5/3/9 NOW: AL, LA

[Mike Smith]

Tornado Warning near BHM with two hooks southwest of the city moving northeast. Third hook, farther southwest, may be forming.

And, moments after I wrote this, the tornado warning was enlarged, the City of Birmingham included, and a tornado reported.

0123 PM TORNADO MCCALLA 33.35N 87.01W
05/03/2009 JEFFERSON AL AMATEUR RADIO

ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW

 

[Jason.Webb]

Here is Live Streaming
http://www.abc3340.com/news/stories/0209/599335.html
http://media.myfoxal.com/live/index.html

Reports of Power Flashes headed to Purchase Galleria

 

[Mike Smith]

Brett Adair is on the storm. There is a hook (unwarned) WSW of Alabaster. Reports of power outages in Metro BHM.

Possible tornado at I-459 and I-65.

Wall cloud reported in progress right now.

John Brown also on storm @ severestudios.

 

[Chad Cowan]

Brett Adair is on the storm. There is a hook (unwarned) WSW of Alabaster. Reports of power outages in Metro BHM.

At 1:24 he submitted this Spotternetwork report: "Tornado on the ground just south of I-459.....we were on the outer fringes of the circulation!"

 

[Mike Smith]

ABC33/40 TV in BHM says they just lost commercial power.

James Spann doing a great job.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

ABC33/40 TV in BHM says they just lost commercial power.

James Spann doing a great job.

Wow, pretty good coverage from ABC33/40! I'm used to having to shake my head (or do a 'face-palm') every few minutes when I listen to some of these on-air mets, but the guys on the stream now actually sound like they know what they're talking about without much in the way of hyperbole or exaggeration. Don't see too many TV mets show velocity data, and they've done a pretty good job describing the threats and evolution of the storm.

That bow echo S of BHM is relatively impressive in its curvature. A quick Google search of the populations of some towns in the path of the apex of the bow seems to indicate that it's not going to affect any very-highly-populated areas (largely towns with pops <10,000), at least in the short term. I'm not familiar with BHM and surrounding areas, though!

EDIT: I also appreciate how much stress they are putting on getting out of mobile homes. They've mentioned it a couple of times ("it" being the recommendation to abandon mobile homes for permanent structures) in reference to the tornado-warned storm ENE of BHM, as well as in reference to the severe straight-line winds associated with the bow.

 

[jshields]

tornado on the ground with damage reported near ragland, al. supercell is out ahead of squall line by itself. warning calls it a very dangerous tornado!

edit: updated warning says LARGE AND DANGEROUS TORNADO on ground now near ohatchee, al or 8 miles west of saks as of 306 pm moving northeast! anyone chasing this cell?!

 

[Jason.Webb]

New Couplet Looks to be forming off the bow east of Sylacauga, AL
in between the towns of winterboro, waldo, and chandler springs

on GR2AE it looks tight on at least 3 levels (Please Correct me if i am wrong)

- Sylacauga is reporting heavy damage

Also Eventually looks like the Atlanta area will be in for it later

EDIT--- New TOR issued near Arab, AL