Gulf Storm This Weekend?
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THE ALABAMA STORY: Another very nice morning… over on the Skywatcher chat Vic Bell at Black Creek in Etowah County is reporting 57 degrees; other 5 a.m. temperatures include 58 at Decatur, and 59 at Courtland and Scottsboro. The urban heat island effect is in full force since Birmingham is much warmer with 75.
The sky will stay sunny today with a high in the low to mid 90s with low relative humidity values.
REST OF THE WEEK: Still looks mostly dry through Friday. I guess a blip or two could show up on radar Thursday or Friday afternoon, but the chance of any one spot getting wet is so small we won’t mention it in the forecast. Highs will hold in the 90-95 degree range for most places, with a few upper 90s over West Alabama. Humidity levels will slowly rise by Thursday and Friday.
LABOR DAY WEEKEND: Quite the tricky forecast due to the potential of a tropical depression or storm forming in the Gulf of Mexico…
For now Saturday looks generally dry with only isolated showers, but we will continue the trend toward better rain chances Sunday, and especially Monday as the potential for tropical moisture moving up this way is certainly there. The GFS brings in the potential for heavy rain for the southern two-thirds of Alabama as the moisture combines with an approaching front, but on the other hand, the ECMWF keeps the deeper moisture well to the south, with the tropical system headed for the southern tip of Texas as opposed to the Northwest Gulf.
We really won’t get more clarity until later in the week and we will see how the tropical wave behaves.
GULF COAST FORECAST: Again, a low confidence forecast. Gulf Shores, Pensacola, and Destin might wind up with heavy rain at times over the Labor Day weekend due to the tropical system, or perhaps nothing at all if the Gulf system heads for the southern tip of Texas. I think we need to mention higher rain chances for sure Sunday and Monday, and maybe even early as Saturday. But, if you have a trip planned for the holiday weekend, don’t panic about the weather just yet. We will have much better clarity in a day or so.
KATIA: The new tropical storm in the eastern Atlantic is expected to become a major hurricane in five days north of the Leeward Islands. Both the GFS and the ECMWF recurve Katia across the open Atlantic well east of the U.S. See the Weather Xtreme video for details and the graphics.
LONG RANGE: The GFS is showing a nice upper trough axis west of here at mid-September which just might bring down some cool air… again see the video for details.
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Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:30 or so this afternoon… enjoy the day!
Category: Alabama's Weather
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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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