ABC 33/40 E-Forecast

ABC 33/40 E-FORECAST
Afternoon Edition For Wednesday March 21, 2007

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A CRUNCHY DRY GROUND: The weather simply gets drier and drier each
day across Alabama and our rainfall deficit increases more each day.
In Mobile, the rainfall deficit since January 1 has reached 9.43
inches. The port city has only received 6.15 inches since New Years
Day. Huntsville, at the other end of the state, shows a deficit of
8.43 inches. That story can be repeated over and over in other
sections of the state. The bad news is the current weather pattern
does not favor an invasion of moisture. The weather models have been
very consistent with letting a low pressure system aloft go
stationary SW of San Diego. It is not expected to open up and move
out into the Plains until late in the weekend. When it does that,
some moisture can get into Alabama from the west, but it may be early
next week before we see any and it does not look like a general
wetting down.

HOW THE OLD THERMOMETER WILL REACT: Dry conditions promote warmer
temperatures and for the next five days, going all the way through
the weekend, it should register 80 or slightly higher each day. By
Saturday, we could even see some mid 80s. Yesterday it was 80 in
Montgomery and Tuscaloosa and 82 in Pinson.

DROUGHTS BEGET DROUGHTS: That was the saying among old-timers in
West Alabama where I grew up. I first remember hearing it while
sitting on an empty Coca-Cola crate under a big water oak tree
watching some of them play dominoes in a vacant lot next door to the
Hale County News in Moundville. I learned a lot of my early weather
training from those guys. They insisted when the weather was in a
drought, that it was twice as hard to bring in wet weather. By the
way, the Hale County News is now the Moundville Times. Yes, I
subscribe and I read it thoroughly each week. There is a lot of
validity to their early day philosophy. Extremely dry weather tends
to feed upon itself, because weather patterns usually are persistent.

THE GREAT DISASTER OF MARCH 21, 1932: Today is the 75th
anniversary. At least two waves of strong to violent tornadoes
starting at mid-afternoon in Marengo County and some more vicious
ones after dark ravaged the state. We believe that around 300 people
were killed and 3,000 injured, although the exact number may never be
known. Bill Murray is writing a series of stories on this great
event, so I will not go into great detail. There were some very odd
events that occurred. In Eastern Marengo County, a dead baby, a dead
pig and a horse collar were all found stuffed in a tree stump. In her
book, The Complete Guide to Alabama Weather, Carol Muse Evans told
about a board being driven through the neck of a horse in Chilton
County. When the horse tried to drink water, it just ran out the
hole. In the same area, a cow had a 2x4 driven through her killing
her. The Latham family lost 7 members to the tornado. The head of
the family was found dead about two miles away. His wife was found
buried up to her neck in freshly plowed soil in a nearby field. At
4:00 p.m., a powerful tornado touched down near the Tuscaloosa
Country Club on the NW edge of the city. Then plowed through the
heart of Northport. Multiple fatalities and injuries and it was
described as looking like a huge white ice cream cone. The tornado
that hit the Latham family, cut a 60-mile path across Perry, Bibb,
Chilton, Shelby and Coosa Counties killing 49 people--the largest
death toll from a tornado ever in the state. Look for some more
stories from Bill Murray as the week goes on.

MY TINY CORNER OF THE WORLD: Little Miss Molly sleeping all day
after getting worn out at the beauty shop yesterday.....

J.B. Elliott
jb.elliott@theweathercompany.com

ABC 33/40 7 Day Planner: http://abc3340.com/weather/7day.hrb
ABC 33/40 Weather Blog:

http://www.alabamawx.com
Weather Party: http://www.weatherparty.com

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CHECK OUT THE ABC 33/40 WEATHER BLOG!
http://www.alabamawx.com

One of the most active blogs around! The Weather Blog has been in
existence for nearly three years. We do our best to give fresh
information on our local weather seven days a week. And, of course,
when the weather gets active, blog posts come fast and furious. There
are six primary writers: James Spann, Jason Simpson, Brian Peters,
John Oldshue, Bill Murray and JB Elliott. We welcome your input; we
allow open comments from anyone. Those who comment are like caller to
a radio show; they are part of the family!

http://www.alabamawx.com
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TONIGHT
Fair and mild.
Overnight Low 56
WIND: SE 5-10

THURSDAY
Partly sunny and warm.
Morning Low 56 Afternoon 80
WIND: S 6-12

FRIDAY
Warm dry weather continues. More sun than clouds.
Morning Low 55 Afternoon High 81
WIND: SW 7-14

SATURDAY
Partly sunny as temperatures continue far above normal.
Morning Low 55 Afternoon High 83
WIND: S 6-12

SUNDAY
Partly sunny.
Morning Low 57 Afternoon High 82
WIND: S 7-14

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Tonight on ABC 33/40:

6:30pm Wheel of Fortune
7:00pm George Lopez
7:30pm George Lopez
8:00pm According To Jim
8:30pm In Case of Emergency
9:00pm Lost
10:00pm ABC 33/40 News

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