Strong storms cause power outages across Central Alabama (2024)

THIS IS WVTM 13 WEATHER. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY FROM THIS VIEW FROM CULLMAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, YOU CAN SEE THAT WATER TOWER IN THE DISTANCE THAT’S CLOSE TO CROSS CREEK GOLF COURSE IN THE SOUTH PART OF CULLMAN, HEADED DOWN TOWARD COUNTY ROAD 565 ALABAMA HIGHWAY 69, IN THAT AREA. WELL, RIGHT THERE IS THE LEADING EDGE OF SOME VERY HEAVY RAIN IN BLOUNT COUNTY. NOW, THAT’S ABOUT 20 MILES FROM THAT CAMERA’S PERSPECTIVE. HERE’S WHAT THE BIG VIEW ON WVTM 13 LIVE DOPPLER LOOKS LIKE. AND HERE’S WHAT THE STORMS LOOK LIKE. THIS ONE THAT’S CLOSE TO HAYDEN. THAT’S WHAT THAT LEADING EDGE OF RAIN YOU CAN SEE HEADED UP TOWARD ARKADELPHIA. ANOTHER BATCH OF VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. AND A STORM LIKE THIS ONE KNOCKED DOWN SOME TREES IN FAYETTE COUNTY EARLIER. SO IF YOU’RE AROUND BAGLEY, ROBINS, THE KYREE AREA OUT HIGHWAY FIVE, OLD 78, BE AWARE OF THIS ONE THAT’S MOVING AWAY FROM LEE’S CHAPEL CHURCH AT THE MOMENT. THAT’S LIKELY TO BE SOME STRONG, GUSTY WINDS INVOLVED. THERE. IT’S RAINING HEAVILY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF RICKWOOD CAVERNS. THAT’S WHAT’S HEADED UP TOWARD ARKADELPHIA. IF IT HOLDS ON LONG ENOUGH. AND THEN WE’VE GOT OTHER HEAVY DOWNPOURS IN SHELBY COUNTY, ONE RIGHT HERE ALONG HIGHWAY 119 THAT’S BASICALLY ON TOP OF OAK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK AND THEN DOWN ON HIGHWAY 11 NEAR THE OAKLAND HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD, MOVING DOWN TOWARD PELHAM FIRE STATION NUMBER THREE, AND THEN OVER TOWARD THE HIGHWAY 119 EXIT. YOU KNOW, INTERSTATE 65, WATCH THE THUNDERSTORMS EXPLODE THIS AFTERNOON, AND WE’VE HAD A GOOD SCATTERING OF THEM. AND YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN WIND DIRECTION THROUGH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THE LOW CLOUDS ARE MOVING FROM SOUTHEAST TO NORTHWEST, THE UPPER LEVEL CLOUDS AS THOSE STORMS GO UP AND GET SHEARED OFF BY THE JET STREAM COMING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. SO A VERY INTERESTING VIEW OUT THERE TODAY. BUT BEFORE THE STORMS, THE HEAT WAS JUST ALMOST INTOLERABLE. HEAT INDEX GOT CLOSE TO 105 TODAY. THAT’S WHY WE HAD AN IMPACT DAY. BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE THUNDERSTORMS. SO ANYTIME WE’RE DEALING WITH HEAT OR STORMS OR ANY OTHER BIG WEATHER ISSUES, MAKE SURE YOU GOT THE WVTM 13 APP ON YOUR PHONE FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVEN’T HAD RAIN YET, THERE’S STILL A HEAT ADVISORY THAT WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT WITH A HEAT INDEX NEAR 100 TO 105, POTENTIALLY AS LATE AS 9:00. THIS EVENING. HERE’S THE THURSDAY NIGHT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL MAP, AND WE’RE LOOKING AT TEMPERATURES IN THE 70S WHERE WE’VE HAD SOME RAIN. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SETTLING DOWN BY 7 TO 8:00 THIS EVENING, SO I DON’T ANTICIPATE ANY REAL ISSUES WITH LIGHTNING. COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMES. CHANCE OF AN ISOLATED STORM FOR BOTH COASTAL CAROLINA JACKSONVILLE STATE AS WELL AS ALCORN STATE AT UAB. BUT MOST SPOTS ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF WIDESPREAD RAIN TOMORROW. VERY SIMILAR TO TODAY. HIGH TEMP IN THE MID 90S. HEAT INDEX AROUND 100 TO 105. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SOME SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES ON FRIDAY EVENING. THERE COULD BE A DOWNPOUR NEARBY. BOTH TUSCALOOSA AND AUBURN ON SATURDAY. THEN YOU GET INTO SUNDAY, MONDAY, LABOR DAY, A GOOD CHANCE OF SCATTERED HIT OR MISS, UNEVENLY SPREAD THUNDERSTORMS. THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT HERE IS GO