RADAR CHECK: As expected, showers and storms are fewer in number across Alabama today thanks to sinking air motion in the wake of a disturbance over Louisiana that is moving westward. There are a handful of storms on radar over the northern half of the state, but most communities are simply hot and dry with temperatures generally in the low 90s.
ON THE MAPS: A weak upper is not far from New Orleans this morning; this feature brought an enhanced coverage of showers and storms to Alabama yesterday… but it is moving westward, and today should be drier statewide with only widely scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. Otherwise, today will be partly to mostly sunny with a high in the low 90s.
RADAR CHECK: As I write this around 3:00 this afternoon, we have absolutely nothing on radar over the northern two-thirds of the state…. the only echoes are over southern Mobile and Baldwin counties, and even there they are very isolated. The big MCS/derecho that raked our state really worked the atmosphere over; dewpoints and instability values today are much lower, and temperatures are in the upper 80s in many places. Just not hot or unstable enough to get storms going.
STORMS MORE SCATTERED IN NATURE TODAY: That was quite the thunderstorm complex that moved through Alabama yesterday. An MCS (mesoscale convective system) for sure, and possibly a “derecho”… there is a strict definition involved and we will look at the data today to see if the complex hit that criteria. One way or another it was responsible for taking down hundreds and hundreds of trees statewide on the journey from north to south, on the eastern periphery of an upper high to the west.
CLASSIC SUMMER MIX: This time of the year, you can say the weather will be hot and humid with a chance of scattered afternoon storms… and you will be correct 99 percent of the time. That is the situation again today for Alabama; most of the sun will come this morning, and most of the storms will come from 1:00 until 11:00 p.m. Like yesterday, where storms do form this afternoon they will be capable of producing strong straight line winds
RADAR CHECK: On this hot summer afternoon strong storms are in progress over the northern half of Alabama… heavier storms are producing gusty winds, small hail, heavy rain, and lots of lightning. SPC maintains a “slight risk” (level 2 out of 5) for the northeast corner of the state through tonight, with a “marginal risk” (level 1 out of 5) for the rest of North and Central Alabama.
MORNING SUN, AFTERNOON STORMS: All is quiet across the great state of Alabama early this morning; we expect a good supply of sunshine this morning, followed by the usual round of random, scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight. Most of the storms will come from 1:00 until 11:00 p.m… and with a little dynamic support from the southern edge of the westerlies, they could be pretty strong over the northern counties of the state.
RADAR CHECK: Again today in the hot, humid environment across Alabama we have random, scattered showers and storms in progress. Stronger storms are producing heavy rain, gusty winds, and lots of lightning, and most of them at mid-afternoon are over the eastern and southern counties of the state.
SUMMERTIME IN ALABAMA: New day, old forecast. Must be summer in Alabama. Today’s weather will be hot and humid with a good supply of sunshine this morning; then, during the heat of the afternoon, scattered storms will fire quickly in random places. Like yesterday they could be pretty strong with potential for heavy rain, gusty winds, small hail, and lots of lightning. The main window for the storms will come from around 1:00 until 11:00 p.m… and the chance of any one spot getting wet is around one in three. The high will be in the low to mid 90s for most places, but where storms form temperatures will cool quickly into the 70s.
HOT SUMMER DAYS: It is that time of the year when you can say “hot and humid with scattered, mostly afternoon and evening thunderstorms” and get the foreacst right just about every time. An upper ridge and abundant low level moisture will be in place across the Deep South this week providing the typical summertime weather for Alabama. We note the NWS in Birmingham has issued a “heat advisory” for some Central Alabama counties today.
RADAR CHECK: So far today, the most widespread thunderstorm activity is over the southern half of the state, but a few widely scattered storms are forming as far north as I-20 at mid-afternoon. Away from the storms, we have a mix of sun and clouds with temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s at most places. Scattered storms will end late tonight.
There is a weak upper low over Southeast Alabama, so when scattered showers and storms develop today they will be moving westward around the top of that circulation. The chance of any one spot getting wet today is about one in three, otherwise we expect a mix of sun and clouds with a high at or just over 90 degrees for most communities.
SUN, HEAT, HUMIDITY, STORMS: We have your classic case of random, scattered thunderstorms across Alabama this afternoon. As I write this most of the showers were south of I-20… rotating around an MCV (mesoscale convective vortex) over Central Alabama.
Today will be another warm, very humid day with potential for scattered showers and thunderstorms; most of them will come this afternoon and tonight. The high today will be in the 84-88 degree range for most communities.
Our long time friend, mentor, and charter Weather Factory member, J.B. Elliott, passed away on May 11, 2015. Click HERE to read James' tribute.
