Summer-Like Afternoons; Only Isolated Showers

RADAR CHECK: We have a few isolated showers over the northwest corner of the state this afternoon ahead of a surface front over West Tennessee. Otherwise, the sky is partly sunny across Alabama with temperatures generally in the upper 80s and low 90s. The average high for September 23 at Birmingham is 83; the record high is 99 set in 1931.

Isolated showers will end this evening, and the sky will be mostly fair tonight.

REST OF THE WEEK: That weak front will drift into North Alabama tomorrow, stall, and then move slowly northward later this week as a warm front. For that reason, we will maintain a chance of isolated showers or thunderstorms each day, mostly during the afternoon and evening hours, but nothing too widespread or heavy. Otherwise, expect partly sunny days with highs generally in the 88-93 degree range, and lows mostly in the 60s.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: A strong upper high will be overhead, meaning mostly sunny hot days, and fair nights. Afternoon highs will rise into the low to mid 90s, a good ten degrees above average for late September in Alabama.

NEXT WEEK: Not much change. A high amplitude pattern will develop with a ridge over the east, and a trough over the west. Temperatures remain above average here, but they will be well below average out west, where some places will see their first big snow of the season. See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.

TROPICS: We have three tropical storms on the board this afternoon….

*Tropical Storm Jerry is packing sustained winds of 65 mph, and is less organized. It will pass just north of Bermuda Wednesday on the journey eastward, away from the U.S.

*Tropical Storm Lorenzo, in the far eastern Atlantic, is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday. This will gain latitude, and global models show the system recurving into the North Atlantic well east of the U.S.

*Tropical Storm Karen, in the eastern Caribbean, is barely hanging on as a tropical cyclone this afternoon; winds are 40 mph. It will bring rain and gusty winds to Puerto Rico tomorrow… then it continues northward. Steering currents collapse, and Karen will drift around this weekend with little movement. It could turn west, toward Florida and the Gulf of Mexico from there, or it could head eastward into the open Atlantic. Ensembles are showing a split decision for now; just too early to call. Still a storm to watch.

DID YOU KNOW? While “equinox” roughly translates to equal night, it doesn’t mean you’ll have 12 hours of daylight followed by 12 hours of darkness today. The Sun also rises close to due east on the equinox but the date it comes closest to rising at that cardinal point varies relative to when the equinox occurs in the day, longitude, etc. The closest Birmingham will come to 12 hours of daylight, also known as the equilux, will be Thu Sep 26, 2019 with 12 hours, 0.78 minutes of daylight. The Sun will rise on Birmingham tomorrow at 06:36 CDT just 0.01 degrees azimuth from due east, the closest of the season.

ON THIS DATE IN 1975: Eloise made landfall as a major hurricane about 10 miles east of Fort Walton Beach, FL (Okaloosa County) at approximately 7am CDT. According to the NOAA Assessment, Herbert Saffir estimated winds in excess of 120 mph based on the structural wind damage he observed in Eloise. Shortly after Eloise made landfall, a peak wind gust of 115 mph was recorded at Eglin AFB (before the instrument failed) with 85 mph gusts at Hurlburt Field. Eloise was the first major hurricane to strike the region in 4 decades, yet did not have any fatalities directly related to the storm. However, there were 4 fatalities reported across Florida and Alabama indirectly related to Eloise. The 2 deaths in Alabama occurred after the storm from a tree falling during clean-up operations and electrocution from a downed power line.

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I had a great time today visiting with the 3rd graders at Deer Valley Elementary… be looking for them on the Pepsi KIDCAM today at 5:00 on ABC 33/40 News! The next Weather Xtreme video will be posted here by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow…

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