More Strong Storms Possible Today

A tropical air mass is in place across Alabama as dew points are ranging from the lower to mid 70s, that is air you can wear. It doesn’t take much to get rain and storms going in an air mass like this, and is why through the morning hours, we are already seeing them on the radar over portions of Alabama as a MCS (Mesoscale Convective System) is dropping south and will be impacting our forecast in one way or another today. Actually, over the next few days, several of these will be impacting Alabama, and these are known to produce severe storms with damaging winds.

For today, we will see a mix of sun and clouds, and temperatures will once again head into the 90s, and heat index values will be over 100° again in spots. That is a lot of instability, and is why more strong storms are going to be impacting Alabama this afternoon and evening. The SPC maintains a “marginal risk” (level 1/5) of severe thunderstorms defined for much of North and Central Alabama, for today, but this is likely to be expanded through the day.

Again you don’t have to be in a risk area to see a severe storm. Stronger storms will be capable of damaging straight-line winds and some hail, and if you find yourself under one of these storms, that could be a slow mover, isolated flash flooding will be a threat, along with intense lightning.

REST OF THE WEEK: Not much change tomorrow; another very humid day with scattered showers and strong storms at anytime, with the greatest number during the by afternoon and evening hours. It is not out of the question that risks areas may be issued for tomorrow and Friday as ample instability remains in place. But for now no risk has been outlined in Alabama, and Thursday and Friday will features a mix of sun and clouds, hot and humid conditions with temperatures in the upper 80s and lower 90s, and yes scattered to numerous showers and storms, mainly during the afternoon and evening hours.

INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND: The overall pattern just does not change much over the weekend and the weather will be very humid Saturday and Sunday. Expect a mix of sun and clouds, with temps on either side of 90°, while both days we will have to dodge showers and thunderstorms. These are possible anytime, but most of them will come from about 2PM-9PM with the odds of any one spot getting wet both days will be around 70%. No way of knowing in advance exactly when and where they form, you will just have to watch radar trends if you have some event planned outdoors. And, remember, when you hear thunder, get inside. Summer storms can pack hundreds of dangerous ground strokes and actually lightning deaths tend to peak around the 4th of July holiday every year with so many people enjoying the outdoors.

NEXT WEEK: We will keep the persistence forecast going. Partly sunny days with the random, scattered showers and storms around each afternoon. Afternoon will be very humid with highs will be in the 88-93 degree range.

IN THE TROPICS: For the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico: Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 5 days, but of course we will keep an eye on some areas of interest.

Be blessed!!!
Ryan