Wednesday Morning Weather Video: Things Will be Heating Up Through the Weekend

There was a collective gasp in the Rickwood Field Museum last night as the news broke that American Hero Willie Mays passed away. It was an amazing night at Rickwood as the Birmingham Barons took on the Montgomery Biscuits in a throwback game to the Negro Leagues. Birmingham was wearing the uniforms of the Birmingham Black Barons from the Southern Negro League. This week’s events at Rickwood were designed to honor the Say Hey Kid, and now they will memorialize the Birmingham hero.

JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY FORECAST: The good news is that the big ridge of high pressure over the East Coast is doing two things for us. It is shunting drier air into Alabama and the Southeast, and it is giving a slightly cooler easterly flow. The tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico is no threat to the beautiful beaches of Alabama and Northwest Florida. Still, it brings high clouds to the area, which helps mitigate the summer heat. Most everyone is starting in the 70s this morning, although a few lucky spots are reporting upper 60s over Northeast Alabama. Almost everyone in Alabama will see 90 degrees by this afternoon, although the Shoals might hang in the upper 80s. There will be no rain today or for much of Alabama through Saturday. Lows tonight will be in the 60s North and East, with lower 70s elsewhere.

FIRST DAY OF SUMMER: Thursday will see the summer solstice arrive at 3:50 pm CDT, and it will feel like it with the heat going up. Thursday will feature more sunshine as our Gulf disturbance steams further westward and into Mexico. More on that in a minute. The gates will open at 3 p.m. Thursday at Rickwood, so arrive early, as huge crowds are expected at the Nation’s Oldest Ballpark for the regular season game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants. If you are lucky enough to be going, there will be no parking at the stadium, and all fans are directed to go to Legion Field, where there will be a free shuttle to Rickwood. The first pitch temperature at 6:15 p.m. will be 89, falling into the upper 70s by the final out. Fine weather for a memorable day.

WEEKEND OUTLOOK: The mercury will be rising, and so will the humidity by Friday and into the weekend. Friday highs will be in the lower and middle 90s, with middle 90s common Saturday and even upper 90s by Sunday. As dewpoints rise into the middle and upper 60s, heat index values will approach the dangerous level between 100F-104F. Remember your heat precautions: hydrate often, wear sunscreen, and take frequent breaks if you are out in the heat. Check on friends, family, and neighbors who might not have proper air conditioning.

WEEK TWO VOODOO: The week two period looks much more unsettled in Alabama, with the ridge in the eastern U.S. breaking down, allowing a big trough to replace it in the Northeast. This will force a boundary or two our way that will lead to unsettled conditions, especially through midweek. The weekend looks drier

BEACHCAST: Double red flags were flying along much of the beautiful beaches of Alabama and Northwest Florida. A Mississippi man drowned in the Gulf on Sunday in the surf at Gulf Shores. Remember, ignoring the double red flags can land you a $500 citation. A high rip current risk will be in effect through Friday night along the beaches. Rain chances will be in the 30-50% range each day, but it won’t rain all day in most cases. Water temperatures are in the upper 80s.

Click here to see the Beach Forecast Center page.

IN THE TROPICS: Potential Tropical Cyclone One continued to slowly organize overnight and will become Tropical Storm Alberto today as it moves westward into Mexico, north of Tampico. Heavy rain, coastal flooding, and tropical storm force winds will affect northeastern Mexico and southern Texas. Rainfall amounts of 5-10 inches are expected into South Texas with isolated 15-inch amounts. Tropical storm warnings are in effect from San Luis Pass, Texas into Mexico.

NATIONALLY: Excessive heat watches and warnings and heat advisories are in effect from southern Michigan and northern Indiana into Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and into New England.

DANCING WITH THE STATS: The mercury should reach 96F in Caribou ME this afternoon, tying the all-time record high recorded twice there on June 19, 2020, and on June 29, 1944.

WEATHERBRAINS: Great show this week with part of our team in Myrtle Beach at an AMS conference. Check out the show at www.WeatherBrains.com. You can also subscribe on iTunes. You can watch the show live on our new YouTube channel for the show.You will be able to see the show on the James Spann 24×7 weather channel on cable or directly over the air on the dot 2 feed.

ON THIS DATE IN 1938: Cloudburst weakens railroad bridge on Custer Creek in Montana as the “Olympian” passenger train of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad approached with 140 people on board. The train hit the bridge at full speed and ran straight into the bank of Custer Creek. Seven passenger cars and the locomotive all plunged off the bridge. One sleeper car was completely submerged. Forty nine people died and 65 were injured. Some of the bodies were washed downriver in the flood to Sydney – over 130 miles away. Four to seven inches of rain led to the disaster. Follow my weather history tweets on Twitter. I am @wxhistorian at Twitter.com.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Tropical