Refreshing Morning

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TOUCH OF FALL: We are only a few days away from the beginning of meteorological fall (September 1), and there is a clear hint of the coming season in the air this morning. Temperatures at 5:00 include 56 at Black Creek (northeast of Gadsden) in Etowah County, 57 at Valley Head, and 59 at Russellville, Cullman, and Scottsboro. Most other places are in the low to mid 60s.

Vic Bell’s low at Black Creek was 55 degrees… his coolest morning since May 28 when his low was 51.

THE WEEK AHEAD: Dry is the word through Friday. Mostly sunny days, fair nights, highs in the low to mid 90s. The last time we had more than 0.02″ of rain in Birmingham was way back on August 7, and even on that day the rain total was 0.32″. Our total for the entire month is only 0.48″. So, clearly we need rain, but it won’t happen for the next five days. But, we are beginning to see a possibility of a decent wet-down in about 6-7 days.

A tropical wave is expected to move across the Gulf of Mexico and into Southeast Texas late in the week. This, of course, will need to monitored for possible development, but the moisture is expected to curve north, and then east toward Alabama along an approaching front. Accordingly, we will bring in a good chance of showers and thunderstorms on Sunday and Monday, with potential for one to two inches of rain statewide on these two days. Hate to see it over the Labor Day weekend, but you pretty much have to take the rain when you get it.

Cooler and drier air should move into the state by Tuesday of next week as the front pushes into the northern Gulf of Mexico.

TROPICS: Tropical Storm Jose is pretty much history; this is north of Bermuda and is in the process of dissipating. In the eastern Atlantic, TD 12 is expected to become Tropical Storm Katia within the next 24 hours… this will move east/northwest, and should be a hurricane by the end of the week. Medium range models show this as a storm that recurves in the open Atlantic before reaching the U.S… but that is certainly not carved in stone. But, for now, it certainly does not look like a Gulf of Mexico threat. See the Weather Xtreme video for all of the graphics and details.

And, as discussed above, we will need to keep an eye on the wave in the Caribbean as it moves westward across the Gulf of Mexico this week.

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Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:30 or so this afternoon. Enjoy the day!