LAMAR…PICKENS AND TUSCALOOSA.

* UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON

* RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES HAVE OCCURRED ACROSS NORTH
CENTRAL ALABAMA WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL POSSIBLE TODAY.