Noon Update: Hot and Humid, Only Isolated Storms
LOOKS AND FEELS LIKE AUGUST TO ME: It will be hot and humid across Alabama, with a mix of sun and clouds this afternoon. Temperatures will be in the lower 90s and the heat index will be over 100° in spots. We are going to see a weak frontal boundary push south through the state, and it will likely produce a few more showers and storms, but nothing especially widespread of intense is expected.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Behind the front, drier air moves into state, which will thin our shower activity out, and for both Saturday and Sunday, only isolated showers are expected as rain chances are generally less than 10%. Expect a partly to mostly sunny sky with afternoon highs both days in the lower to perhaps mid 90s.
HELLO HARVEY: Our next named system looks to be named by the end of the day. At 500 AST, the center of Tropical Storm Harvey was
located near latitude 13.1 North, longitude 59.1 West. Harvey is moving toward the west near 18 mph, and a continued westward motion with a slight increase in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days. On the forecast track, Harvey should move through the Windward Islands and into the eastern Caribbean Sea later today. Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph with higher gusts. Some slight strengthening is possible during the next 48 hours. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles mainly to the north of the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1004 mb (29.65 inches).
ELSEWHERE IN THE ATLANTIC: Still watching two other tropical waves back to the east which show signs of potential development. Feature one: Shower and thunderstorm activity associated with an area of low pressure located about 900 miles east of the Leeward Islands continues to show signs of organization. While this system does not yet appear to have a closed circulation, only a slight increase in organization could lead to the formation of a tropical depression before upper-level winds become less favorable for development early next week. The low is expected to move west-northwestward at about 20 mph during the next few days, and interests in the northern Leeward Islands should monitor the progress of this disturbance. Formation chance through 5 days…70 percent.
Feature two: A tropical wave located over the far eastern Atlantic Ocean a few hundred miles west and southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands continues to produce disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are forecast to become more favorable for some development early next week while the system moves west-northwestward to northwestward at about 20 mph. Formation chance through 5 days…30 percent.
The next two names on the list are Irma and Jose.
THREE DAYS UNTIL ECLIPSE: The viewing weather looks to be decent of the event. It begins around 12:00 noon, peaks around 1:30PM, and ends at 3:00PM…there will be a field of cumulus clouds, but no sign of any widespread cloud cover that would block your view. Any showers during that three hour window should be few and far between. Once again, this is going to be a big event, PLEASE have the proper eyeglasses to view the event. Regular sunglasses will NOT provide the kind of protection for your eyes that is needed.
Have a fantastic Friday!
Ryan
