ABC 33/40 E-Forecast

ABC 33/40 E-FORECAST
Morning Edition For Thursday January 1, 2009
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The party hats and noisemakers are all put away. The fireworks are
all exploded. It was great to see Dick Clark again. I hope that you
have your traditional Southern New Years staples: ham, black-eyed peas
and collard greens. These food items are supposed to bring
prosperity. I hope that you and your family have a happy, peaceful
and prosperous 2009!

LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST: Much of Alabama has been blessed with
generous rains in 2009. While some locations still sported rainfall
deficits, all of Alabama is out of the horrible drought conditions
that have plagued us for the past two years. It looks like we will
get off to a wet start in 2009. But the devil is in the details and
the numerical models are not giving us a lot of confidence.

NEW YEARS DAY/FRIDAY: Today is easy. Lots of sunshine and several
degrees warmer as our winds shift around to the southeast. Clouds
will begin to increase late in the day as moisture levels increase and
dewpoints start to rise. Temperatures will fall into the lower 40s
during the evening, but will start to rise slowly overnight. Some
precipitation may break out overnight, but it will be light, and
liquid. A weak front will drop into the area on Friday, triggering a
few light showers. The front will stall over Central Alabama. Highs
will rise into the upper 50s.

THE WEEKEND: By Saturday morning, low pressure will be organizing
over the Oklahoma Panhandle. Increasing southerly winds will be on
the increase, and they will push the front back to the north, playing
the role of warm front. Look for a nice round of rain ahead of the
front over North and Central Alabama. As the low moves into Missouri
Saturday afternoon, a cold front will push to the southeast. Showers
and storms will continue into the warm sector through the evening
hours. Rain chances should remain high through the overnight hours
and into early Sunday morning. Rainfall amounts may average more than
an inch. The front will move through during the morning, and Sunday
afternoon and evening should feature a respite from the rains,
although a leftover shower is possible.

NEXT WEEK: As we get back to a fairly normal schedule next week,
things will continue on the unsettled side. Most of Monday may be on
dry, but low pressure will be developing along the Texas coast by the
morning. This low will intensify and head northeast. The most likely
track will be across South Alabama. If this materializes, North and
Central Alabama will receive another round of rain and perhaps a
little thunder. Tuesday will feature a few light showers and cooler
temperatures with a cool northwest wind. Could there be a little
wintry mix Tuesday night?

ON THIS DATE IN 1916: Rainmaker Charles Hatfield set up his
equipment in San Diego, California. It had been bone dry in San Diego
for months. Desperate for rain, the City Council had approved his
proposal to fill the city's near empty reservoir for $10,000. The
self-proclaimed meteorologist used towers holding barrels of boiling
secret chemicals. His claim was that he didn't make the rain, he
attracted the clouds and the rains just came. Soon afterwards, it
began to rain in Southern California. Problem was, to didn't stop.
Flooding resulted and on the 27th a dam on Lake Moreno collapsed, with
large loss of life. Many people filed lawsuits against Hatfield, but
the suits were dismissed because the event was an Act of God. The
city refused to pay Hatfield for his services since it was an Act of
God. Hatfield's life would be turned into a play, a novel and
eventually Burt Lancaster would play him in the 1956 film The
Rainmaker. You can find a statue erected to Hatfield at Lake Moreno.

Bill Murray
bill.murray@theweathercompany.com

ABC 33/40 7 Day Planner: http://cfc.abc3340.com/abc3340/7day.cfm
ABC 33/40 Weather Blog: http://www.alabamawx.com

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TODAY
Sunny, but clouds increase at night.
Afternoon High 54
WIND: SE 6-12

FRIDAY
Mostly cloudy with occasional showers.
Morning Low 41 Afternoon High 56
WIND: S 6-12

SATURDAY
Rain becoming likely during the afternoon. Rain, perhaps a little
thunder overnight.
Morning Low 39 Afternoon High 62
WIND: SE 6-12

SUNDAY
Rain likely during the morning, diminishing by afternoon.
Morning Low 52 Afternoon High 64
WIND: SE 6-16

MONDAY
Mostly cloudy with a chance of a shower. Rain becoming likely by
evening, continuing overnight.
Morning Low 45 Afternoon High 55
WIND: N/NE 6-18

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