Severe Thunderstorm Warning 531, NWS Birmingham, AL

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, AL
300 AM CST SAT DEC 16 2000

RAPIDLY MOVING THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING THROUGH THE NW HALF OF THE
FORECAST AREA ALREADY. THIS IS ALONG  THE WAA AND LIFT IN THE AREA
ALREADY. AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS IS
MOVING INTO EASTERN MS. MAIN THREAT FROM THIS IS THE LARGE HAIL WHICH
HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. WITH THIS AND THE SLIGHT RISK FROM SPC
WILL MENTION SEVERE IN ALL THE ZONES FOR TODAY. TSTMS SHOULD INCREASE
INTO THE AFTERNOON. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE A PROBLEM FOR TODAY BUT
BELIEVE WILL REMAIN BELOW CRITERIA FOR WIND ADVISORY.

BIG CHANGE IN STORE FOR TONIGHT AS MUCH COLDER AIR COMES IN BEHIND
THE FRONT. WILL USE WORDING OF CHANCE OF SNOW OR FLURRIES. STILL
UNCERTAIN OF EXACT TIMING WHEN THE MOISTURE WILL DECREASE ENOUGH TO
END THE RISK OF SNOW. PRESENTLY DO NOT EXPECT SIGNIFICANT
ACCUMULATIONS. WILL EXTEND THE MENTION OF SNOW INTO SUNDAY FOR THE
TENNESSEE VALLEY BECAUSE OF SOME WRAP AROUND MOISTURE FROM THE LOW
MOVING TOWARD THE EAST COAST.

IN EXTENDED IT LOOKS LIKE A BREAK IN THE WEATHER ON MONDAY AND A
RETURN TO  RAIN TUESDAY AS ANOTHER FAST MOVING SYSTEM GOES THROUGHf
THE FORECAST AREA. DRIER WEATHER ON WED THROUGH FRI.

HSV 063/026 031/020 833
BHM 065/027 032/021 651
MGM 072/029 040/023 8-0

.BHM...NONE.

ALZ001>038-040>050-161800-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
700 AM CST SAT DEC 16 2000

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA.

A VERY ACTIVE TWENTY FOUR HOURS IS ON TAP FOR ALABAMA TODAY THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING.  A VERY STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BE APPROACHING THE
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON.  OUT AHEAD OF THIS FRONT...STRONG
SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WILL BE BRINGING GULF MOISTURE INTO
CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ALABAMA.  IT IS EXPECTED THAT A LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER MISSISSIPPI...AND BEGIN MOVING ACROSS
THE ALABAMA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.  STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE
HAIL...AND TORNADOES WILL ALL BE POSSIBLE AS THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE
THROUGH AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT.  BECAUSE OF THIS THREAT...THE STORM
PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED ALL OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA
UNDER A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY.

ONCE THE LEADING EDGE OF THE COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH LATE THIS
AFTERNOON...TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO PLUNGE.  YOU CAN EXPECT
TEMPERATURES TO FALL FROM THE BALMY 60S THIS AFTERNOON...INTO THE 20S
BY TONIGHT. WITH STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH...AND EVEN
HIGHER GUSTS...WIND CHILLS WILL BE DANGEROUSLY LOW OVERNIGHT.

REMEMBER...OUTDOOR PETS ARE SUSPECT TO THE EXTREME COLD.  TRY TO KEEP
PETS INDOORS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.  IF THIS IS
NOT POSSIBLE...MAKE SURE OUTDOOR PETS HAVE WARM DRY SHELTER...AND
PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FOOD AND FRESH UNFROZEN WATER.

ALSO...TO PREVENT FREEZING AND POSSIBLE BURSTING OF OUTDOOR WATER
PIPES...PIPES SHOULD BE WRAPPED...DRAINED...OR ALLOWED TO DRIP
SLOWLY.  THOSE THAT HAVE IN-GROUND SPRINKLER SYSTEMS SHOULD DRAIN
THEIR SYSTEMS...OR COVER ANY ABOVE-GROUND PIPES TO PROTECT THEM FROM
FREEZING.

TO TOP THE NIGHT OFF...THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF SEEING SOME SNOW
FLAKES LATE TONIGHT OVER ALL OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA.  RIGHT
NOW IT APPEARS AS IF THERE COULD BE SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS ACROSS
THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TONIGHT.  AREAS FURTHER SOUTH WILL JUST
EXPERIENCE A FEW FLURRIES OVERNIGHT.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD
MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY FOR POSSIBLE
ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON...EVENING...AND TONIGHT.