Sizzling Summer Day Ahead For Alabama

HOT: A strong upper ridge will keep Alabama hot and mostly dry today; we project a high today in the 93-96 degree range for most communities. So far Birmingham’s hottest temperature this summer is 95, recorded on July 28… we will be close to that level today. The average high for August 24 is 90. Any showers or storms later today will be found over the southern part of the state, and even there they will be scare.

REST OF THE WEEK: Not much change tomorrow; afternoon showers will be few and far between with a high in the low to mid 90s. Then, the upper ridge weakens and we expect an increase in the number of scattered showers and thunderstorms Thursday and Friday with lower heat levels; the high both days will be in the 88-91 degree range.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Not much change; we are forecasting a mix of sun and clouds Saturday and Sunday with scattered showers and storms around both days, mostly during the afternoon and evening hours. Odds of any one spot getting wet are 50-60 percent, and highs over the weekend will be 87-90 degrees for most places.

NEXT WEEK: We will roll with a persistence forecast; partly sunny days with the usual round of scattered showers and thunderstorms daily, mostly between now and midnight. Highs next week will be generally in the upper 80s; See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.

TROPICS: NHC is monitoring a trio of systems across the Atlantic basin. Two of them are over the central and eastern Atlantic with a medium chance of development; they most likely will not impact the U.S. if they get their act together.

The one of greatest interest is a wave over the eastern Caribbean Sea; it is expected to form a broad area of low pressure over the southwestern Caribbean Sea later this week. Thereafter, environmental conditions are forecast to be favorable for gradual development, and a tropical depression could form by the end of the week while the system moves west-northwestward to northwestward over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. Long range models suggest this one will cross the Yucatan peninsula, finally moving into either the coast of Mexico, or maybe South Texas early next week.

Still no sign of any tropical systems threatening the Central Gulf Coast for the next 7-10 days.

ON THIS DATE IN 1992: Hurricane Andrew made landfall in southern Florida at 4:30a ET. Andrew is one of only four hurricanes to make landfall in the United States as a Category 5, alongside the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, 1969’s Camille, and 2018’s Michael.

The high winds caused catastrophic damage in Florida, with Miami-Dade County cities of Florida City, Homestead, and Cutler Ridge receiving the brunt of the storm. About 63,000 homes were destroyed, and over 101,000 others were damaged. This storm left roughly 175,000 people homeless. As many as 1.4 million people were left without electricity at the height of the storm. In the Everglades, 70,000 acres of trees were knocked down. Additionally, rainfall in Florida was substantial, peaking at 13.98 inches in western Miami-Dade County. About $25 billion in damage and 44 fatalities were reported in Florida.

After moving across southern Florida, the hurricane emerged over the Gulf of Mexico at Category 4 strength, with the Gulf Coast of the United States in its dangerous path. After turning northwestward and weakening further, Andrew moved ashore near Morgan City, Louisiana, as a low-end Category 3 storm.

BEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.

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Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!

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