Midday Nowcast: Happy 4th of July

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY: Currently across Central Alabama, skies are partly cloudy and temperatures are well on their way up to “firecracker hot” status. Much of the shower activity at this time on radar is mostly confined to the southern third of the state. Most of that activity is located along and south of I-85, and along and east of I-65.

Most of the activity will be in that area of the state until the early afternoon hours, and then some shower activity will start to form over the northern half of the state. The risk for any one area to receive rain today is about one-in-four, and most communities will remain dry. There is a small chance that some showers that develop later in the day could possibly last into the 9PM hour tonight, but I believe that will be unlikely.

We do note that the SPC has placed areas north of a line from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham to Gadsden under a marginal risk for severe storms. Main risks will be from wet microbursts and dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning. If you can hear thunder, you can be struck by lightning. When thunder roars, go indoors.

Afternoon highs will be in the mid to upper 90s, with some places flirting with 100. Just use common sense today, as heat indicies will be up at or just over 100. Temperatures across Central Alabama are already up to near 90 at this hour. Here is a list of temperature observations from across the state:

Birmingham 89
Tuscaloosa 88
Gadsden 89
Anniston 89
Cullman 87
Decatur 90
Huntsville 90
Muscle Shoals 91
Alexander City 88
Montgomery 92

CODE YELLOW AIR QUALITY: The Air Quality Index for the Birmingham Metropolitan Area will be in the “Code Yellow” for particulate matter 2.5. Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

TODAY’S CLIMATOLOGY FOR BIRMINGHAM: The normal high for July 4th is 90, while the normal low is 69. The record high for today was set back in 1921 at 102. The record low was set back in 1924 at 58.

TUESDAY’S WEATHER: There will be a higher chance in scattered showers and thunderstorms tomorrow as we will have colder air aloft over Central Alabama. The overall risk that any one spot receiving rainfall will be one-in-three, so we cannot promise rain for everyone. Expect a mix of sun and clouds with highs backing off a little in the low 90s.

HEADED TO THE BEACH: The weather looks fantastic along the coast this week with mostly sunny days, fair nights, and only a small risk of storm daily. Highs will be in the 87-90 degree range on the immediate coast, with 90s inland. The sea water temperature this morning at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab is 87 degrees. See a very detailed Gulf Coast forecast here.

THE TROPICS: All remains quiet across the Atlantic basin, and tropical storm formation is not expected this week. The typical peak of the season comes later, in August and September.

WEATHERBRAINS: This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists at ABC 33/40. This week will be a Tuesday night special and will feature a discussion of the West Virginia flood event from a couple of weeks ago. You can listen anytime on the web, or on iTunes. You can find it here.

ADVERTISE WITH US: Deliver your message to a highly engaged audience by advertising on the AlabamaWX.com website. The site enjoyed 10.2 MILLION pageviews in the past 12 months. Don’t miss out! We can customize a creative, flexible and affordable package that will suit your organization’s needs. Contact Bill Murray at (205) 687-0782.

Category: Alabama's Weather