<p>There is a developing chance of strong storms and tornados on campus Tuesday night/Wednesday. It’s not too early for students to review their emergency plan and make sure they have a weather radio or severe weather app on their phone. Flashlights and emergency phone charger, cash in small bills and a small stock of bottled water and snacks are good to have on hand during these types of events. You can check www<a href=“http://www.alabamawx.com”>www.alabamawx.com</a> for updates.</p>
<p>Thanks for the heads up and advice, Missread. :-)</p>
<p>P.S. Just another reason why I love being a part of the Bama CC community!</p>
<p>Also, if you have a car, fill up the gas tank now. If power goes out, the gas stations can’t pump gas.</p>
<p>*INCREASING SHOWERS: Showers will be on the increase and clouds will be fairly thick on Tuesday as moisture levels continue to build. There should be just enough sunshine to conspire with the warm air that will be hanging around to allow afternoon readings to reach the 70s. It will become quite breezy on Tuesday, with southeasterly winds averaging 7-14 mph, but gusting at times to over 20 mph. Throw in dewpoints in the middle 60s, and you will almost certainly hear someone utter the words, “Tornado Weather”.</p>
<p>SEVERE WEATHER THREAT: Showers and thunderstorms will develop over the Arklatex on Tuesday. They will become severe over Arkansas and Louisiana and will cross the Mississippi River Tuesday evening and be kicking on the door of West Alabama before sunrise. They will cross the state during the morning and early afternoon ahead of a powerful cold front. The arrival time is good news in the instability department, as early morning is the least favorable time for that important factor in severe weather. But up above 20,000 feet, winds are expected to be howling at nearly 120 mph! This means that the thunderstorms that should be preceding the cold front will have the potential to tap the high winds aloft and bring them to the surface, resulting in damaging winds.</p>
<p>We will also be watching for the potential for a surface low to form over northern Mississippi. If that happens, there will be a slightly higher threat of tornadoes as well.</p>
<p>TURN TO COLDER: West of I-65, temperatures will fall Wednesday morning, from morning lows/daytime highs in the lower 60s into the 50s by the time you eat lunch. East of I-65, they will remain steady before falling in the afternoon. By Thursday morning, the cold front will be over South Florida, which obviously qualifies it as moving along at a pretty good clip, as James is prone to say. Lows Thursday morning will flirt with the freezing mark and will struggle to get out of the 40s during the day. Friday highs are almost certainly to be relegated to the 40s after a chilly start in the 30s. Even colder readings are expected Friday night, when readings are expected to drop into the 20s behind a reinforcing cold front that will bring a few clouds and perhaps the chance of a little light rain Friday.*</p>
<p>Am I reading this right? It looks like the tornado warning will be in Mississippi? It looks like Alabama will have thunderstorms.</p>
<p>The latest from James Spann: </p>
<p>TIMING: Severe storms could begin over the northwest corner of our state by midnight tomorrow night, but the core threat will come from about 3:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. Wednesday. By Wednesday afternoon all of the storms will be over Southeast Alabama.</p>
<p>THREATS: Clearly the primary threat here will come from strong, perhaps damaging straight line winds along the QLCS (quasi linear convective system, what us old timers used to call a squall line). We note winds at 850 mb (around 5,000 feet the low level jet) will be screaming, around 70-80 knots, and it wont take much to transfer than down to the surface. Even ahead of the QLCS winds will gust to 30/40 mph with no rain falling. This will be sufficient to knock down trees and power lines along the line of storms, so be sure and batten down the hatches tomorrow night.</p>
<p>In addition to the threat of damaging winds, a few tornadoes are certainly possible, but that threat is more uncertain. Thankfully, the line of storms will be coming through during the early morning hours when the air is most stable, and it seems like the highest low level shear values are slightly out of phase with the best lift. But, clearly we will have the risk of a few isolated tornadoes in any discrete cells that form ahead of the line early Wednesday, and within the line itself, especially where there are breaks or kinks.</p>
<p>The line of storms will move quickly, and rain amounts of 1/2 to 1 inch are possible, but that wont be enough to cause any significant flooding issues.</p>
<p>CALL TO ACTION: Since the threat of severe weather will come when many are asleep, it is important to have a good, working, and properly programmed NOAA Weather Radio in your home so you wont miss the warnings. Beyond that, smart phone apps, services like WeatherCall, etc are excellent. But, NEVER rely on a siren to hear a warning anytime, especially in the middle of the night. No doubt many have died in our state due to the siren mentality.</p>
<p>Also, review your severe weather plan, and have a readiness kit. Review our three step do you have a plan guidance on the ABC 33/40 site here.</p>
