Routine Late August Weather; Tropics Waking Up

HOT, HUMID, RANDOM STORMS: Today will be a typical summer day in Alabama, with plenty of sunshine sun and only a few isolated afternoon storms possible. It will be hot and humid, with highs in the upper lower 90s.

REST OF WEEK: A surface front will slowly move into the northern parts of the area tomorrow allowing for more scattered to numerous shower and storm activity along and ahead of it. At this point, severe weather is not likely as instability will be rather low. Highs again in the lower 90s. Wednesday through Friday, will be mainly dry for much of Central Alabama, with a few more showers and storms across South Alabama along the decaying front. Highs will be in the in the upper 80s to the lower 90s. Unfortunately, humidity levels will rise on Friday, which will make it feel more sticky outdoors and so we will begin to increase rain chances by Friday afternoon.

IN THE TROPICS: Multiple areas the National Hurricane Center is monitoring:

1.A broad area of low pressure over the central tropical Atlantic is producing a large area of disorganized cloudiness and showers. Although environmental conditions ahead of the system are currently only marginal favorable, some gradual development of this system is expected over the next several days and a tropical depression is likely to form later this week. The disturbance is forecast to move slowly toward the west and then west-northwest at 5 to 10 mph,
toward the waters east and northeast of the Leeward Islands. Formation chance through 5 days…high…80 percent.

2. A small low pressure system located about 600 miles east of Bermuda continues to produce limited shower activity. Strong upper-level winds and dry air are expected to limit significant development of this system while it drifts southward over the central Atlantic during the next day or so, and the low is likely to dissipate by midweek. Formation chance through 5 days…low…10 percent.

3. A tropical wave is forecast to move off the west coast of Africa late today or tonight. Some gradual development of the system is possible after that time while it moves generally westward across the far eastern tropical Atlantic. Formation chance through 5 days…low…30 percent.

4. A trough of low pressure could develop over the northwestern Caribbean Sea during the middle part of this week. Environmental conditions could support some slow development of the system thereafter while it moves generally west-northwestward over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and toward the Yucatan Peninsula of
Mexico. Formation chance through 5 days…low…20 percent.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND: Easterly flow will move over the area for the weekend, which will bring scattered showers and storms during the afternoon and evening hours. Highs in the upper 80s to low 90s are expected Saturday, Sunday, and Monday!!!

Stay cool,
Ryan