Midday Nowcast: Plenty of Sunshine and Plenty of Heat

Hot and mainly dry weather continues across Alabama with generally sunny conditions. Expect humidity levels are beginning to rise and that will cause heat index values to climb as well. Highs will be in the low to mid 90s and heat index values will climb to over 100° in the coming days. Rain chances are low, but not zero, and a few isolated showers are possible the next few days.

BIRMINGHAM ALMANAC: For June 13th, the average high for Birmingham is 88° and the average low is 68°. The record high is 99° set in 1977, while the record low is 49° set in 1985. We average 0.15” of precipitation on this date, and the record value is 2.23” set in 1912.

CODE ORANGE OZONE ALERT: The Alabama Department of Environmental Management, ADEM, has issued an Air Quality Alert for Jefferson and Shelby Counties. Under Code Orange conditions, ground level ozone concentrations are expected to reach levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups. Children and people with asthma are individuals most at risk under these expected conditions.

ACROSS THE USA: Heavy to excessive rainfall will continue across central and southern Florida over the next several days. Excessive rainfall may lead to flash and urban flooding. Scattered severe thunderstorms capable of producing severe hail, wind and tornadoes will be possible in the Upper Midwest today. Excessive heat will continue to expand across the west and southwest through Thursday.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Much of North and Central Alabama will likely stay dry with only very isolated showers Saturday and Sunday; showers are more likely over the far southern part of the state and along the Gulf Coast, but the weekend won’t be a wash-out there. It should be the hottest weekend so far this year with highs in the mid 90s thanks to a heat ridge overhead. Some communities could reach the upper 90s. The pattern continues to look relatively dry for the following week with only widely scattered showers and storms around; highs will be in the low to mid 90s on most days.

NEXT WEEK: We will maintain the chance of a few showers on a daily basis through the week, but the deepest moisture will likely be west of Alabama. Rain amounts will be light and spotty; the higher rain coverage will be over the southern counties, but even there no wash-out. Heat levels drop with highs in the low to mid 90s through the week.

IN THE TROPICS: Two areas the National Hurricane Center is monitoring:

1. An elongated area of low pressure offshore the coast of Florida is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Despite strong upper-level winds, some gradual development is possible while the system moves northeastward offshore of the southeastern U.S. coast during the next couple of days. Regardless of development, heavy rainfall is forecast to continue across portions of the Florida peninsula through late this week. Formation chance through 7 days…low…20 percent.

2. Southwestern Gulf of Mexico: A broad area of low pressure is forecast to form over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico this weekend or early next week. Environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form during the early or middle part of next week while it moves slowly westward or west-northwestward. Formation chance through 7 days…medium…40 percent.

BEACH FORECAST CENTER: Get the latest weather and rip current forecasts for the beaches from Fort Morgan to Panama City on our Beach Forecast Center page. There, you can select the forecast of the region that you are interested in visiting.

WORLD TEMPERATURE EXTREMES: Over the last 24 hours, the highest observation outside the U.S. was 121.1F at Hermosillo, Mexico. The lowest observation was -102.5F at Vostok, Antarctica.

CONTIGUOUS TEMPERATURE EXTREMES: Over the last 24 hours, the highest observation was 118F at Stovepipe Wells, CA. The lowest observation was 24F at Mackay, ID.

Tags: ANC, featured, hot

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS