High Clouds, But Still Dry
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THIS AFTERNOON: Interesting to note the high clouds over Alabama, at an altitude of about 20,000 feet, are actually originating from Hurricane Paul in the eastern Pacific along the coast of Baja California. Under the high clouds, the air is very dry (dewpoints are in the 40s), and there is no rain on radar.
We dry tonight and tomorrow, but things could get active west of the state by tomorrow night. SPC maintains their standard “slight risk” of severe weather for parts of the Mid-South, including Little Rock and Memphis, and there is an enhanced 30 percent chance of severe weather over East Arkansas. The main risk here will come from high straight line winds as a squall line sets up ahead of an upper trough/cold front.
OUR NEXT RAIN: Here in Alabama, based on 12Z models runs, including the RPM, it now looks like the band of showers and storms will move into the northwest corner of the state around 10:00 p.m. tomorrow, then passing through the northern half of the state from midnight tomorrow night until 6:00 a.m. Thursday. Sure looks like most of the showers will be well to the south and east of Birmingham by 7:00 a.m. Thursday, followed by clearing by afternoon. Bottom line is that it now looks like most of the day Thursday will be rain-free for the northern counties of Alabama, with the showers and storms coming during the pre-dawn hours.
In terms of the severe weather threat, the line of storms could still pack a punch as they approach Florence/Muscle Shoals late tomorrow night, but they should weaken greatly as the move southeast, and the severe weather potential looks very small for most of the state.
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: These three days looks excellent, with sunny pleasant afternoons and clear chilly nights. Highs mostly in the 70s, lows generally in the 40s. I expect we will see some 30s across the colder pockets of North Alabama at daybreak Saturday. Even this morning we note Valley Head, up in DeKalb County, dropped to 39 degrees.
TROPICS: Hurricane Rafael is passing east of Bermuda this afternoon, and will turn east in the North Atlantic; no threat to the U.S. mainland. And, Hurricane Paul is on the coast of Baja California in the eastern Pacific and weakening. It will turn back out into the Pacific later this week and dissipate.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Excellent highs school football weather this week, clear and cool Thursday and Friday nights with temperatures dropping into the 50s by the second half of the games; you will need a jacket.
Alabama and Auburn are playing in Tennessee this weekend; Auburn will take on Vanderbilt in Nashville (11:21 a.m. kickoff), while Alabama will play the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville at 6:00 p.m. The weather will be fine at both game sites; for the Auburn game temperatures will rise through the 60s with a sunny sky. Alabama’s game will kick off with a temperature near 60 degrees, then falling through the 50s during the game.
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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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