One More Week Of Record Heat, Then A Cool-Down
NUMBER TWO: The mean temperature this month so far at Birmingham is 82.0 degrees… this will wind up as the second warmest September on record. The hottest was September 1925, when the mean was 84.2 degrees.
Our weather won’t change much this week as a very strong upper high remains right over us; look for partly to mostly sunny days, highs in the mid 90s, and only isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Birmingham’s hottest October temperature is 94 degrees, recorded in 1919, 1927, 1941, and 1954. There is a very high chance we beat that tomorrow through Friday on multiple days, meaning we will see our hottest October days on record.
BUT, TO THE WEST: While we have the strong upper high and record heat, and west is dealing with a deep upper trough along with snow and record cold. The high temperature in downtown Portland yesterday was 49°… an all-time record earliest in the season that downtown highs failed to climb above the 40s in 145 years of record keeping there. Previous earliest was Oct 12, 1881.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: The ridge finally begins to break down, and heat levels will come down Saturday and Sunday with highs in the 80s. Showers remain isolated Saturday, but Sunday will bring a better chance of rain statewide as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is allowed to flow northward. Probably not a major rain event, but it will certainly help.
NEXT WEEK: Monday looks like a mostly cloudy with with showers possible; the high will be between 78 and 81. Then, for the rest of the week, highs will be around 80, with lows in the 57-62 degree range. Quite the change from this ongoing heat wave. See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.
RAIN UPDATE: Here are rain totals for the year, followed by the departure from average…
Mobile 46.43″ (-5.69″)
Huntsville 43.40″ (+3.49″)
Tuscaloosa 40.10″ (+0.84″)
Anniston 39.73″ (+1.98″)
Birmingham 37.06″ (-3.79″)
Shelby County Airport 33.87″ (-7.92″)
Montgomery 33.81″ (-6.75″)
TROPICS: Hurricane Lorenzo, in the Central Atlantic, is packing sustained winds of 105 mph, and it moving northeast. It will clip the Azores tomorrow night, then it becomes post-tropical in the North Atlantic late in the week. The rest of the Atlantic basin is quiet.
ON THIS DATE IN 1992: The coldest September ever recorded in interior Alaska was wrapping up. Fairbanks averaged a frigid 31.7° which was 13.2° below normal and the first below freezing September ever. Beginning on the 9th and on every day for the rest of the month, a new record low was set for either low minimums or low maximums, or both. On this date, the city plunged to 3° to set a new all-time record low for September. Snowfall for the month totaled 24.4 inches which was more than three times the previous record for September.
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I have a weather program this morning at Springville Middle School… look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon. Enjoy the day!
Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Weather Xtreme Videos
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James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.Subscribe
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