Here are a couple of quick notes on the weather for Central Alabama.
Widely scattered thundershowers did develop in the heat of the afternoon. Temperatures reached 94 to 97 before the showers cooled a few spots.
One of those spots was Helena. My temperature nose dived from 95 to 73 in about an hour. Along with the cooling effect of the rain, my gauge recorded 1.49″. That’s nearly 9 times what I have had all month so far! And a second thundershower was just to my northwest promising a bit more in the gauge. I am not aware of any flash flooding, but then I am in the comfort of my home.
Showers at 3:30 pm were occurring in western Shelby County in the vicinity of Helena, in northern Bibb County just west of Montevallo, in Coosa County just west and northwest of Alexander City affecting Goodwater and the area just south of Goodwater, and between Springville and Oneonta affecting parts of St. Clair and Blount counties. A few showers were also occurring in northwest Walker County and southwest Winston County.
Tropics are active. Harvey has moved ashore in Central America. The one approaching the Lesser Antilles has seen a major flair in convection on the west side of the storm. That one has a long row to hoe yet, however, computer models continue to suggest a track that could bring the storm to South Florida by the weekend. It is likely to be a strong storm, but it does have some formidable obstacles in the form of eastern Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico ahead of it.
NWS in Birmingham has issued a Flash Flood Warning for parts of Jefferson and Shelby counties until 5:30 pm.
-Brian-
