Archive for the ‘Lightning’ Category

Here are a few lightning shots from my video this evening here in Childersburg…

Nasty storm around Fulton, AL: loaded with lightning and some hail it looks like.  This cell is moving off to the east at a good clip. 

…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1030 PM CST
FOR SOUTHWESTERN WILCOX AND NORTHEASTERN CLARKE COUNTIES…

AT 955 PM CST…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE
A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS
OVER 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES
WEST OF THOMASVILLE TO JACKSON…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR…
  GLOVER…BASHI…UNION AND SPRINGFIELD AROUND 1000 PM CST…
  ASBURY…WHATELY…WHATLEY AND THOMASVILLE AROUND 1005 PM CST…
  FINLEY CROSSING AND ATKEISON AROUND 1010 PM CST…

The first shortwave of the week is traversing the western portions of the Gulf Coast at this hour with widespread rain developing across LA/TX/MS ahead of the main impulse.  A weak wave of low pressure has developed across the south-central plains. 

Some shower activity spreads as far north of Indiana and Kentucky, but the main bulk of the rainfall is located along the coastal sections of Louisiana and Mississippi where some isolated occurrences of severe weather been reported.  A few funnel clouds and severe wind gusts have been reported along coastal sections of the Lake Charles, LA area…..near Pelican Island.

This activity will continue to spread northeastward and could reach the I-20 corridor later in the evening hours.  The heaviest totals of 1-2” are expected across LA/S MS with lesser totals further north.  This activity is expected to weaken as the shortwave pulls out and most of Alabama and Tennessee should remain dry per some of the latest mesoscale modeling that we have in house.  The potential for a more potent rainfall situation is in order for the New Years Day holiday.  We will dig into some data and have another post on the potential for heavy rainfall and maybe an isolated severe thunderstorm across portions of Mississippi and West Alabama on Friday.  

An Excessive Heat Warning has been issued for all of the Birmingham county warning area this afternoon.  This has been upgraded from a heat advisory.  Widespread head indexes of 110° are expected this afternoon and will make dangerous outdoor conditions for all age groups if exposed for long periods of time.  At this time…..heat index values across the area are 105+ at most locations.  Some strong storms have also developed and are adding some slight relief to the heat.

That value of 126° in NW Mississippi is EXTREME.  We can expect numbers like that around here for the next couple of days in the south before a little bit of relief is in store as temperatures may drop a little lower allowing for the HI values to back off just a bit…..but we will still likely deal with heat advisory criteria.  This is a dangerous heat wave. Make sure to check on the elderly numerous times over the next couple of days and stay indoors if at all possible.

Hot off the presses a new severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Coosa and Tallapossa Counties until 3:45PM this afternoon.  Radar indicates damaging winds of 60+ MPH possible with the potential for wet microbursts within this storm.  Deadly lightning and extremely heavy rainfall will also occur under these storms around the Alexander City area.

Big storms have popped over the NW Corner of the state this morning.  We are beginning to get a few damage reports in from the NW Corner of the area around the Shoals vicinity. 

0952 AM     LIGHTNING        6 SE MUSCLE SHOALS      34.68N 87.59W   
06/19/2010                   COLBERT            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR    
  
            LIGHTNING STRUCK A RESIDENCE ON SECOND STREET IN MUSCLE   
            SHOALS. WIRING IN THE HOUSE SUSTAINED DAMAGE BUT HOUSE   
            DID NOT CATCH FIRE.  

0900 AM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NW BARTON             34.75N 87.90W   
06/19/2010                   COLBERT            AL   PUBLIC            
  
            TREE BLOWN DOWN ON MULBERRY LANE OFF OF OLD LEE HWY IN   
            BARTON  

This will likely be the story as things move toward the southeast and develop into the Birmingham metro area later this afternoon as temperatures soar into the mid 90′s later today.  This hour, the storms will impact the Huntsville, Decatur, Moulton areas with deadly lightning, heavy rain, gusty winds, and small hail.  Be weather aware throughout the afternoon as these storms develop and approach.

Warnings galore this afternoon with slow moving storms and wet microburst producers all over the state.  The image above was from a little while ago as storms developed across the metro and produced hail up to golf ball sized, 62 mph winds that were measured in the city of Hoover, and heavy rainfall that added up to over 4″ in one hour near the Bessemer area.

These storms continue to move and develop eastward this afternoon bringing some relief to the heat.  Storms are producing heavy rains and deadly lightning none the less.  Keep an eye to the sky this afternoon as your are out and about across the region.

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Numerous storms are already underway this morning and will continue into the afternoon.  Some heavy rainfall has already occurred this morning across portions of southern Talladega County.  Here are the latest 1 hour totals as of 11am.

We expect more of this throughout the afternoon and evening as SPC has upgraded portions of our area to a slight risk.  We will update this single posting through the afternoon as conditions warrant.  We may also trek out in the field locally for a little footage if any flooding or severe storm warrants.

12:45 Update

SPC has pulled the trigger on the watch box.  The watch runs from Aliceville to Clanton to Valley and will go into effect until 7pm.  Some severe storms are already in progress across Montgomery and Pike counties.  More warnings are expected into the afternoon hours.

1pm Update

Nice storm down around Auburn where a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Lee and Chambers Counties.  This storm shows 1″ hail potential and alot of lightning as our lightning tracker count is pretty high within the last 15 minutes on this cell.

2:15PM Update

Flooding is now becoming a big issue across portions of the state.  Radar estimates 6-9″ in some locations…..and is likely over done….but the 4″ totals are quite realistic and could be causing some flash flooding issues in a very short period of time.  Lee, Calhoun, and Cleburne counties are experiencing these right now as flood warnings have been required this hour.

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