WAFF Weather

Updated Rain Chances and Work Week Heat

In the wake of this morning's activity, things have been pretty quiet around here. It is very muggy outside, but with the exception of a few light spotty showers, most of us have had a dry, warm day.

The atmosphere is still pretty ripe for development so it’s a waiting game this evening. Pinpoint Predictor is showing a MCS (Mesoscale Convective System) developing overnight. However, MCS’s are difficult to forecast until they have already developed.

Severe weather is not expected with this overnight activity but don’t be surprised to be awoken by a crack of thunder or bolt of lightning, especially east of I-65.

By Sunday, only isolated rain chances are expected with most of us staying dry.  For the new work week, our focus turns from storms to the heat. With the added humidity, heat indices could be in the low 90s.

Our next weather maker arrives by mid week bringing showers and thunderstorms.

 

 

Lauren Jones
Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team
We Track Storms

Saturday Showers and Thunderstorms

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop again today across the Tennessee Valley, however, it won’t be a complete washout. 

 

With some sunshine early on, a few isolated storms could become strong to borderline severe with 50-60mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. Widespread severe weather is not expected.

 

We’ll start to dry out for Sunday with only a few isolated showers expected.

 

The new work week will start hot ,humid, and dry. I’ll track our next weather maker coming up on WAFF 48 News at 5, 6, & 10pm tonight.

 

Have a great weekend! 

Lauren Jones
Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team
We Track Storms

2 EF-0 Tornadoes in Limestone County

The National Weather Service in Huntsville has confirmed 2 brief EF-0 tornado touchdowns in Limestone County today.  Here's what Live StormTracker Doppler radar was showing at the time of the first touchdown.

Lots of pictures and video can be find on our website here.  This is a view of the funnel cloud crossing I-65 north of Athens.

If you can safely take pictures of severe weather you can upload them to WAFF.com by emailing them to pix@waff.com.

Here's the full report from the National Weather Service:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
925 PM CDT FRI MAY 17 2013

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 05/17/13 SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE...

NWS HUNTSVILLE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE COMPLETED A STORM SURVEY OVER
PORTIONS OF LIMESTONE COUNTY...IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA. IT HAS BEEN
DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE REPORTED AROUND THE ATHENS AREA AND NEAR
ELKMONT RESULTED FROM TWO WEAK/SHORT-LIVED TORNADOES DURING THE MID
AFTERNOON HOURS ON FRIDAY, MAY 17. PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS.

.TORNADO #1 -- SOUTH ATHENS /LIMESTONE COUNTY/

RATING:                 EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    75 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  2.04 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   50 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             MAY 17 2013
START TIME:             2:00 PM CDT
START LOCATION:         3 MILES SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN ATHENS
START LAT/LON:          34.759983 / -86.974814

END DATE:               MAY 17 2013
END TIME:               2:07 PM CDT
END LOCATION:           HWY 72 / ATHENS
END LAT/LON:            34.786681 / -86.959044

SURVEY SUMMARY:
A SHORT-LIVED TORNADO INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN ALONG ROY LONG ROAD JUST
WEST OF HIGHWAY 31. SEVERAL TREES WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED AROUND A
RESIDENCE PROPERTY. THE RESIDENCE ITSELF SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AS
NARROW WOODEN FRONT PORCH PILLARS WERE BROKEN AND SHIFTED BY THE
WIND. BASED ON THIS DAMAGE...THE MAXIMUM WINDS WERE DETERMINED TO BE
AROUND 75 MPH...A MID-RANGE EF-0 ON THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE.

THE TORNADO SKIPPED NORTHEAST WITH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE SEEN ALONG
HIGHWAY 72...JUST WEST OF HIGHWAY 31. MULTIPLE SIGNS ATOP A LARGE
METAL POLE WERE BLOWN OUT AND A PORTION OF THE METAL SIDING WAS
RIPPED OFF. NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS REPORTED JUST NORTHEAST OF THIS
LOCATION...THEREFORE IT IS DETERMINED THE WEAK TORNADO LIFTED AROUND
THIS POINT.

