West Alabama Wednesday Briefing
It is Wednesday, January 3, 2024. With temperatures at or just below freezing in many spots across West Alabama, light snow flurries fell for about an hour in some locations this morning. They began around 7:00am and began to dissipate as temperatures warmed. There was no accumulation.
As temperatures climb some during the day today rain will move in later then there is another chance for showers Friday and again next Monday. Every little bit we get will help further erode the ongoing drought. Computer models predict anywhere from two to three inches of rain are possible.
That rain Friday and Monday could also produce strong to severe thunderstorms across South Alabama, including possible supercell activity.
The Forecast:
Today: Increasing clouds with light showers across central Alabama and high temperatures in the 40s. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight: Rain will quickly dissipate early this evening before the colder air works in. Lows will be in the 20 to low 30s.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 54. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. North wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph.
Friday Night: Showers. Low around 44. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
The Weekend: Mostly cloudy with highs in the upper 50s and lows in the mid to upper 30s.
Topping the News:
A former employee of the Dollar General Store on 69 South at Maxwell Loop Road and another woman, were charged with burglarizing the store earlier this morning. A patrolling Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputy noticed lights were on in the store, when he investigated, he found it had been burglarized. 29yo Monica Carter, the former employee and 33yo Chakeisha Gray were found by K9 units lying face down in a creek one near Crocker Drive, one and a half miles from the store.
The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office released the information on social media this morning.
Despite transportation disruptions in the Middle East, gas prices are slowly dropping again. The national average is down 3¢ to 3.09 a gallon. In Alabama gas is currently 2.79, down a penny from a week ago but AAA Alabama spokesman Clay Ingram cautions us that there is a wide variance in prices out there and motorists could find themselves paying much more for gas than then need to. Tuscaloosa County’s average price is $2.76 a gallon with the highest price in West Alabama being 3.06 in Perry County.
23-year-old Quentin Hudson of Demopolis has become the 4th suspect arrested for the murder of 19-year-old Versaun Leonard two-and-a-half years.
Three suspects also from Marengo County were arrested shortly after the shooting on Willow Lane in what investigators say was robbery attempt gone wrong.
23-year-old Kajairames Conner has been charged with that New Year’s Eve shooting of an unidentified man in the parking lot of Academy Sports on Skyland Blvd. The victim drove himself to DCH Regional Medical Center for treatment of multiple non-life-threatening wounds.
Marion officials are expecting parts and repair crews to arrive today to get two malfunctioning water pumps back operational in the Perry County town. While water tanks have been extremely low, officials claim residents have had water to consume. But in a special called meeting of the Marion City Council, residents complained that the water smells and tastes bad.
Tuscaloosa County EMA provided to 300-gallon water trailers to Perry County EMA. The county commission has also authorized the purchase of bottled water pallets as a backup.
Marion has had an ongoing problem with broken pipes and malfunctioning equipment due to the age of the water system.
Alabama Forestry Commission is hoping the chances for rain over the six days will dowse ongoing wildfires in the state. There are currently eight, all in North and Central Alabama. Firefighters are classifying the blazes as contained.
The largest wildfire is 28 acres in the Talladega National Forest in East Alabama. Here in West Alabama, there is a two-acre wildfire in extreme southern Greene County.
In Sports:
The transfer portal has claimed another Alabama football player. Sophomore Wide Receiver Shazz Preston appeared in 10 games for the Tide but now wants to try his luck elsewhere. Preston was a four-star recruit out of St. James (Louisiana) High.
Preston is the fifth Alabama player to enter the transfer portal since the window opened in December. others are Anquin Barnes, Ja’Corey Brooks, Tyler Buchner, and Isaiah Hastings.
In comments after Alabama's overtime loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl Monday, edge rusher Dallas Turner announced he is making himself available for the NFL draft.
The Crimson Tide is also losing a coach. Wide receiver coach Holmon Wiggins is heading to Texas A&M to join the staff of new head coach Mike Elko.
Coleman Hutzler had already announced he is leaving Tuscaloosa to be new head coach Jeff Lebby’s defensive coordinator at Mississippi State.
Yesterday a friend asked why short work weeks actually seem longer? Maybe it because you are still doing five days' work but only in four days?
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
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