James Spann to Speak at Moon Lake Baptist Church

Renowned Alabama meteorologist James Spann will visit Mentone on Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 9 a.m. The location of his talk has been changed to the Moon Lake Baptist Church fellowship hall next door to accommodate a larger audience.

Spann is the chief meteorologist on ABC 33/40 out of Birmingham and the founder of the Alabama Weather Network, a more recent project that provides statewide weather coverage. Famous for his suspenders and detailed knowledge of seemingly every small town, country road, and retail center in the state, Spann is known for his reassuring presence when the weather gets rough. Some will remember a few years ago, when, covering a severe weather outbreak, he calmly excused himself for a few minutes. When he returned, he explained that he’d realized the tornado was heading through his own neighborhood, and he wanted to alert his wife and make sure she was okay. She was, but their yard sustained some minor damage.

Indeed, some viewers maintain that the strength of the storms can be gauged by whether and when Spann ditches his jacket and rolls up his sleeves, with the consensus being at that point it’s wise to take cover.

James Spann received national awards for his coverage of the devastating April 2011 tornado outbreak. His goal is never to alarm the public but to provide in-depth information about how to keep safe. He travels extensively around the state, speaking to groups about weather and storm safety.

The program is free and open to the public. Additional parking is available on the grassy area beside the library and in the Moon Lake Campus parking lot on East River Road.

Anne McLeod is the librarian at Moon Lake Library.