Showers and Storms Mostly West of I-65 Today…

Clouds continue to break up early this afternoon across Central Alabama. Temperatures are warming through the 80s right now. The mercury reached 86F at BHM just before noon.

Convective temperatures off this morning’s balloon sounding at BMX showed that showers and storms would start forming at about 85F. That is underway, with scattered showers across western Alabama from Lamar and Fayette Counties down through Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Sumter, Greene and Marengo Counties. These storms will continue to grow through the afternoon.

In addition, an increasing area of showers and storms over southeastern Mississippi and southwestern Alabama will push northward through the afternoon hours. This activity should affect only the counties that borer Mississippi, perhaps as far east eventually as Bibb and Jefferson Counties by 5-6 p.m.

Otherwise, only isolated showers and storms are expected east of I-65 today.

THE HEAT IS ON: While Alabama is enjoying a little respite from our recent heat, it’s a different story in the Mid Atlantic and Northeast. Heat advisories, excessive heat watches and excessive heat warnings extend all the way from North Carolina to New Hampshire today. It was 95F in New York City with a heat index of 102F at noon and 92F in Boston with a heat index of 99F.

STATE OF DISASTER: That is what the headline on The Advocate in Baton Rouge is today. The Amite River is cresting at a record 46.2 feet at Denham Springs, LA, besting the previous record by nearly five feet. Flood stage is 29 feet. Downtown Denham Springs is completely under water. Over 1,000 people have been evacuated in Livingston Parish because of the extensive flooding along the Amite and Tickfaw Rivers. Interstate 12 is closed and over 1500 motorists are stranded. State police are having to drop supplies to them from helicopters.

In South Baton Rouge, homes are underwater and much of the LSU campus is flooded. Two people were reported dead in St. Helena Parish. There is extensive flooding in Youngsville and Broussard in Lafayette Parish. Baton Rouge received 19.24 inches of rain between Wednesday The flooding is tremendous in Louisiana after over 20 inches of rain fell in many areas.

Category: Alabama's Weather