Moisture Levels Rising

ISOLATED SHOWERS POSSIBLE LATER TODAY: Temperatures are mostly in the 60s early this morning across the great state of Alabama, and we see nothing on radar. Today will be partly sunny, and the latest high resolution model data suggests a few widely scattered showers could break out this afternoon. The chance of any one spot getting wet is about one in five, and the high this afternoon will be in the 87 to 90 degree range.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEATHER: Most of the stadiums will be dry tonight, although a few could see a brief shower during the first half. Temperatures will fall from near 80 degrees at kickoff, into the mid 70s by the final whistle.

OUR WEEKEND: Moisture levels will continue to rise, and we will have scattered showers and thunderstorms around tomorrow and Sunday with a mix of sun and clouds. While the best chance of a shower or storm will come during the afternoon and evening hours, we can’t totally rule out a late night or morning shower. Highs will be generally in the mid 80s.

NEXT WEEK: Our weather is looking relatively quiet; for now we will mention only widely scattered afternoon showers Monday through Wednesday, with highs in the 87 to 90 degree range along with partly sunny days and mostly fair nights. Tropical Storm Erika could bring some rain to far Southeast Alabama, but for now the impact on the northern half of the state seems to be insignificant.

EYES ON ERIKA: The tropical storm just south of Puerto Rico looks very disorganized this morning. The circulation center remains displaced from the convection due to wind shear, and today the system will have to move over the mountainous island of Hispaniola. There is a very real chance this thing could dissipate over the next 24 hours, much like Danny last week.

If the system survives, it seems to be headed for the Florida. With a weaker system, models continue to trend to the left, and now the official NHC track brings Erika through the Florida Peninsula as a tropical storm early next week. It doesn’t make much sense to really focus on the “center line”, since the convection could still be removed from the center. Hopefully this will bring some drought relief to Central and South Florida without many other problems.

Understand there is still a good bit of uncertainty in this forecast… take some time to watch the Weather Xtreme video for all the maps and graphics associated with Erika, along with more thoughts on the ultimate destination.

GULF COAST WEATHER: We will forecast about 6 to 8 hours of sunshine through early next week from Panama City Beach west to Gulf Shores, with a few widely scattered storms. Highs will be in the upper 80s on the immediate coast, and sea water temperatures remain mostly in the mid 80s.

Still a little too early for a specific Labor Day weekend forecast on the Gulf Coast. A good chance Erika will have dissipated by then, and otherwise I don’t see any reason for serious rain problems for now. See the complete Gulf Coast 7 Day Planner here. The Gulf Coast Beach Forecast is presented by Gulf Shores Plantation by Mandoki Hospitality Vacation Rentals. Escape to Gulf Shores Plantation where memories last a lifetime.

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. Scroll down for the show notes on the special we did last night on the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

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I will be traveling today, so just one Weather Xtreme video, but I will post some forecast notes later this afternoon. Enjoy the day!

Tags: ANC, showers

Category: Alabama's Weather