<p>Latest from James Spann @ [The</a> Alabama Weather Blog](<a href=“http://www.alabamawx.com%5DThe”>http://www.alabamawx.com) on the threat of severe weather tonight and during the morning tomorrow. </p>
<p>An intense line of thunderstorms will sweep across Alabama tomorrow morning, reaching northwestern sections around sunrise, Birmingham around mid-morning and out of East Alabama by 1 p.m. This line will have the potential to produce widespread damaging winds. There will also be the threat of embedded tornadoes.</p>
<p>But ahead of this line, individual storms will form over Mississippi late tonight and will push into western Alabama after midnight, between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m. These storms will push deeper into Alabama, across areas from the Shoals over to Huntsville and back down through Hamilton, Jasper and Cullman southward to Tuscaloosa and westward back to the Mississippi border.</p>
<p>These storms will have the potential to be of the supercell variety, which makes them prone to produce tornadoes.</p>
<p>There is concern that there will be a little more instability than earlier thought across Central Alabama late tonight and early in the morning. Without question, there will be strong wind shear. The combination could allow for any individual storms that can form ahead of the main line to produce tornadoes.</p>
<p>Then of course, we will deal with the strong possibility of damaging winds over a wide area with the main line of storms, as well as the possibility of embedded tornadoes.</p>
<p>Needless to say, all Alabama residents should review their severe weather safety plans (good checklist here), have a reliable source of watches and warnings within earshot at all times starting tonight and be ready to act immediately if a warning is issued for their location.</p>
<p>And as a side note, some people do not pay enough attention to severe thunderstorm warnings. All it takes is one tree crashing on your home or car to cause serious injury or even death. Please heed any kind of warning you get for your location, but pay close attention to the severe thunderstorm warnings tonight as well. It could save your life or the life of someone you love.</p>
<p>What is the best smart phone app to use for severe weather? WeatherCall I believe was mentioned by Missread. Thanks.</p>
<p>iMap Weather Radio is a good one.</p>
<p>MyWARN is an excellent app for severe weather. Weather Call is also a great choice.</p>
<p>I have iMap Weather Radio and like it. There’s something called myWarn advertised on the alabamawx blog that looks interesting, but I don’t have it.</p>
<p>[University</a> of Alabama News UA Severe Weather Guidelines](<a href=“http://uanews.ua.edu/weather/]University”>http://uanews.ua.edu/weather/)</p>
<p>Ok thanks! Hoping nothing severe will happen, but will feel better if my DD is prepared. Missread I can’t seem to find Weather Call. Maybe that is not an iphone app? Thanks again!</p>
<p>Do they have a siren or something if there is a tornado warning on campus?</p>
<p>Here is the link for WeatherCall. <a href=“http://www.weathercallservices.com/[/URL]”>http://www.weathercallservices.com/</a> Do not rely on an outdoor siren–they are not meant to be heard inside a building.</p>
<p>Our city has a service that is free. You go online and register to be notified by phone call for any number of watches and warnings. I have us enrolled to get calls for severe weather warnings and tornado warnings. You can put any either cell or home numbers. Does Tuscaloosa have such? Here you find it on the cities main web page. It is a great service as it pinpoints your area and during the night when you are sleeping it will call you with those warnings. I did not do watches as being in Dallas we get those all the time and my phone would ring nonstop. If the city of Tuscaloosa does not have such maybe it needs to be suggested?</p>
<p>Yes, there is a similar program in Alabama called SAF-T-NET, for residents to receive warnings via phone text and email. <a href=“http://www.weathercallservices.com/[/URL]”>http://www.weathercallservices.com/</a></p>
<p>To answer your question, yes, Tuscaloosa has an outdoor alert system. Also, if a tornado warning goes off, UAPD will patrol around campus getting students inside. RAs on call will likely go through the buildings knocking on doors getting everybody to lower floors.</p>
<p>Here’s a good weather link:</p>
<p>[Live</a> Stream - ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, Sports](<a href=“http://www.abc3340.com/category/238084/live-stream]Live”>http://www.abc3340.com/category/238084/live-stream)</p>
<p>I am in Bham. All schools are delayed until 11 am. No problems at all yet. It is very dark so it is about to pass thru…</p>
<p>Tuscaloosa was under a tornado warning around 6:00 a.m. this morning. There were reports of damage around Samantha (about 30 minutes from the UA at Lake Tuscaloosa) and Fayette. It isn’t confirmed as of yet whether it was an actual tornado or straight line winds. The counties in Alabama are quite large, so it’s not always cause for immediate concern on campus when a warning is issued for Tuscaloosa County. I’m glad the schools and UA take proactive steps to keep students safe.</p>
<p>Glad to hear you aren’t having issues in your area, hisses. Stay safe! :)</p>