Archive for August 8th, 2012
Rain Chances Increase Tomorrow/Friday
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THIS AFTERNOON: As expected, showers and storms are few and far between across Alabama this afternoon. As I write this, we basically have two storms in progress across this part of Alabama; one just east of Tuscaloosa, and one just east of Trussville. About 95 percent of the state is not getting rain, and temperatures are hotter with low 90s in most spots with a partly sunny sky. Isolated showers will end tonight.
TOMORROW/FRIDAY: These days will offer a pretty decent coverage of showers and storms statewide as an upper trough begins to carve out over the eastern third of the nation and the air aloft becomes colder. We expect scattered to numerous showers and storms both days… rain distribution, as usual in summer, won’t be even, but most places stand a very good chance of getting wet a time or two along the way. Temperatures trend downward due to the clouds and showers; the GFS suggests now we won’t get out of the 80s on both days.
REFRESHING WEEKEND: Still looks like a nice surge of dry, continental air will move into the Deep South over the weekend. This will mean lower humidity and cooler nights. Most places will see a low in the low to mid 60s early Sunday, but the cooler spots across Northeast Alabama could very well reach the upper 50s. The sky should be generally sunny both days.
NEXT WEEK: Looks like we start the week with dry weather on Monday, but moisture levels slowly rise on Tuesday and Wednesday with a chance of scattered showers and storms returning.
TROPICS: Ernesto is inland over the southern Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico… and moving west. Elsewhere, a tropical wave over the Central Atlantic has a 30 percent chance (according to NHC) of becoming a tropical depression within 48 hours; it is moving west and won’t develop quickly due to the dry air surrounding the system. Perhaps the most significant item is a huge tropical wave over the African continent that will emerge into the Atlantic tomorrow night. This one will have a high chance of developing; we will keep an eye on it. See the Weather Xtreme video for the details and graphics.
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…
Look for the next Weather Xtreme video by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow….
Showers Few And Far Between Today
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.
DRIER TODAY: The air aloft is expected to be a bit warmer over Alabama today, meaning the air is a little more stable, and showers this afternoon should be more widely spaced. Heat levels will tick up a bit as well, with most places seeing a high in the low 90s today. Still, not really bad for early August in Alabama.
TOMORROW AND FRIDAY: The chance of showers and storms will be noticeably higher on these two days as an upper trough carves out over the eastern third of the nation, and a surface front approaches from the north. This is summer, of course, and rain distribution won’t be even, but most communities stand a good chance of seeing some decent rain here. The high tomorrow will be close to 90, but there is a good chance we won’t get out of the 80s Friday thanks to the clouds and showers.
REFRESHING WEEKEND: An anomalously strong upper trough over the eastern part of the nation will push a cold front all the way down to the Gulf Coast late Friday night, and will set up a very comfortable weekend here in Alabama. Highs drop into the mid to upper 80s, humidity values will be lower, and nights cooler. We project a low early Sunday in the 61 to 66 degree range, but it sure looks like the cooler valleys across Northeast Alabama have a great chance of reaching the upper 50s at daybreak Sunday, a very nice preview of fall.
NEXT WEEK: Monday still looks generally dry, but scattered showers and storms will return by Tuesday and Wednesday as moisture levels rise.
GULF COAST WEATHER: Still looking at about 5-7 hours of sun each day on the Gulf Coast from Panama City west to Gulf Shores, with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the 87 to 90 degree range; the sea water temperature at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab early this morning is 86 degrees.
TROPICS: Ernesto made landfall last night as a category one hurricane on the Yucatan coast… it will continue to move west, emerging over the Bay of Campeche tonight, and then make the final landfall on the Mexican Gulf Coast Friday. Elsewhere, a tropical wave over the Central Atlantic has a 30 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression within 48 hours (according to NHC), but development will be slow due to all of the dry air across the Atlantic basin. Nothing threatening the Gulf of Mexico anytime soon.
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…
Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:30 or so this afternoon…. enjoy the day!
