A Few Spotty Showers/Storms Through Tomorrow

A FEW SHOWERS: We can use some rain around here; Birmingham has gone nine days without measurable rain. Tuscaloosa got a good downpour yesterday, but many places were dry. We will mention the chance of a few spotty showers and storms through tomorrow, but nothing really widespread. Odds of any one place getting wet will range from 10 percent across the Tennessee Valley of North Alabama, to 60 percent near the Gulf Coast. The best chance of showers will come from about 2:00 until 9:00 p.m.

Otherwise, expect a mix of sun and clouds today and tomorrow with highs in the 85-90 degree range. The average high for Birmingham on September 26 is 83.

THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: An upper ridge begins to rebuild, and the weather looks dry for most of Alabama Thursday through Sunday with mostly sunny warm days and fair pleasant nights. Highs will remain in the 80s, with lows in the 60s.

NEXT WEEK: Not much change; a ridge will likely keep much of Alabama and the Deep South dry through the week with highs in the 80s. A few isolated showers could show up toward the end of the week as moisture levels rise, but the prospect of a big rain event is looking low for at least the next 7-10 days. See the video briefing for maps, graphics, and more details.

TROPICS: Tropical Storm Philippe remains disorganized this morning with winds of 50 mph. It is about 920 miles east of the Northern Leeward islands, moving west/northwest at 13 mph. The system will be encountering dry air and shear, and NHC is forecasting the system to weaken and become a remnant low this weekend well north of Puerto Rico.

A tropical wave, Invest 91L, is trailing Philippe in the Atlantic. It is expected to become Tropical Storm Rina over the next few days, but it will turn north and is no threat to land.

No tropical systems will threaten the Gulf of Mexico for at least the next seven days.

RAIN UPDATE: Here are rain totals for the year so far, and the departure from average…

Muscle Shoals 35.24″ (-5.31″)
Huntsville 36.74″ (-3.24″)
Dothan 36.94″ (-5.07″)
Montgomery 39.58″ (+0.74″)
Tuscaloosa 41.23″ (+1.36″)
Anniston 41.73″ (+2.53″)
Birmingham 42.80″ (-0.72″)
Mobile 44.40″ (-7.81″)

ON THIS DATE IN 1898: A school teacher saved 32 children from death in Merritton, Ontario, when she spotted an approaching tornado and led her students to a safe corner. Unfortunately, falling debris killed one of the children and injured several others.

ON THIS DATE IN 1955: On this date, the Atlantic reconnaissance aircraft, ”Snowcloud Five” went down while investigating Hurricane Janet and was never heard from again. Lt. Comdr. Windham with a crew of 8 and two newspapermen reported that they were about to begin penetrating the central core of the hurricane. Hurricane Janet made landfall at peak intensity near Chetumal, Mexico on September 29th. Janet’s landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on the Yucatán Peninsula was the first recorded instance that a storm of such intensity in the Atlantic made landfall on a continental mainland; prior to Janet, landfalls of Category 5 intensity were only known to have taken place on islands.

Look for the next video briefing here by 3:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!

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