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THIS AFTERNOON: All is quite across Alabama this afternoon with dry, continental air in place. After a cool morning, most communities are in the 75 to 79 degree range. But, to the west, Oklahoma is sitting on a powderkeg again, with SPC putting a high risk out for the central part of the state; a PDS tornado watch is up already. Storms should explode out there during the next few hours, and all of the storm chasers are making their bets on where convection will initiate. It is almost like a chess match at this stage of the game, before anything gets on radar.
Tonight will be fair and pleasant; most spots will drop to near 60 degrees early tomorrow.
TOMORROW AND FRIDAY: The storm system across the Plains will pull the old surface front near the Gulf Coast northward, putting Alabama back in a moist airmass by tomorrow night. We will mention a chance of showers and storms, at this point it looks like the main risk will be from about 8:00 p.m. tomorrow and then on through the daytime hours Friday. The rain won’t be continuous, and rainfall amounts will very a good bit from neighborhood to neighborhood. The heaviest rain should be over the Tennessee Valley of North Alabama, with amounts dropping off as you go south.
We do note that SPC has put West Alabama in a slight risk of severe weather for tomorrow night, but no doubt the best chance of severe weather, at least on an organized basis, will be west of Alabama.
THE WEEKEND: An upper ridge begins to build across the state, meaning hotter afternoons, and fewer showers Saturday and Sunday. I really think most of the weekend will be rain-free, with highs around 90 degrees with a mix of sun and clouds. Any showers that form will be rather isolated.
NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND: The maps looks like summer next week. The primary westerlies aloft remain to the north, and we will be in a warm and humid airmass throughout the week, with just a few “widely scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and storms” each day. No major or widespread rain event is expected for now. And, this kind of weather more than likely will continue into early June.
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I really enjoyed the visit today to Sunshine High School down in the southern part of Hale County… be looking for those kids on the Pepsi KIDCAM on ABC 33/40 News this afternoon at 5:00. The next Weather Xtreme video will be posted by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow…
