Heat Advisory in Effect Today

DOGS DAYS OF SUMMER: An upper ridge overhead, means hot temperatures; highs in the mid 90s for most places today with sunshine through scattered cumulus clouds. A few showers and storms will pop up during the afternoon and evening hours, but they should be few and far between. Dangerous heat levels are expected with heat index values expected above 105° at times this afternoon and is why a Heat Advisory has been issued until 7PM this evening.

USA BRIEF: Strong high pressure continues to bring very hot temperatures to much of the west. Excessive heat is forecast through mid week for portions of the west. Areas from the High Plains to the Northeast have the potential for severe thunderstorms and heavy rain. Major hurricane Hector is forecast to pass south of Hawaii, but tropical-storm-force winds and other impacts may affect the Big Island.

TOMORROW THROUGH FRIDAY: The upper-ridge weakens, and the air becomes more unstable as a weak surface front slowly approaches from the north. These days, showers and storms should become more numerous across Alabama with heat levels backing down. Highs will be in the 85-90 degree range with scattered to numerous showers and storms, generally from 12 noon until 10:00 p.m. But, we can’t totally rule out a late night or morning shower. The sky will be occasionally cloudy.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Not much change as we are forecasting a mix of sun and clouds Saturday and Sunday, with a few showers and storms likely, generally during the afternoon and evening hours. Afternoon highs will be in the lower 90s.

NEXT WEEK: The air will remain rather moist and unstable, so we will need to maintain the chance of random, mostly afternoon and evening showers and storms on a daily basis, otherwise partly sunny days with afternoon highs pretty close to normal for this time of year, which means lower 90s. .

TROPICAL UPDATE: All is calm in most of the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and tropical cyclone formation is not expected for the next five days. However, way out in North Atlantic, satellite data indicate that thunderstorm activity during the past several hours has increased and become better organized in association with a well-defined, non-tropical low pressure system centered about 950 miles west-southwest of the Azores. Environmental conditions are expected to be somewhat conducive for the system to acquire subtropical or tropical characteristics later today. By Wednesday, however, the low will encounter increasingly cooler waters, which will hinder development while the system moves toward the north-northeast over the open North Atlantic. Formation chance through 5 days…medium…50 percent.

Stay cool today!
Ryan