West Alabama Friday Briefing
It is Friday January 12, 2024, and the second of three significant weather systems is passing through West Alabama today. The system's forward progress has slowed down bringing it into West Alabama after 9:00am and out of our region by 1:00 or so this afternoon.
There is an Enhanced (3 in 5) Risk for severe storms west of a Geiger in Sumter County to Tuscaloosa to Jasper. The remainder of the region is under a Slight (2 in 5) Risk for severe storms.
According to ABC3340 Chief Meteorologist James Spann, while there is tornado potential across the area, he doesn't expect a major twister outbreak. "The area with the greatest likelihood for a tornado is along and south of the I20 corridor where there is the greatest instability."
Downed trees and power lines will most likely result in scattered power outages.
The storms, with wind gusts 50 up to 60mph, will move out of the West Alabama area between noon and one this afternoon and that will return sunshine for the remainder of the afternoon.
After a docile weekend, storm system number three moves in on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday. The chance for a wintry mix begins after noon and runs into Tuesday. This long duration winter event will bring a hard freeze, wind chill values in the single digits and teens Monday into Wednesday morning.
Locations as far south as U.S. 80 could see a wintry mix potentially changing to snow. Locations near and north of the I-20 corridor could see snow accumulations of one inch.
A significant hazard will be slippery roads near and north of I-20.
Next week you will need to cover exposed pipes and sensitive vegetation as well as check on the elderly. Limit you time outdoors during this severe winter event to reduce your exposure to hypothermia.
The Forecast:
Today: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1pm. High near 65. Windy, with a southeast wind 20 to 30 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 50. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. South wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28.
MLK Day: A 30 percent chance of snow showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41.
Monday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers before midnight, then a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday: A slight chance of snow showers before noon, then a chance of flurries after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 13.
Remainder of the Week: Mostly clear days and nights with highs in the uppers 30s to mid 40s. Lows in the lower 20s.
Topping the News:
One year ago, today strong tornadoes raked across the state striking Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry and Dallas Counties. The hardest hit location was Selma where much of the city was devastated by an EF3 twister. 15 tornadoes were confirmed that day, killing seven people and injuring dozens.
We 1st told you last month that the United Auto Workers Union plans to forcefully organize the Mercedes Benz plant here in Tuscaloosa and other state auto makers. That is not sitting will with Kay Ivey, the governor of right-to-work state Alabama.
In a written statement Ivey called the UAW an out of state special interest group whose special interests do not include Alabama or the men and women earning a career in Alabama’s billion dollar a year auto industry.
ALDOT will begin work Monday to replace and widen the U.S. 11 Highway bridge in Cottondale. No lane closures will take place until June and July.
The $6.1 million dollar project is expected to be completed this fall.
Due to today’s weather threat all locations of the Tuscaloosa Public Library will be closed. The main branch will resume normal operation at 9 tomorrow morning.
Stillman College is receiving a portion of a $100 million grant from the United Negro College Fund. President Yolanda W. Page went to Clark Atlanta for the announcement of the unrestricted grant program backed by the Lilley Endowment. The goal is to enhance academics a Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
A west Alabama woman was killed when she was struck by a vehicle on Skyland Boulevard Thursday afternoon.
Stephanie Taylor, a spokesperson for the Tuscaloosa Police Department, said officers responded to the 200 block of Skyland around 2 p.m. Thursday on reports of an injured pedestrian.
Taylor said the victim, a 22-year-old woman who lived in Fosters, was at a nearby laundromat with family members when she reportedly walked into the street.
A vehicle traveling west on Skyland Boulevard struck the woman, and she was unresponsive when paramedics arrived on the scene.
Sam's Club, according to the warehouse membership club, will soon stop checking shoppers’ receipts as they leave the store.
The corporate team announced this week that they are opting to instead use AI to scan shoppers’ carts.
Instead of stopping at the door to have their receipt checked, shoppers’ carts will be checked by a combination of computer vision and digital technology in the exit area. They will capture images and verify payment for all items within a member’s basket, according to Sam’s Club.
In Sports:
From UA Athletics: The Alabama women's basketball connected on 11 three-point field goals which propelled the Crimson Tide past Georgia, 81-63, on Thursday night in Athens, Ga. Aaliyah Nye joined the 1,000 career-point club after scoring 15 points during the win.
Alabama (15-3, 2-1 SEC) was led by Sarah Ashlee Barker who collected her 14th double-digit scoring game with 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds with five assists and three steals. Essence Cody, a Georgia native, collected a career-high 16 points along with eight rebounds, three blocks and a steal. Nye and Loyal McQueen (11) also scored in double digits for the Tide.
The Tide host Arkansas at 2:00pm tomorrow at Coleman.
There is a lot going on in University of Alabama Athletics this weekend. It starts tonight at 6:00pm when #4 Alabama hosts a powerhouse #3 Missouri Gymnastics team at Coleman.
It's Big AL's Birthday Party.
The No. 19/18 Alabama men's and women's swimming and diving team will open the new year with a two-day dual meet against Kentucky. The competition will feature three sessions at the Lancaster Aquatic Center with the first two sessions on Friday at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and the final session on Saturday at 8 a.m.
The Bama Men's basketball Team is on the road playing in one of the toughest arenas in the SEC, "The Hump" at Mississippi.
The Bulldogs are coming off a major upset of Tennessee and look to take out the Tide at 7:30pm Saturday in Starkville.
You can hear the game on the Crimson Tide Sports Network on 100.9 The Tide and 1230 WTBC. and watch it on the SEC Network.
Stay safe today and have a way to receive watches and warnings. Also prepare for the Polar Vortex bring severe cold and snow to our area the first of next week.
Don
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