Severe Thunderstorm Warning 121, NWS Birmingham, AL

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
657 PM CDT MON APR 4 2011

.UPDATE...AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG
STORM SYSTEM OVER MUCH OF THE EASTERN CONUS NOW STRETCHES FROM THE
OHIO RIVER VALLEY SOUTHWESTWARD TO THE NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST. AT
THIS TIME...THIS LINE OF STORMS HAS PUSHED INTO NORTHWEST CENTRAL
ALABAMA. AIRMASS AHEAD OF THE LINE REMAINS UNSTABLE...WITH CAPE
VALUES OVER 2000J/KG IN THE SOUTH TO 1000J/KG IN THE NORTH. LOW
LEVEL WINDS CONTINUE TO INCREASE AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM...WITH THE
BEST DIRECTIONAL SHEAR CONFINED CLOSER TO THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS.
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS WILL BE THE BIGGEST THREAT ALONG THE SQUALL
LINE...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT TORNADO SPIN UPS ALONG THE LEADING EDGE
OF THE LINE. LARGE HAIL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. WITH THE QUICK
MOVEMENT OF THE LINE...DO NOT EXPECT WIDESPREAD FLOODING ISSUES.

NOT MANY FORECAST CHANGES NEEDED FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. THE
SQUALL LINE SHOULD MOVE ACROSS THE AREA FAIRLY QUICKLY...EXITING THE
SOUTHEAST AFTER MIDNIGHT. IN ADDITIONAL TO POST FRONTAL GUSTY
NORTHWESTERLY WINDS...GRADIENT WINDS AHEAD OF THE LINE OF STORMS
WILL REMAIN QUITE GUSTY FROM THE SOUTH...AND WILL EXTEND THE WIND
ADVISORY UNTIL 1AM FOR ALL COUNTIES.

AFTER THIS SYSTEM EXITS THE AREA EARLY TUESDAY...QUIETER CONDITIONS
RETURN THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK. UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL BUILD
ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST...WITH HIGH PRESSURE ANCHORED TO OUR EAST
THROUGH THE WEEK. SEVERAL IMPULSES WILL BRUSH THE AREA AS THEY MOVE
TO THE NORTH AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGE. MODELS CONTINUE TO
HINT AT LOW POPS ASSOCIATED WITH WEAKNESSES IN THE RIDGE FOR SEVERAL
PERIODS TOWARD NEXT WEEKEND. THINK MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE
DRY...UNTIL A SYSTEM APPROACHES LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY...PUSHING
THE RIDGE OFF THE ATLANTIC COAST.

WITH STRONG NORTHWESTERLY FLOW BEHIND THIS STORM SYSTEM...A BRIEF
COOL DOWN TUESDAY WILL KEEP HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S AND 60S. COULD
SEE SEVERAL LOCATIONS DROP INTO THE LOWER 30S TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH
MOST OF THE AREA IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S. A MODERATING TREND FOR THE
SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK WILL BUMP TEMPS BACK UP INTO THE 80S BY THE
WEEKEND.

14

&&

AVIATION...00Z TAF DISCUSSION.

A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS
CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS EVENING. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT SOME IF
NOT ALL THE TAF SITES WILL SEE SOME STRONG WINDS OUT OF THESE WITH
THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING WINDS. TRIED TO TIME THE LINE WHEN IT
WILL AFFECT A SPECIFIC SITE BASED ON ITS CURRENT SPEED.
HOWEVER...WILL ADJUST AS NEEDED...ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE SOUTHEASTERN
TAFS.

ONCE THE LINE MOVES THROUGH...EXPECT WINDS TO SHIFT MORE TO THE WEST
AND CONTINUED GUSTY BUT NOT NEARLY AS STRONG. CEILINGS WILL BE IN
THE MVFR RANGE FOR A FEW HOURS...BUT WILL QUICKLY LIFT AS CLEARING
SKIES ARE NOT THAT FAR BEHIND THE FRONT.

SKIES WILL BE CLEAR TOMORROW. WINDS WILL BE MORE NORTHERLY AND WILL
REMAIN GUSTY.

NOTICE...KEET TAF WILL HAVE (AMD LTD TO VIS WIND AND WX) AMENDED TO
THE END OF THE FORECAST UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE CEILOMETER DATA
WILL BE GOING THROUGH NUMEROUS TESTS AND MONITORED FOR ACCURACY.

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM CDT TUESDAY FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA

&&

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
410 PM CDT MON APR 4 2011

ALZ011>015-017>050-051800-
MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-
CHEROKEE-CLEBURNE-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-SHELBY-ST. CLAIR-
TALLADEGA-CLAY-RANDOLPH-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-CHILTON-
COOSA-TALLAPOOSA-CHAMBERS-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-
MONTGOMERY-MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
410 PM CDT MON APR 4 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BRING A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT
TO ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ALL SEVERE
WEATHER THREATS ARE LIKELY...INCLUDING THE THREAT FOR DAMAGING
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...LARGE HAIL...ISOLATED TORNADOES...AND BRIEF
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON THROUGH AROUND MIDNIGHT...THE
CONVECTIVE SQUALL LINE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY AS IT
PROGRESSES ACROSS THE STATE. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL TRANSITION TO
DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...ALTHOUGH HAIL AND A BRIEF ISOLATED
TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULED OUT ALONG THE LINE. THE LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO EXIT CENTRAL ALABAMA AROUND THE
MIDNIGHT HOUR.

STRONG GRADIENT WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM SYSTEM
TODAY...WITH GUSTS OF UP TO 40 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

A COLD AIR MASS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO DROP
DOWN INTO THE 30S ON WEDNESDAY MORNING. A FEW LOCATIONS COULD DROP
DOWN TO NEAR THE FREEZING MARK IN THE COLDER VALLEY LOCATIONS. A
LIGHT FROST IS POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
WHICH COULD POSE A THREAT TO TENDER VEGETATION.

DRY CONDITIONS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL CREATE HIGH FIRE DANGER
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA...MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE 85
CORRIDOR. OUTDOOR BURNING IS HIGHLY DISCOURAGED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL CONTINUE
TO BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING FOR SEVERE
WEATHER.

08/MNK

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
755 PM CDT MON APR 04 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0750 PM     TSTM WND DMG     CEDAR BLUFF             34.22N 85.60W
04/04/2011                   CHEROKEE           AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREE DOWN ON HOUSE ON RUSSEL ST.

&&

ROCKY

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
758 PM CDT MON APR 04 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0753 PM     HAIL             CENTRE                  34.15N 85.67W
04/04/2011  E0.50 INCH       CHEROKEE           AL   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

ROCKY

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
802 PM CDT MON APR 04 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0740 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 E CUBA                32.44N 88.34W
04/04/2011                   SUMTER             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREE DOWN ON POWER POLE, LINES DOWN.

&&

ROCKY

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
805 PM CDT MON APR 04 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0740 PM     TSTM WND DMG     E CUBA                  32.44N 88.37W
04/04/2011                   SUMTER             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREE DOWN ON POWER POLE, LINES DOWN. 6AVE E/STEVENS.

&&

ROCKY

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
807 PM CDT MON APR 04 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0805 PM     HAIL             BLUFF PARK              33.40N 86.86W
04/04/2011  M0.25 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

ROCKY

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
810 PM CDT MON APR 04 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0808 PM     HAIL             BLUFF PARK              33.40N 86.86W
04/04/2011  M0.50 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            STOPPED AND RESTARTED AND INCREASED IN SIZE.

&&

ROCKY