Hot, Dry Weather Continues

HOT, DRY WEATHER: The upper ridge in place keeps our temps climbing higher, while our rain chances remain very low. Continue to look for more sun than clouds today and tomorrow with highs in the low to mid 90s across the state, while nights will be fair and mild. Rain chances are generally less than 10 percent for much of Alabama.

WATCHING THE TROPICS: Nana made landfall as a hurricane overnight in Belize, and it now weakening. At 400 AM CDT, the center of Tropical Storm Nana was located near latitude 16.7 North, longitude 88.8 West. Nana is moving toward the west-southwest near 15 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue through today with some decrease in forward speed. On the forecast track, Nana will continue to move inland over Guatemala and extreme southeastern Mexico today and tonight. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 70 mph with higher gusts. Rapid weakening is forecast today and tonight, and Nana will likely become a remnant low on Friday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 997 mb (29.44 inches).

TROPICAL DEPRESSION OMAR: At 500 AM AST, the center of Tropical Depression Omar was located near latitude 36.3 North, longitude 62.4 West. Omar is moving toward the east near 14 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue through tonight, accompanied by a decrease in forward speed. A turn toward the east-northeast and northeast is expected Friday and Friday night. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is forecast, and Omar is expected to become a remnant low later today or tonight. The remnant low should dissipate on Saturday. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).

1. A broad area of low pressure located over the eastern tropical Atlantic several hundred miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands continues to produce a small area of showers and thunderstorms. This system is expected to interact with a tropical wave approaching from the east over the weekend, and it is unclear if the interaction will enhance or inhibit development of this system while it meanders over the eastern and central tropical Atlantic through early next week. Formation chance through 5 days…low…30 percent.

2. A tropical wave located off the coast of west Africa is merging with another disturbance located a couple of hundred miles south of the Cabo Verde Islands, resulting in an extensive area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Development of this system is likely to be slow during the next couple of days while it moves west-northwestward at about 15 mph, and a tropical depression is more likely to form early next week over the central tropical Atlantic where environmental conditions are forecast to be more favorable for development. Formation chance through 5 days…high…70 percent.

3. Another tropical wave is forecast to move off the west coast of Africa over the weekend. An area of low pressure is expected to form from the wave, and some development of this low will be possible early next week while it moves generally westward over the far eastern tropical Atlantic. Formation chance through 5 days…low…20 percent.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND: Saturday looks to remain fairly dry, but for Sunday and Monday we will bring the chance for mainly afternoon, scattered showers and storms back in the forecast. Highs over the weekend should mainly be in the low 90s across South/Central Alabama.

NEXT WEEK: Showers and storms will increase for the first half of next week as a deep trough and surface front approach the state. Behind the front, for the second half of next week, a cooler and much drier air mass will make a visit to Alabama for a few days. For Thursday and Friday, look for a sunny sky, lower humidity, with highs in the mid-80s, and lows well down into the 60s, with 50s for portions of North Alabama.

Have a great day!
Ryan