Archive for July 13th, 2012
Late Evening Storms
Weakening area of showers over Northwest Alabama’s Walker, Marion, Winston and Lawrence Counties.
A complex of stronger storms was over South Central Alabama’s Lowndes and Autauga Counties west of Montgomery and Prattville.
The South Central Alabama storms were pushing northwest. They are approaching Selma.
These storms are slowly weakening. They should hold together into Perry and southwestern Chilton Counties. They may make it to Bibb County or perhaps even to Tuscaloosa County. But they won’t be strong.
Friday Evening Update
A few showers and thunderstorms are around the state this evening. They are moving from the southeast to the north northwest. If you find yourself under one of the showers you will experience lightning and torrential rain with some localized flooding possible.
Most of the showers are south of Interstate 20. These storms should last until after sunset and then begin to rain themselves out.
Expect a similar set up tomorrow, with afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Heat Levels Slowly Rising
**No afternoon Weather Xtreme video today due to travel**
RADAR CHECK: So today showers and storms are not as numerous as recent days; radar shows showers and thunderstorms scattered mainly over the eastern half of the state… some of the heaviest rain was over Clay County, and around Montgomery as I write this. These showers are moving to the north/northwest, and we will maintain the chance of a few passing showers and thunderstorms statewide tonight tonight.
OUR WEEKEND: Tomorrow should be similar to today; a mix of sun and clouds with scattered showers and storms, mostly during the afternoon and evening hours. The high will be around the 90 degree mark, and the chance of any one spot getting wet is about one in three.
Looks like showers will thin out even more Sunday; the 12Z models look drier with only widely scattered afternoon and evening showers and storms; the high Sunday afternoon will be in the 91 to 94 degree range with a partly sunny sky.
NEXT WEEK: The GFS is suggesting pretty standard summer weather for Alabama next week; partly sunny days with scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and storms, with highs somewhere between 90 and 95 degrees on a daily basis. Some evidence there could be an increase in the number of showers and storms over the latter half of the week with a surface front approaching from the north.
GULF COAST WEATHER: Again, a very “normal”pattern for the next several days from Panama City west to Gulf Shores; about 6 to 8 hours of sunshine each day with the chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs on the immediate coast will be in the 87 to 90 degree range, and the sea water temperature this afternoon at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab is a warm 87 degrees.
Check out the isolated thunderstorm tower this afternoon… looking north from the public beach at Gulf Shores… from @thundernurse58
CONNECT: You can find me on all of the major social networks…
WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 90 minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40.
Brian Peters will produce the Weather Xtreme videos here tomorrow and Sunday… my next video will be posted bright and early Monday morning. Enjoy the weekend!
Summer Showers
An all new edition of the ABC 33/40 Weather Xtreme video is available in the player on the right sidebar of the blog. You can subscribe to the Weather Xtreme video on iTunes by clicking here.
FRIDAY THE 13TH: We begin the day with a quiet radar look… just a little drizzle in spots over North Alabama. The overall, synoptic scale isn’t any different today; we have a deep layer of tropical moisture, a weak upper trough just to the west, and a stalled surface front just to the north. This combination should lead to scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms once again this afternoon and tonight. We don’t expect to get out of the 80s today thanks to the clouds and showers.
COOL JULY DAY: Interesting to note we never got out of the 70s yesterday in spots; Birmingham’s official high was 79… very close to our record lowest maximum temperature for July 12 (75, set in 1907). Tuscaloosa did establish a “record low high” yesterday with a maximum of 81 degrees.
OUR WEEKEND: We will see a slow shift to showers and storms becoming more scattered, but no doubt it will rain at times tomorrow and Sunday. Both days will feature a mix of sun and clouds, and heat levels will slowly rise. We project a high around 90 tomorrow, followed by low 90s Sunday. The chance of any one spot getting wet tomorrow is about 50/50, and then about one in three on Sunday. While the best chance of showers and storms will come during the afternoon and evening hours, we can’t totally rule out a late night or morning shower as well.
NEXT WEEK: Looks like fairly routine summer weather for Alabama next week; partly sunny days, the risk of an afternoon shower or storm in spots, highs in the low to mid 90s. See the Weather Xtreme video for long range details and all of the graphics that go along with this discussion.
GULF COAST WEATHER: Only about 1 to 2 hours of sunshine today along the coast from Panama City west to Gulf Shores with a good chance of showers and thunderstorms. Then, 5 to 7 hours of sunshine tomorrow through early next week with showers and storms becoming more widely scattered. Highs will be in the 86 to 89 degree range on the immediate coast, and sea water temperatures are generally in the mid 80s.
WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 90 minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40.
CONNECT: You can find me on all of the major social networks…
I will be in Gadsden today speaking at a Chamber of Commerce function there… look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:30 or so this afternoon. Enjoy the day!
