Severe Thunderstorm Warning 308, NWS Birmingham, AL

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, AL
1209 PM CDT THU JUL 20 2000

UPDATED ZONES FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER...WHERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM
THE AR MCS MAY AFFECT THE AREA LATE T^HIS AFTERNOON.  (70)

.BHM...NONE.

ALZ001>038-040>050-202330-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1245 PM CDT THU JUL 20 2000

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA.

A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX OVER EASTERN ARKANSAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...
WILL MOVE RAPIDLY ACROSS NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI...AND COULD REACH THE
EXTREME NORTHWEST CORNER OF ALABAMA...AS EARLY AS 3 PM THIS
AFTERNOON. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED MUCH OF NORTHWEST
ALABAMA...UNDER A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH
INCLUDES THE CITIES OF FLORENCE...DECATUR...JASPER...TUSCALOOSA...
HAMILTON AND FAYETTE.  THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE
DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

TEMPERATURES WILL ONCE AGAIN REACH NEAR 100 DEGREES...ACROSS MUCH
OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...THIS AFTERNOON.   COMBINED WITH THE HIGH
HUMIDITY...HEAT INDICES WILL CLIMB TO THE 105 TO 100 DEGREE RANGE.

THE COMBINATION OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND SPARSE RAINFALL
DURING THE PAST FEW WEEKS HAS CREATED IDEAL CONDITIONS FOR
WILDFIRES.  THE ALABAMA FORESTRY COMMISSION HAS PLACED ALL OF
ALABAMA UNDER A FIRE ALERT.  VARIABLE GUSTY WINDS WILL MAKE IT
DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN EXISTING WILDFIRES.  NO SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL
IS FORECAST TODAY...EXCEPT NORTHWEST ALABAMA...WHERE RAIN
COULD MOVE INTO THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...
MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THE NORTHWEST COUNTIES.