Hazy, Hot, Humid, Scattered Storms

HIGHER HUMIDITY, HIGHER RAIN CHANCES: Our unwelcome summer friend, humidity, has found its way back home across Alabama, and will be sticking around for a while. Hot temperatures continue today, with many locations heading towards the mid and perhaps upper 90s this afternoon; and add in those humidity levels, we do have to talk about heat indices over 100° as well. With more moisture in the air, we will have more fuel for showers and storms and we will maintain above average rain chances again today and for much of the week ahead. Like yesterday we should see scattered to numerous storms this afternoon and evening. You know the drill, storms this time of year are completely random on when and where they develop, but they do produce very heavy rainfall, frequent lightning, and gusty winds, and also like yesterday, a few severe thunderstorm warnings are certainly possible due to the potential of damaging wind gusts from wet microbursts.

REST OF THE WEEK: As the upper ridge weakens a bit, Wednesday through Friday should feature an increase in the number of showers and storms, as the air becomes more unstable, and moisture levels continue to rise. Odds of any one spot getting wet will be in the 50-60% range later this week. Heat levels will drop back as well with highs in the lower to mid 90s.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Not much change in the overall pattern as the weather will be a bit unsettled with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon and evening hour both Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise, look for a mix of sun and clouds and highs in the lower 90s.

NEXT WEEK: Looks like fairly typical late August weather, with partly sunny, hot, humid days, those daily scattered, afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Highs should mainly be in the lower 90s.

TROPICAL UPDATE: Much of the Atlantic Basin continue to be very quiet, but that is certainly to change in the coming weeks as we approach the peak of the season. An update on the feature along the East Coast, a well-defined low pressure system located more than 300 miles south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, continues to produce a small area of thunderstorms northeast of the center. Significant development of this low is unlikely as it moves eastward at 15 to 20 mph, away from the United States and Canada. Formation chance through 5 days…low…10 percent.

Have a great day!
Ryan