Slightly Cooler, Staying Dry
SUNNY AND BREEZY SATURDAY: The dry cold front pushed through Alabama today and we have seen severe clear across the state today and it has been a sunny and gorgeous day. Temperatures were in the upper 80s and lower 90s through out South/Central Alabama. It has been a breezy day due to the frontal passage and the pressure gradient between the high pressure moving into the Ohio Valley and Matthew along the Southeast Coast. Dew points are falling as drier air moves into the state, and that is why we are seeing a fire danger in portions of the state.
HURRICANE MATTHEW: Matthew finally made landfall along the South Carolina Coast this morning, just northeast of Charleston near McClellanville. The center of Hurricane Matthew was located near latitude 33.8 North, longitude 78.2 West. Matthew is moving toward the east-northeast near 13 mph, and this motion is expected to continue tonight and early Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Matthew will be near the coast of southern North Carolina by this evening.
Maximum sustained winds remain near 75 mph with higher gusts. Although weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, Matthew is expected to remain near hurricane strength while the center is near the coasts of North Carolina. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles mainly over water to the east of the center. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles. Multiple private weather stations along the coast of South Carolina near Myrtle Beach have recently reported hurricane-force wind gusts. The minimum central pressure estimated from Air Force aircraft data is 977 mb (28.85 inches).
Lots of wind continues with this system, but that threat is slowly decreasing and the serious threat is an inland flooding event that is developing through the Carolinas.
SLIGHTLY COOLER, UNFORTUNATELY STAYING DRY: We need rain, but it is not in the forecast the next seven days. Today, behind the front, a surface high pressure in the Great Lakes region will continue to provide a northerly flow for Alabama through the weekend and into Monday. Flow off the continent is dry, and therefore why our dew points are falling. For the week ahead, the upper ridge will be flattened a good deal with the passage of a strong trough through the Great Lakes area by Thursday. This will once again bring a cold front into the Southeast, but there is little hope we’ll see any rain, just a few passing clouds. The upper ridge builds back for the end of the week and the weekend while a surface high moves across the Northeast. So now that we know it is going to be dry, this is strictly a temperature forecast. Dry air heats up and cools off more effectively, that means for the week ahead, we are going to see cool and clear nights, with warm and sunny afternoons. Lows will moderate from the lower 50s the next few mornings, to the mid to upper 50s by late in the week. Highs will be in the lower 80s to start the week, then warming to the mid to upper 80s for the second half of the week.
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Have a great evening!
Ryan