SURVEYED BY: NADLER/SHUMWAY

.TORNADO # 2 -- ELKMONT AREA /LIMESTONE COUNTY/

RATING:                 EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    70 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  0.15 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   50 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             MAY 17 2013
START TIME:             2:45 PM CDT
START LOCATION:         ELKMONT /HARDIMAN LANE/
START LAT/LON:          34.954581 / -86.879413

END DATE:               MAY 17 2013
END TIME:               2:46 PM CDT
END LOCATION:           BETWEEN HARDIMAN LANE AND SWEET SPRINGS RD
END LAT/LON:            34.956560 / -86.878222

SURVEY SUMMARY:
THIS VERY SHORT-LIVED TORNADO WAS PART OF THE SAME STORM THAT
PRODUCED THE SOUTH ATHENS TORNADO. DAMAGE WAS SEEN IN A LESS THAN
1/4 MILE SWATH BETWEEN RESIDENCES ALONG EITHER SIDE OF HARDIMAN LANE.
SEVERAL RESIDENCES SUSTAINED MINOR ROOF DAMAGE WITH SHINGLES BLOWN
OFF. ONE RESIDENCE SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AS A PORTION OF THE
BRICKS WERE CRACKED AND BEGINNING TO PULL AWAY FROM THE FOUNDATION.
SEVERAL LARGER TREES AROUND THE RESIDENCES WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED.
MAXIMUM WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 70 MPH AT THIS LOCATION. JUST
NORTH OF HARDIMAN LANE...A BARN SUSTAINED ROOF DAMAGE AS A GOOD
PORTION OF THE METAL ROOF HAD BEEN PULLED OFF. NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE
WAS SEEN ALONG THE TRACK TO THE NORTHEAST OF THIS LOCATION...TOWARD
THE ALABAMA/TENNESSEE STATE LINE.

SURVEYED BY: NADLER/SHUMWAY

EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.

EF0...WEAK......65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...WEAK......86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...STRONG....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...STRONG....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...VIOLENT...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...VIOLENT...>200 MPH

NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

 

Jeff Castle

WAFF 48 Storm Team

May 17th, 2013: Limestone County Severe Weather Recap

As anticipated by the SPC’s “Slight” severe weather risk today, we had a few isolated accounts of strong to severe weather. The most notable was in Limestone County.  Here are the storm reports as of 7:00pm Friday evening.

 

The first Tornado Warning came around 2pm when a small supercell storm quickly starting rotating.  

Live StormTracker Doppler, which is in Limestone County, picked up on this rotation and even showed a “debris ball” between Athens and Tanner, which indicates that a tornado has been or is still on the ground and has caused some damage.

 

This is what the NEXRAD radar on Hytop, much further than our radar, showed at the same time.

 

Keep in mind that Live StormTracker Doppler also gets updates every minute, while NEXRAD gets them every 4-6 minutes.

 

The Huntsville NWS sent a storm survey team to assess the damage in Limestone County Thursday afternoon. We will post an update on here when they have completed the survey.

Lauren Jones
Meteorologist
WAFF48 Storm Team
We Track Storms

Afternoon Storm Update and Weekend Outlook

Scattered showers with a few pockets of heavy rain and some lightning are ongoing across the western half of the area. The stronger thunderstorms are still in eastern MS.

 

The Storm Prediction Center has placed most of the area under a “Slight” risk for an isolated strong to severe storm this afternoon/evening.

 

The extensive cloud cover is really limiting our severe threat today. However, a few breaks in the clouds are possible over the next couple of hours, allowing for temperatures and the instability to go up.

 

The greatest threats for any storm that becomes strong to severe are quarter size hail and 50-60mph wind gusts.

 

Scattered showers will continue into the weekend, especially Saturday, and mainly east of I-65.  No
severe weather is expected but a few thunderstorms are possible.

