Sun, Heat, And Storms

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HOT, MUGGY DAYS: Our weather won’t change much today. Then again, the weather doesn’t change too much through the entire months of July and August. Here in Alabama, pretty much every day is hot and humid, and every day there is some risk of a storm during the afternoon and evening hours. The main forecast concerns are the heat levels, and the coverage and placement of the afternoon storms.

Today, we have decent PW values (precipitable water) values thanks to the system formerly known as Tropical Storm Bonnie (this one fizzled out before making landfall), and a surface boundary to the north, near I-40. This combination should lead to a decent coverage of showers and storms later today and early tonight. Understand it won’t rain everywhere, but where the storms form they won’t move much due to light winds aloft, and some neighborhoods could see heavy amounts of rain. Away from the storms temperatures should reach the mid 90s today.

We note last night radar suggested parts of Cullman and Blount counties had 3 to 5 inches of rain thanks to slow moving thunderstorms that also brought a wicked amount of lightning that started some house fires. Flash flood warnings were needed for both counties for several hours.

REST OF THE WEEK: Not much change tomorrow, but the upper high strengthens a bit Wednesday, which should mean hotter afternoon temperatures and fewer showers and storms. Upper 90s are possible Wednesday. Then, an upper trough over the East Coast beats the ridge down a bit, and highs drop back into the mid 90s Thursday and Friday with a chance of scattered showers and storms. The surface front associated with the upper trough, as usual in mid-summer, will run out of gas before moving into Alabama.

WEEKEND PEEK: Nothing to suggest anything other that routine summer weather this weekend. Hot, humid days with the risk of scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and storms. This weather should persist into early next week.

TROPICS: All is quiet across the Atlantic basin now and tropical storm formation is not expected through the the first half of the week. Don’t be surprised if action really picks up by mid-August.

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