Cloudy, Cooler, & Rain: It’s Your Midday Nowcast For Central Alabama

CONDITIONS AT 12:05 PM ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA
Much of Central Alabama is covered with a good bit of cloud cover with the exception of the extreme southeastern parts of the area, but showers and a few embedded thunderstorms are affecting mainly the eastern half of the area. A broken line of showers is stretching from Sand Rock in Dekalb County down to the southwest and ending just east of West Blocton in Bibb County. More showers and storms are located from Tuskegee in Macon County, down through Goshen in Pike County, and into South Alabama. All of these are slowly pushing off to the east. Temperatures are currently ranging from the upper 60s to the mid-80s as a cold front is currently working through the area.

WEATHER FOR THE REST OF YOUR MONDAY
Rain chances for the northwestern parts of the area will continue to lessen throughout the day as the best chance of scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms have now moved mainly along and east of the I-59 and the I-59/20 corridors (around 70%). Skies will be mostly cloudy if it’s not raining at your location and afternoon highs will range throughout the 80s today. Those rain chances will diminish greatly for tonight, but a few stray showers may linger throughout the overnight hours south of the I-20 corridor (around 30-40%). Lows will be in the mid-60s to the lower 70s.

FLORENCE IS NOW A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE
Florence has strengthened back to major hurricane status with maximum sustained winds at 130 MPH, putting her in the category 4 range. Hurricane Hunter aircraft just reported that information back to the NHC and states that minimum pressure is down to 946 MB, or 27.93 in. Unfortunately, the forecast track is still has the coast near the NC/SC state line in the bullseye of the cone, with the outer parts stretching as far south as Paris Island, SC, and as far north as Montross, VA. Florence also has the potential to continue to strengthen as she approaches the coastline.

Damaging hurricane-force winds can be expected along portions of the Carolinas and a Hurricane Watch is likely to be issued tomorrow morning. Damaging winds could also spread inland into the Carolinas and Virginia. Life-threatening storm surge is likely from the Carolinas up to the Virginia coast and a storm surge watch will likely be issued tomorrow morning. Life-threatening rip currents and very large swells can be expected throughout the entire week along a good portion of the east coast. Flooding will be likely as well as Florence is expected to dump torrential amounts of rainfall over the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic states as forward motion will slow just before and during landfall.

TWO MORE HURRICANES & TWO MORE HOTSPOTS

Hurricane Helene is still just a few hundred miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and is strengthening, but the good news is that she is expected to make a turn to the north well before making any impact on land. Helene is currently a strong category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds at 110 MPH. She is expected to become a major hurricane later today.

Now Hurricane Isaac is one that we may have to keep our eyes on throughout the week and into the weekend. Most of the ensembles show Isaac continuing on a westward path having it cross the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Monday, while a few keep it south of those islands. After that, we just don’t know what the projected track will be, but this one has the potential to make it into the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of next week. Not an official forecast, but that is the general idea as of now.

A tropical wave has formed between Cuba and Honduras and is expected to move west-northwest across the Caribbean Sea and the Yucatan Peninsula this week and emerging into the western Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday. Some better organization and strengthening is expected, and tropical depression formation could occur late this week. If that happens, the projected forecast has it moving onshore either on the Texas Gulf Coast or on the Mexican coast. Still too far out to be certain.

Finally (whew… out of breath from typing so much), an area of low pressure is expected to form over the northeastern Atlantic Ocean a few hundred miles west-southwest of the Azores that has the potential of tropical/subtropical organization this week. At this point, it is expected to move southwest and is given a 40% chance of forming into a depression/storm.

LOOK BEFORE YOU LOCK
Never leave children, disabled or elderly adults, or pets in parked vehicles. Studies have shown that the temperature inside a parked vehicle can rapidly rise to a dangerous level for children, pets, and even adults. Leaving the windows slightly open does not significantly decrease the heating rate. The effects can be more severe on children because their bodies have not developed the ability to efficiently regulate internal temperature. Heat-related deaths are preventable, so look before you lock.

ON THIS DAY IN WEATHER HISTORY
1960 – Hurricane Donna struck the Florida Keys, with winds gusting to 180 mph and a thirteen-foot storm surge. The hurricane then moved north along the eastern coast of Florida and inundated Naples before moving out to sea. Hurricane Donna claimed fifty lives, injured 1800 others, and caused more than 300 million dollars damage. The Marathon/Tavernier area was almost completely destroyed, and in the Citrus Belt, most of the avocado crop was blown from the trees. Hurricane Donna wreaked havoc from Florida to Maine, with wind gusts to 100 mph along much of the coast. Hurricane Donna produced wind gusts to 121 mph at Charleston SC on the 11th, and wind gusts to 138 mph at Blue Hill Observatory MA on the 12th. The hurricane finally died over Maine two days later, producing more than five inches of rain over the state.

BEACH FORECAST CENTER
Get the latest weather and rip current forecasts for the beaches from Fort Morgan to Panama City on our Beach Forecast Center page. There, you can select the forecast of the region that you are interested in.

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Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS