I-59 Showers

The semi-permanent subtropical high over the Atlantic Ocean that we usually see near Bermuda in mid-summer is displaced to the east on this July Sunday. There is a surface high over the Atlantic to the east of New England. That high is ridging down the East Coast of the U.S.. There is a trough of low pressure eating into the southwestern side of the high.

Over Alabama, you can see the effects of the trough, which contains drier air, extending into Southeast Alabama. The rest of the state has fairly normal summer time moisture over it.

As a result, in all parts of the state expect for the Wiregrass of Southeast Alabama, a beautiful field of fair weather cumulus clouds have formed. Temperatures are hot, in the 90s at all first order observing stations across the state except over the higher elevation of Northeast Alabama. It is 82F at Fort Payne and 86F at Valley Head. Readings range from 90F at Auburn and Alexander City to 96F at Huntsville. It was 91F at Calera and Birmingham and 94F at Anniston and Tuscaloosa.

The cooler temperatures over Northeast Alabama are thanks to developing showers and thunderstorms. At 2:20 p.m., showers covered much of DeKalb County in northeast Alabama and were developing around Decatur. We still expect a fairly good coverage of showers and storms within about a 120 mile wide band on either side of I-59. The chance you will get a cooling shower is about 1 in 3 this afternoon. They will die out quickly after sunset.

Showers should be few and far between tomorrow and Tuesday, but will start to increase again by midweek. Temperatures will continue to be summerlike with highs in the 90s and lows in the 70s.

Category: Alabama's Weather