West Alabama Monday Briefing

Good morning West, Alabama! It is Monday, March 17, 2025. This is the 76th day of the year with 289 remaining.

Monday Morning Observations:

Top of the morning' to 'ya, it is St. Patrick's Day, the day that honors St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The 2020 census revealed that there are 31.5 million Americans of Irish descent. That is roughly 30 million more than live in Ireland itself. So, I hope you are wearing some green, have a brew or two of green beer, have a corned beef and cabbage sandwich, wear a Shamrock, be careful about pinching anyone wearing green, dance an Irish jig, remember to greet with the term "Erin go bragh" ("Ireland forever"), and be on the lookout for Leprechauns.

People in Ireland started observing a feast day on March 17 in celebration of St, Patrick around the ninth or 10th century, according to the History Channel, but the parades to honor it actually started in America. The largest being in New York City followed by Boston. Once a religious holiday in Ireland, it is now a day for full blown partying.

The man who spurred an Irish holiday wasn't Irish himself. St. Patrick was born Maewyn Succat around 385 in Kilpatrick, Scotland. he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at 16, according to the History Channel. Assuming the name Patrick, he escaped slavery but returned to Ireland later as a missionary to spread Christianity.

Patrick preached for 40 years and converted all of Ireland. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in “Confessions.” After years of living in poverty, traveling, and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461.

Many legends grew up around him—for example, that he drove the snakes out of Ireland and used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. Ireland came to celebrate his day with religious services and feasts.

The Irish diaspora to American brought his legend and celebration with them.

Happy St, Patty's Day.

(Opinions expressed in Morning Observations are those of the author and not necessarily those of the ownership, management, staff or sponsors of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa.)

Weather:

While the recovery continues from Saturday afternoon and night's violent tornadoes across West Alabama and the state, the National Weather Service is casting a wary eye toward Wednesday and Wednesday night.

A Marginal (1 in 5) Risk for strong to severe thunderstorms has been forecast by the Storm Prediction Center. The threat area is west and northwest of a line from Demopolis in Marengo County to just west of Birmingham. This includes the Tuscaloosa/Northport metro area. As ABC 3340 Chief Meteorologist James Spann points out, "This will be nothing like the severe weather we experienced Saturday afternoon and evening."

High winds and maybe hail are the main threats listed at this point.

The Forecast:

Today

Sunny, with a high near 65. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Tonight

Clear, with a low around 40. Calm wind.

Tuesday

Sunny, with a high near 76. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. South wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday

A 20 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Wednesday Night

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 42. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Remainder of the Week

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Topping the News:

National Weather Service Survey Teams Map Saturday's Tornado Outbreak

National Weather Service (NWS) Birmingham survey teams are fanning across West Alabama today to determine the size, strength, and path of tornadoes and severe storms that raked across the area Saturday and Saturday night. One team is in Gordo this morning surveying the aftermath of a tornado touchdown that destroyed four homes and damaged others. They will also look at damage in Tuscaloosa and Walker counties.

NWS surveys conducted across Central Alabama yesterday determined there were seven distinct tornado paths have been determined with EF-0's in Perry and Bibbs counties. An EF-3 left two people dead in Plantersville in its track across Dallas, Autauga and Chilton counties. It was an EF-1 that touched down in Shelby County doing extensive damage in Calera. In Talladega County an EF-2 killed on and left damage at a high school and Talladega College. The other tornado identified so far was an EF-2 that struck Tallapoosa County.

Benevolent Way Back in Action in Northport

Former Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon’s Benevolent Way organization is again collecting donations for a community hit by a disaster. This time it is close to home, in Gordo. Herndon is collecting repair and cleanup supplies to deliver to those impacted by the Pickens County Storm.

You can drop off donations at Herndon’s office located at 2728 Lurleen Wallace Blvd. They will be delivered to those who need the supplies either tomorrow afternoon on Wednesday morning.

Gordo Mayor Thankful for Assistance

Four homes were destroyed just north of Gordo and several others damaged. Gordo Mayor Craig Patterson told Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa's "Steve and DC Show" on 95.3 The Bear this morning that he is thankful there was no loss of life and for all the help in response

Patterson said the city was inundated with first responders and volunteers from surrounding counties to help in rescue operations and open roads that were closed due to being blocked by hundreds of trees.

The Brown Family Farm, located on Highway 159 just north of Gordo, lost four of its six chicken houses.

Sipsey Recovering from What is believed to Have Been a Tornado

The people of Sipsey, a small town just east of Jasper in Walker County, continue to put their town of less than 500 back together today after what is believed a tornado struck the area Saturday evening.

Roofs were ripped off and hundreds of trees and power lines were snapped, many blocking roads.

Two people were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Motocycle Rider Killed in Northport Crash

39-year-old Matthew Bryan Mills of Tuscaloosa died Friday when his 2015 Yamaha Striker motorcycle and a 2003 Jeep Liberty collided in the 3100 block of McFarland Blvd.

The Northport Police Department reported both vehicles were traveling west on McFarland Blvd. when the motorcycle hit the rear of the Jeep after 8:00pm.

NPD says the investigation continues but no criminal charges are pending at this time.

Topping Sports News:

Bama Men's and Women's Basketball Teams Headed to the "Big Dance"

The University of Alabama men's basketball team earned a No. 2 seed in the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and will face No. 15-seeded Robert Morris in the East Region on Friday, March 21. Tipoff is set for 11:40 am. CDT at the Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio and will be televised on truTV.

The winner of Friday's opening round game will face the winner of No. 7 seed Saint Mary's and No. 10 seed Vanderbilt.

The 5^th seeded Bama Women’s team plays Green Bay in round one of their NCAA Tournament in College Park, Maryland Friday. Times, dates and television information will be released at a later time.

This marks the Crimson Tide's 14^th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and third consecutive trip to "March Madness".

The winner of the opening round game will face the winner of No. 4 seed Maryland and No. 13 Norfolk State.

Alabama Baseball Sweeps Texas A&M on the Road

The 17^th ranked Bama Baseball Team swept 19^th ranked Texas A&M on the road over the weekend. The Tide is now 20-1.

Blue Bell Park in College Station is recognized as one of the toughest places to play in the Southeastern Conference.

Alabama's sweep of Texas A&M becomes the first conference-opening road sweep for the Tide since March 23, 1973, when UA was victorious in both games of a doubleheader at Mississippi State.

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Happy St. Patrick's Day