The Heat Cranks Up A Notch

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FIND A COOL SPOT: Sure looks like the first week of August will be one of the hottest so far this summer. Don’t think it will be as hot as the June 1-16 stretch, when we saw upper 90s just about every day for almost two weeks, but we do expect upper 90s on most days with this week, with potential for a few triple digit highs over West and Northwest Alabama, where topsoil moisture levels are lower.

And, along with the increased heat, look for hardly any cooling showers and storms. Understand there is always some risk of a shower or thunderstorm on a hot summer day in Alabama, but they should be few and far between between now and Thursday. Not sure we even need to mention the chance in our formal forecast tomorrow through Thursday.

USE YOUR COMMON SENSE: Long time readers know my commitment not to insult your intelligence here and tell you to go into an air conditioned room and drink water when the weather gets hot in Alabama. Just use your common sense and we will be fine. Sizzling hot weather around here is to be expected during the first week in August.

WEEKEND PEEK: The upper ridge weakens a bit, which should allow heat levels to drop a bit by Saturday and Sunday with a few scattered showers and storms around. Highs should be in the mid 90s.

AT THE BEACH: Look for about 8-10 hours of sun each day along the Gulf Coast from Panama City west to Gulf Shores this week with only widely scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs will be in the low 90s, and the sea water temperature at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab this morning was 86 degrees.

TROPICAL UPDATE: Most computer models back on Friday had suggested that we could have Hurricane Emily in place now near the Leeward Islands. Not happening, so far… in fact the wave isn’t even a tropical depression at this point. Sure seems like dry air has been hampering development. But, there is still an excellent chance that the system will become a tropical storm within the next 48 hours, and models are in good agreement with the forecast track (be sure and see the Weather Xtreme video for the graphics and details). The system should move over Hispaniola, and the Bahamas this week on a track that should keep it from entering the Gulf of Mexico. Interaction with Hispaniola could keep the system from reaching hurricane strength, and most models keep the system a tropical storm through Friday.

In the longer range, the GFS pushes potential Emily close to Southeast Florida before the recurve out to sea. With the system being so disorganized at this point, it is simply too early to make a call. But again, no problems are expected from the Gulf of Mexico.

The rest of the Atlantic basin is quiet.

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Tags: heat

Category: Hodgepodge