Occasional Showers Through The Weekend; Watching Rafael
RADAR CHECK: Scattered showers continue across Alabama this afternoon…. otherwise we have a mix of sun and clouds with temperatures in the 77-82 degree range. Dothan has reached 85 degrees and is the warmest spot in the state. Tonight will be mostly cloudy, and we will maintain the chance of showers.
There will be some chance of showers and storms on daily basis for the rest of the week, but rain distribution won’t be very even due to the scattered nature of the rain. Not much sun; highs will remain in the mid to upper 70s for most places.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: We are starting to get better model agreement concerning the tropical system in the Gulf (Rafael). It will slow down over the northern Gulf and weaken quickly due to shear, cooler water, and dry air. A decent chance it will dissipate before reaching the U.S. coast, but even a remnant low can bring enhanced rain chances.
We will mention periods of rain in the Alabama forecast both Saturday and Sunday with an increase in tropical moisture, and the stalled front to the west. The amount of rain will be determined by the condition and location of the tropical low if it is close to Alabama. Highs will be in the 70s… See the video briefing for maps, graphics, and more details.
TROPICS: This afternoon Tropical Storm Rafael, with winds of 70 mph, is about 105 miles east of Grand Cayman. The system is moving to the northwest at 15 mph.
The NHC forecast has Rafael coming over western Cuba as a category one hurricane tomorrow, followed by rapid weakening over the northern Gulf of Mexico late this week. It is forecast to be just south of the Louisiana coast Sunday, where it could dissipate before moving inland.
FOOTBALL: For the Alabama/LSU game in Baton Rouge Saturday night (6:30p CT kickoff)… the sky will be mostly cloudy with showers possible during the game. The amount and duration of rain will be determined by the track and timing of the tropical system in the northern Gulf of Mexico. While it will be in the process of dissipating, it still could bring a deeper layer of tropical moisture into Southeast Louisiana Saturday. For now we are not expecting it to rain all night, but showers are certainly possible during the game. Watch for forecast changes as we get closer to the weekend.
ON THIS DATE IN 1991: Nearly 3,000 individuals were killed in the Philippines when Tropical Storm Thelma produced massive flooding. The storm was the second major disaster of the year as Mount Pinatubo violently erupted on June 12th.
ON THIS DATE IN 2002: An F2 tornado moved through Abbeville in Southeast Alabama. Several homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed; one person was killed and 20 others were injured. Abbeville High School was destroyed.
Look for the next video briefing here by 6:00 a.m. tomorrow…
Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Weather Xtreme Videos
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James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.Subscribe
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