2011-04-15 NOW: MS/AL/TN

[Chip Redmond]

The new dominant cell just barely SW of Tuscaloosa appears to have a donut hole on .5 and 1.5 tilts.

 

[Will Tinder]

Tornado on the ground in Tuscaloosa

Live footage from ABC 33/40

 

[Michael Nicolaou]

Taladega race weekend = 100k+ fans without adequate shelter or means to move to shelter. Really hoping this breaks up before it get's there, but this is beginning to look like worst case scenario. If I was the EM for that area I'd be forcefully asking folks to leave the track and find shelter until the front passes.

 

[BBauer]

Couplet north of Brent looks pretty impressive right now

Now heading toward West Blocton

 

[Andrew Stoller]

Yea, that long track cell now near West Blocton is on a beeline for Talladega, AL, right as the truck series race is starting. Not good.

:edit: They postponed today's race and cleared the track. Wise move!

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Brett Adair is racing northward to try to hit it crossing SR5, while John Brown (per SpotterNet) is coming southward through the core. Personally, John looks like he's really chancing, so I hope he can see what he's heading into!

http://www.chasertv.com/api/static_pages/lite/430_brett-adair.php

 

[Mike Johnston]

Goodness, gracious, sakes alive. That cell near West Blocton, AL looks like the best-defined hook echo of the season to-date. A nice BWER, but seemed to be closing down on the last scan. At any rate, must be some strong dynamics over this region now; definitely life and property across the deep south at risk today and probably well into the evening.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Tornado on the ground in Tuscaloosa

Live footage from ABC 33/40

I have to say -- I think that TV met team is doing a pretty good job! The analyses seem to be quite sensible, and the lead met is well-spoken and organized (it's not like the viewer is having to swim through his thoughts). It's nice to hear and watch that his radar interpretations seem accurate, something that we can't always say, unfortunately, for all meteorologists (media, private sector, and researchers alike!). I've seen some bad live weathercasts, so it's nice to see what I consider to be a "good" one!

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

Brett and John are in incredible position, considering they're catching training tornadic supercells. West Blockton is now square in the targets of a second formidable-looking hook. This western storm seems to be interfering with the eastern storm, though the eastern storm still has a formidible (and large) velocity couplet through all tilts (all tilts are pretty low this close to the radar).

 

[Andrew Stoller]

Dennis Sherod might have a wedge or at a minimum, a large multi vortex ground hugging meso near West Blockton. Tornado reported 25 minutes ago.

Totally rain wrapped now.

 

[Mike Johnston]

Oh, goodness. That little gap between the original warning area and the second warning area just east of West Blockton could be a real problem. The second hook on the backside of that storm seems to be entering its prime now.

 

[BBauer]

Man, that cell headed toward Brent showing strong rotation. Some of these areas have to stay on their toes as has been mentioned.

 

[Amanda Farnham]

Storm is going to track extremely close to the Speedway in Talladega...

 

[BBauer]

Storm is going to track extremely close to the Speedway in Talladega...

Yes, even though the event is cancelled that tv station mentioned there are thousands camped out around the area, hopefully everyone can take adequate cover if the situation warrants.

 

[Rick Stockton]

That tornado-warned cell just east of Birmingham just went through the Talladega Speedway area. Reports are that possibly as many as 30,000 people are camped there. The only race affected at this point is the ARCA race which has been pushed back to tomorrow morning at 0800. Otherwise all the following races scheduled for Sat. and Sun. are scheduled to run as planned. It looked as though the circulation in that cell was south of the racetrack...
http://www.myfoxal.com/story/14456379/birmingham-area-sporting-events-rescheduled-due-to-weather