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THIS AFTERNOON: Temperatures actually aren’t that bad for a summer day in Alabama at 2:00… observations include…
Montgomery 81
Anniston 81
Birmingham 90
Shelby County Airport 90
Alexander City 90
Gadsden 91
Clearly the hottest places are over West Alabama, where Tuscaloosa has reached 98 degrees.
What makes the heat so uncomfortable is the humidity; dewpoints are in the mid 70s in most spots, making for a very oppressive afternoon, especially over West Alabama where heat levels are higher.
COOLING SHOWERS: Showers and storms are increasing again at mid-afternoon statewide. Some of the heaviest rain at 2:45 is near Demopolis, Lake Martin, and over parts of Cleburne, Cherokee, and Calhoun Counties of East Alabama. Strong storms are also developing rather rapidly over Walker and Tuscaloosa Counties, where the air is more unstable thanks to the hotter temperatures there. The heavier storms are capable of producing very frequent lightning, very heavy rain, and gusty winds.
TOMORROW: I don’t expect much change tomorrow; hot and humid with highs in the 90s along with scattered showers and storms.
WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY: On these three days, heat levels should be coming down with a better coverage of showers and thunderstorms as the ridge weakens a bit and moves away from us. Highs drop into the 89-92 degree range, and some pretty decent rain amounts are likely. Of course, we all know the rain distribution is uneven on summer days around here, but between now and Friday most places should see at least one inch of rain.
WEEKEND PEEK: Pretty typical summer weather is the story for the weekend. Partly sunny, hot, and muggy with scattered showers and storms, most likely during the afternoon and evening hours. Highs should be generally in the low 90s. Same type weather continues into early next week.
AT THE BEACH: We expect about 6 to 8 hours of sunshine each day through the coming weekend, with the usual risk of a passing shower or storm in a few spots. Highs along the immediate coast will be in the low 90s, and the sea water temperature at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab this afternoon is a toasty 88 degrees.
TROPICAL WEATHER: One wave is moving into Central America and won’t develop due to the interaction with land. Another wave is nearing the Windward Islands, but there is only a very low chance (10 percent) of any development due to hostile upper air winds. The rest of the Atlantic basin is quiet.
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