WEATHER SUMMARY
The National Weather Service rated the tornado that moved through Mobile on Christmas afternoon as an E-F2 with estimate winds of 111-135mph. It had a damage path length of 5.7 miles, and a width of 200 yards. It started near Halls Mill Road & Dauphin Island Parkway and ended in Prichard. The NWS will have survey teams from Mobile, Birmingham, Slidell and Jackson helping to assess the tornado tracks. They told us this morning the track in Wilmer was from either an EF1 or EF2, but their final determinations should come later today as crews further investigate the damage in Wilmer, and in Clarke County near Grove Hill.
Dress warm on this Thursday as highs will have to work hard to reach the mid 50s. Skies remain mostly clear until lunchtime and that's when a few high thin clouds will skirt by. It won't be as cold tonight as lows tumble into the 40s. Our next storm system arrives tomorrow night, it looks to bring some good healthy soakers to the region as a deepening low slings Gulf moisture our way. That low will drag another cold front across the Coast, bringing a slight severe weather risk for areas primarily south of I-10, so stay tuned into the forecast.
We'll see a nice improvement by Saturday afternoon. In the wake of that system cold air moves in, by Sunday morning we're back to freezing. Our next chance for rain will be primarily isolated at this point for New Year's Eve leading into the New Year. We'll keep you posted!
Meteorologist, Kelly Foster
