Rain at Times with Afternoon Storms

RAIN/STORMS AT TIMES: High moisture will remain in place and with a nearby upper trough, widespread and numerous showers and storms are the main features in our weather forecast today and tomorrow. Due to the clouds and rain, highs will be in the mid to upper 80s these days, which are below average for July in Alabama. By Friday, rain chances should decrease a bit, but we will continue to mention scattered showers and storms in the forecast; highs should return to the mid and upper 80s to lower 90s.

LATEST ON ELSA: Elsa will make landfall today along the western Florida coast between Cedar Key and Tampa. The center of Tropical Storm Elsa was located near latitude 28.5 North, longitude 83.5 West. Elsa is moving toward the north near 14 mph, and a general northward motion is expected to continue through this afternoon. A turn toward the north-northeast is expected late this afternoon or tonight, followed by a faster northeastward motion by late Thursday. On the forecast track, Elsa will move near or over portions of the west coast of Florida this morning, then make landfall along the north Florida Gulf coast by late this morning or this afternoon. The storm should then move across the southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States through Thursday.

Maximum sustained winds are now near 65 mph with higher gusts. Some fluctuations in the intensity are possible until landfall later today. Weakening will begin after Elsa moves inland. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1004 mb (29.65 inches).

Though Elsa remains east of Alabama, and we expect little to no impacts from the system, we will mention rip currents in the Gulf will be running high this week, with the system in the Gulf. Just be mindful of that and pay attention to the flag warning system along the Gulf. 

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Pretty standard summer weather for the week as both days, we will mention the chance for widely scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms both Saturday and Sunday. Rain chances should be in the 20-30% range, and you can expect a partly cloudy to mostly cloudy sky with highs in the lower 90s.

NEXT WEEK: For now it looks like a fairly typical mid-summer weather in Alabama; partly sunny days, and as usual the chance for those random afternoon and evening showers and storms. Highs much of next week, should be on either side of the 90 degree mark. We will mention, some of the models show another front approaching the area which would cause our rain chances to increase.

Be safe and be blessed today!!!
Ryan