FAST FACTS ON BARRY…4 AM CDT
LOCATION: 25.9 N…84.2 W OR 180 SW OF TAMPA
MOVEMENT: NNE 15 (ACCELERATING)
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…50 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…997 MB
Barry is poorly organized as you can see from this satellite photo…
The center is devoid of convection, which has been swept to the northeast by a strong southwesterly flow aloft.
Barry is accelerating NNE and will reach the coast of western Florida later today.
The storm will lose tropical characteristics as it moves across Florida, but the remnant low will move northeast, bringing heavy rain to Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, and eventually through the Mid-Atlantic states into New England.
Here in Alabama, we are being left high and dry by Barry, but the storm will benefit us in one major way: it may help to extinguish those terrible wildfires in South Georgia and North Florida that have plagued us with smoke for several days.
A few very light showers were showing up on radar this morning across the northern half of the state. More substantial showers were over South Central Alabama over Butler and Covington Counties, associated with the periphery of Barry. Low clouds and fog are prevalent over North Alabama this morning thanks to high moisture levels and yesterday’s precipitation. Some high cloudiness has edged into eastern sections from the convection north of Barry. Temperatures are in the upper 60s to lower 70s.
East Alabama will see more in the way of clouds today, helping keep temperatures in the lower to middle 80s. Western sections will see highs in the upper 80s to near 90 again. A few showers will continue over East Alabama through the day, thanks to Barry, but that is about the best he will give us. Scattered storms will develop with the heating of the day again, much like yesterday, giving isolated locations a bit of relief short term. Rain chances will be enhanced on Sunday and a little elevated on Monday thanks to a front that is approaching the area.
Look out for some really hot temperatures by the end of the week when much of the area will edge well into the 90s.
