Higher Rain Chances to Start the Week

Summer is now officially here, but the good news is that temperatures look to stay a little cooler than average this week as highs will range throughout the 80s. Today will feature a good chance of scattered to numerous showers and storms in Central Alabama. The sky will feature more clouds than sun with highs reaching the mid to upper 80s. For Tuesday, a cold front works its way through the area on Tuesday meaning we will see numerous showers and storms are times, and some storms could be strong, but also, more heavy rainfall is expected.

REST OF WEEK: The front will stall out over the southern parts of the state and will keep scattered shower and thunderstorm chances in the forecast through Friday. These will mainly occur during the afternoon hours on each day. Highs Wednesday through Friday will hold in the 80s.

WEEKEND WEATHER: The air mass doesn’t change much for the weekend so scattered showers and storms will remain in the forecast both Saturday and Sunday. Highs will be in the 80s on both days.

IN THE TROPICS: Claudette restrengthens into a tropical storm this morning over North Carolina. The center of Tropical Storm Claudette was located near latitude 35.6 North, longitude 77.6 West. Claudette is moving toward the east-northeast near 25 mph. An east-northeastward to northeastward motion with some increase in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the system will cross into the western Atlantic Ocean this morning, and pass just south of Nova Scotia on Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 40 mph with higher gusts. These winds are occurring mostly over water, southeast of Claudette’s center. Some additional strengthening is possible over the western Atlantic Ocean today. Claudette is forecast to become a post-tropical cyclone Tuesday afternoon and dissipate late Tuesday night. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center in the southeast quadrant. The estimated minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 1007 mb (29.74 inches).

Also, a tropical wave located about 1000 miles east of the Windward Islands is producing a small area of thunderstorm activity. This system has a slight chance of development during the next couple of days before upper-level winds become less conducive for further organization by Thursday. The wave is expected to move westward at 10 to 15 mph. Formation chance through 5 days…low…10 percent.

Have a mischievous Monday!!!
Ryan