Very Active Weather Pattern This Week !

by Shane Butler

We have a very active weather pattern around here this week. A significant cool down is on the way but first we have hurricane Michael heading toward the northern gulf coast.

From the National Hurricane Center:

At 10:00 PM CDT the center of the eye of Hurricane
Michael was located by NOAA and Air Force Reserve reconnaissance
aircraft near latitude 23.2 North, longitude 85.3 West. Michael is
moving toward the north near 12 mph.  A northward to
north-northwestward motion at a slightly faster forward speed is
expected through Tuesday night, followed by a northeastward motion
on Wednesday and Thursday.  On the forecast track, the center of
Michael will continue to move over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico
tonight, then move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico Tuesday and
Tuesday night. The center of Michael is expected to move inland over
the Florida Panhandle or Florida Big Bend area on Wednesday, and
then move northeastward across the southeastern United States
Wednesday night and Thursday.

Reports from the two reconnaissance aircraft indicate that maximum
sustained winds have increased to near 90 mph with higher
gusts. Steady to rapid strengthening is forecast during the next
day or so, and Michael is expected to become a major hurricane by
Tuesday night.

Impacts around here will be mainly rain and gusty winds Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday morning. The strongest winds and heavier rain will be over our south and eastern most counties. Areas from Andalusia to Auburn could have 35 to 50 mph wind gust and rainfall 1 to 3 inches.

A cold front sweeps what’s left of the tropical system to our east Thursday. This will allow cooler and drier air to spill into the state. We should see sunny skies with temps topping out in the upper 70s to lower 80s Friday.

Over the weekend, another front will push southward and possibly bring a shower or two with it Sunday but after that another surge of cooler air moves into the area. We could be facing morning temps in the upper 40s early next week.