Madison County Lightning

Here are a few screen grabs from a semi-severe storm that pushed into Madison County this afternoon. Pics may seem a little grainy but they are from a video capture.

Big Changes On The Way

Well who is ready for a change? As I guessed it most every one is and they are a coming. The massive heat ridge that has been in control of our weather is slowly pushing out to the west and around here it is going to be like daylight and dark. We will be going from dry 100 degree days to highs in the upper 80s to low 90s with great rain chances nearly everyday for the next week or so. The remnants of TD5 will sit over the Southeast and just keep pumping the moisture up in our direction, and some models show it backing back into the Gulf and possible reforming into a depression again which would be good for a very dry Southeastern US. So enjoy it while it lasts and lets wait and see what type of Winter records get broken around here this year.

Bye Bye Bye

Well Boy band N Sync has the right anthem for TD5 as it has completely dissipated and all warnings will be discontinued. Here is the latest from the NHC

BULLETIN
TROPICAL DEPRESSION FIVE ADVISORY NUMBER 5
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL052010
400 PM CDT WED AUG 11 2010

…DEPRESSION DISSIPATES…THIS IS THE LAST ADVISORY…
…POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG THE GULF COAST REMAINS…

SUMMARY OF 400 PM CDT…2100 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…28.3N 87.6W
ABOUT 170 MI…270 KM S OF MOBILE ALABAMA
ABOUT 105 MI…170 KM ESE OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…30 MPH…45 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NW OR 305 DEGREES AT 12 MPH…19 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1009 MB…29.80 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS
——————–
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY…

THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST HAS BEEN
DISCONTINUED.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT…

THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES…INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE
MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
——————————
AT 400 PM CDT…2100 UTC…THE REMNANT OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION FIVE
WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.3 NORTH…LONGITUDE 87.6 WEST. THE
REMNANT IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH…19 KM/HR.
THIS GENERAL MOTION IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TONIGHT…WITH A
DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED EXPECTED ON THURSDAY. THE REMNANT IS
LIKELY TO REACH THE NORTHERN GULF COAST TONIGHT OR EARLY THURSDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH…45 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED BEFORE THE REMNANT
REACHES THE COAST.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1009 MB…29.80 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
———————-
RAINFALL…TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES WITH ISOLATED
MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE FROM SOUTHEASTERN
LOUISIANA TO THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

STORM SURGE…A STORM SURGE COULD RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 1
TO 2 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST IN AREAS OF
ONSHORE WIND.

Tropics Getting Interesting!!

Could we have Danielle or Earl making landfall along the gulf coast? Well with 2 areas of interest in the tropical Atlantic basin being watched right now, it is hard to tell who will arrive first. Right now invest 94 is in the gulf and is forecast to strengthen into a Tropical Storm or a weak Cat 1 soon and Invest 93 is forecast to keep turning out into the Atlantic and pose no problems to the East Coast. The main question is where will the gulf system make landfall? With the ridge in place over the Southeast it looks maybe Mississippi or Louisiana is most likely. Will the ridge weaken any and allow it to turn and come up into Alabama and bring some decent rains to the state or will it stay west? Only time will tell so stay tuned for more info.

Lightning from today in Limestone County AL.

Tropical Update!! Could We Have Colin In the Next 48 Hours?

Will Colin be upon us soon? Everything points to yes, but it is way to early to determine where it will go. Early models show it turning back out into the Atlantic, but do not write it in stone. The system is at 80% that it will develop in the next 48 hours so stay tuned for later updates.

Exessive Heat Warning!!!!!

EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MONDAY TO 8 PM CDT
TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED AN
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MONDAY TO
8 PM CDT TUESDAY. THE HEAT ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM
CDT MONDAY. 

HIGH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM THE UPPER 90S TO AROUND 100
DEGREES COMBINED WITH HIGH HUMIDITY WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDEX
VALUES AROUND 110 DEGREES MONDAY AND TUESDAY AFTERNOONS. LOW
TEMPERATURES WILL ONLY COOL INTO THE MID 70S AT MOST LOCATIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS
EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY
WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE
POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED
ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN...AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND
NEIGHBORS.

AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF
DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT
TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS
SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY. DRINK PLENTY OF
FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN...
AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

&&

$$

ALZ001>004-021000-
/O.NEW.KHUN.EH.W.0001.100802T1600Z-100804T0100Z/
/O.EXT.KHUN.HT.Y.0009.000000T0000Z-100802T1600Z/
LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLORENCE...MUSCLE SHOALS...
RUSSELLVILLE...MOULTON
258 PM CDT SUN AUG 1 2010

...HEAT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM CDT MONDAY...
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MONDAY TO 8 PM CDT
TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED AN
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MONDAY TO
8 PM CDT TUESDAY. THE HEAT ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM
CDT MONDAY. 

HIGH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM THE UPPER 90S TO AROUND 100
DEGREES COMBINED WITH HIGH HUMIDITY WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDEX
VALUES AROUND 110 DEGREES MONDAY AND TUESDAY AFTERNOONS. LOW
TEMPERATURES WILL ONLY COOL INTO THE MID 70S AT MOST LOCATIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS
EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY
WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE
POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED
ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN...AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND
NEIGHBORS.

AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF
DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT
TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS
SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY. DRINK PLENTY OF
FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN...
AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

&&