Chief Meteorologist Brad Travis will have the very latest on today's storms coming up on WAFF48 News at 4, 5, 6, & 10pm.

Lauren Jones
Meteorologist
WAFF48 Storm Team
We Track Storms

Chance of rain increasing for Friday PM and Saturday AM.

A storm system to the west will continue to move slowly east overnight tonight.  It will be mostly cloudy with a few showers into the overnight hours with lows in the middle 60s 

It is now looking like rain chances will increase throughout the day on Friday.  Scattered showers and thunderstorms will also be likely overnight Friday into Saturday morning.  This will keep temperatures in the lower 80s for afternoon highs Friday and Saturday.


The upper level storm system will finally begin to weaken and move out of the area by Sunday. Highs will then warm close to 90 degrees Sunday through Tuesday.


Afternoon highs will remain in the 80s next week.

Have a great night.

Brad Travis
Chief Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team
We Track Storms

Rain Returns...But Don't Expect Too Much

The weather stays dry again today with sunshine and highs in the mid 80s.  We're tracking an upper level storm system that is bringing clouds and rain to parts of Texas and Oklahoma this morning.  Here's the satellite and radar view at 9am.

This storm system will move into the southeast over the next couple of days bringing shower and storm chances back to our forecast.  Widespread rain is not expected...the wet weather will be hit and miss.  A few showers will begin to pop-up tomorrow afternoon.

Additional showers and storms are expected on Friday.

Even though we're still in our spring severe weather season, it's unlikely that we'll see any strong thunderstorms.  Rain totals in most areas will only be around .25".  Here's how much rainfall WAFF 48 Pinpoint Predictor is forecasting through Friday evening.

Don't necessarily focus on the specific rain totals...it's difficult to pinpoint exactly where the heavier showers will develop.  Where they do pop-up, though, they could dump .5" to 1" of rain.

 

Jeff Castle

WAFF 48 Storm Team

 

Now that's more like it. Near 90 this weekend.

It will be a great evening with a clear sky and temperatures in the lower to middle 70s through 9pm.  Overnight lows will be in the lower to middle 60s into the weekend thanks to a south wind.  Expect to see more clouds by Thursday afternoon.


We will see a few showers and some isolated thunderstorms on Thursday as well.  Highs will reach the middle 80s Wednesday but drop into the upper 70s and lower 80s Thursday due to the shower activity.



The weekend will be very warm and muggy.   Highs will be near 90 degrees with morning lows in the middle 60s.  Expect to see a few isolated afternoon thunderstorms. 


Have a great night.

Brad Travis
Chief Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team
We Track Storms

Near Record Breaking Lows Tonight

We're expecting near record breaking lows tonight under clear skies and light north winds.  Most locations will fall into the upper 30s and low 40s.

Here are the official records from the Huntsville International Airport and Muscle Shoals Airport.

Widespread frost should not be an issue but patchy light frost is possible in the sheltered valleys in NE Alabama and southern middle TN. Protect any sensitive vegetation.

I'll talk about the work week warm up coming on WAFF48 News at 10pm.

Lauren Jones
Meteorologist
WAFF48 Storm Team
We Track Storms 

Mother's Day Weekend Forecast

Scattered showers and a few isolated thunderstorms will remain possible this evening and overnight.  If you have any evening plans, YOU can track the showers on WAFF.com and on our WAFF Weather App. A few showers will linger into Saturday morning with overnight low temperatures around 60°.

A few weak thunderstorms are possible early Saturday afternoon, mainly east of I-65.

 

By late afternoon the cold front will be pushing the chance of rain to our south. Some sunshine should return with highs in the low 70s and a light north wind.

 

Mother’s Day morning will start dry and cool, around 50°, with some light patchy fog possible.  Sunshinewill be abundant for Mother’s Day afternoon, although, temperatures will remain
below average.  Highs will be cool in the upper 60s to low 70s.

 

After a chilly start to Monday, a warming trend will take hold for the work week. Shower chances look to hold off until late next week.

 

 

Lauren Jones
Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team
We Track Storms