Hot and Humid, Showers and Storms

The temperature at 11 a.m. had already reached 90F at Hunstville, and many other stations were not far behind. At noon temperatures across Central Alabama ranged from 87F at Birmingham and Anniston to 89F at Calera to 90F at Tuscaloosa.

Skies are partly cloudy with a healthy field of cumulus clouds across the state. We are seeing enhanced cumulus development in two areas: across the Tennessee Valley of North Alabama ahead of a trough that extends out of the mid-Atlantic states. Also, there is enhanced development ahead of an upper level disturbance swinging into Mississippi.

Showers and storms will fire within the next couple of hours across the middle of the state. Temperatures will peak in the lower and middle 90s.

Instability values are high, running 3,000-4,000 joules/kg across the area. Wind shear is almost nil, so those strong thunderstorm updrafts will have a hard time maintaining themselves as they choke on their own precipitation.

Low level lapse rates are going to be strong, but mid level lapse rates are not a favorable for storms. We also don’t have the same level of upper diffluence, with weaker winds up at the jet stream level. This means the storms may not be as organized as those of yesterday.

But they will be capable of very heavy rain with preciptable water values of 1.8 – 1.9 inches. Lightning will be a bi g problem, so we weather aware if you will be outside and take shelter inside if you see an developing or approaching storm with dark clouds or thunder. There could be 40-50 mph wind gusts as well. Hard to get hail in this heat, but there could be some small hail in spots with the stronger storms.

Category: Alabama's Weather