Hot August Weather Ahead
Fairly routine weather across Alabama for the rest of this week as each day will feature a mix of sun and clouds, and scattered, to perhaps numerous showers and thunderstorms, most active during the afternoon and evening hours. Rainfall could be heavy at times with a tropical air mass in place and some areas of flash flooding will be possible under the more intense tropical downpours; also, a few strong storms will be possible. Highs will be in the mid-90s, and heat index values will be over 100°.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Hot weather continues this weekend as an upper ridge begins to build into the Deep South. Rain chances will trend downward with only scattered storms possible Saturday afternoon, but much of the state will be dry Sunday with only isolated showers. Highs in the mid to perhaps upper 90s are in the forecast.
HOT NEXT WEEK: Mainly sunny and hot weather highlights our forecast for next week as the upper-ridge holds in place. Showers and storms will remain rather isolated, and temperatures will be in the low and mid 90s. Heat index values will likely be over 100°, and may approach the 105° Heat Advisory criteria at times.
IN THE TROPICS: Three tropical systems, but thankfully none of them a concern for Alabama.
GRACE: The center of Tropical Storm Grace was located by an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft and satellites near latitude 18.7 North, longitude 80.1 West. Grace is moving toward the west near 14 mph. A general westward to west-northwestward motion is expected for the next several days. On the forecast track, the center of Grace will continue to move away from the western coast of Jamaica and and move near or over the Cayman Islands later this morning. Grace will approach the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico tonight or early Thursday.
Data from the reconnaissance aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds remain near 60 mph with higher gusts. Grace is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane by tonight, with some additional strengthening possible prior to the center reaching the eastern Yucatan Peninsula. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles mainly north through east of the center. A reporting station near Rum Point Beach on the north shore of Grand Cayman recently measured a sustained wind of 34 mph and a gust to 51 mph. The latest minimum central pressure estimated from reconnaissance aircraft data is 1000 mb (29.53 inches).
HENRI: The center of Tropical Storm Henri was located near latitude 30.1 North, longitude 65.7 West. Henri is moving toward the west near 8 mph. A gradual turn to the west-northwest and Northwest by late Thursday is expected, followed by a turn to the northwest on Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength if forecast through Thursday. However, Henri could still become a hurricane by the weekend. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 998 mb (29.47 inches).
Stay cool!!!
Ryan
