Good afternoon, I've been spending lots of time analyzing this setup today. Here is the latest surface map and composite radar view from Fox 6 LIVE VIPIR. So far the heaviest rain in our area today has been over western sections of Alabama and the strongest storm at this time is impacting Uniontown, along the highway 80 corridor.
The clouds are playing a huge role in the weather setup, helping to keep our temperatures in the 70s and low 80s. This has reduced instability values and limited storm development.
At this time there are two severe thunderstorm watch boxes to our west over Mississippi. The top watch zone #328 is in place through 8PM. The bottom watch #327 is in place through 6PM. More potent storms have developed in these zone but once again temperatures have been the key. During the last hour, surface temperatures were nearing 90-degrees across portions of southwest Mississippi. This has forced CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy) values into the 3,000 J/KG range, prime fuel for thunderstorms. As for us, these values are in the 500 to 1,000 range.
The clustering of rain and storms to our west is expected to drift eastward through tonight. There's still a chance a few storms locally could be strong or severe, with possible damaging winds and hail. Its going to be interesting to see how today's setup plays a role in the overnight storms across Alabama. The more stable enviroment over our area could certainly be a factor. We'll keep you posted!
Fox6 Meteorologist Wes Wyatt
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