Wet at Times Today; Marco Fades, Laura Expected to Become Major Hurricane

Deep tropical moisture is in place across the state today, allowing for scattered to numerous showers statewide today with a few storms as well. Because of the clouds and shower activity today, afternoon highs will be in the mid to upper 80s.

MARCO HAS BECOME POST-TROPICAL: At 400 AM CDT, the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Marco was located near latitude 28.8 North, longitude 91.2 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the west near 10 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue for the next day or so. On the forecast track, Marco should continue moving westward just offshore the coast of Louisiana until the system dissipates. Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph with higher gusts. Additional weakening is expected, and Post-Tropical Cyclone Marco is forecast to dissipate by early Wednesday, if not sooner.The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb (29.77 inches).

TROPICAL STORM LAURA: Laura is expected to become a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) before it makes landfall along Gulf Coast this week. At 400 AM CDT, the center of Tropical Storm Laura was located near latitude 22.9 North, longitude 85.7 West. Laura is moving toward the west-northwest near 17 mph. This general motion should continue today. A turn toward the northwest is forecast by Wednesday, and a northwestward to north-northwestward motion should continue through Wednesday night.

On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move away from Cuba and over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico this morning. Laura is then forecast to move over the central and northwestern Gulf of Mexico tonight and Wednesday, approach the Upper Texas and Southwest Louisiana coasts on Wednesday night and move inland near those area on Thursday. Maximum sustained winds remain 65 mph with higher gusts. Significant strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Laura is now expected to be a major hurricane at landfall. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 995 mb (29.39 inches).

Elsewhere in the tropic, the Atlantic Basin is relatively quiet with no tropical cyclone development expected the rest of this week.

REST OF THE WEEK: Tomorrow will be mainly dry and very hot across the state, due to the sinking air on the periphery of Laura, which will be a hurricane in the Gulf and that should keep a decent part of the state dry Wednesday and hot, with only isolated storms possible. Deeper moisture will be pulled into the state Thursday and Friday as Laura passes well to the west, but the heaviest rain and main direct impact will remain west of our state. We will gradually increase the chance of rain late Thursday and Friday as precipitable water values rise, so scatted to numerous showers and storms are expected as we end the week.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: We expect partly sunny days over the weekend with the higher than normal rain chances, as random, scattered, afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms are expected. The high both days will be in the around 90 degrees; very close to seasonal averages for the end of August.

NEXT WEEK: We will keep the persistence forecast going; partly sunny days, fair nights, with “pop up” afternoon and evening showers and storms on most days. Highs will be generally in the low 90s.

Stay dry and have a great day!
Ryan