Midday Nowcast: More Clouds and Some Showers

Our Thursday is featuring more clouds than sun and we continue to watch scattered showers/storms across the western half of the state. This is where the better rain chances will be today. For the rest of the state, it is generally mainly cloudy with temperatures in the mid 80s for most locations.

Locations across West Alabama could hold in the upper 70s all day due to the clouds and rain.

FRIDAY/SATURDAY: An upper ridge will keep the state mostly dry and warm tomorrow and Saturday. Highs will remain in the mid to upper 80s, slightly above average for early October. Rain chances both days are generally less than 10%.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: The sky will be mostly fair for the high school games tomorrow night with temperatures falling through the 70s.

SHOWERS RETURN SUNDAY: Moisture levels rise Sunday, and we will bring in a chance of showers, and possibly a thunderstorm during the day. Expect a mix of sun and clouds and highs near 80° with those scattered showers and storms across the Alabama landscape, especially during the afternoon hours.

RACE WEEKEND: Saturday will be a mostly sunny, warm day at Talladega with a high in the mid-80s. Then, on Sunday, expect a mix of sun and clouds with a passing shower possible during the YellaWood 500. Most of the day will be dry, however, with a high around 80 degrees.

NEXT WEEK: An upper trough drops south west of the state next week, and that means our weather will be a bit more unsettled for next week. Each day will feature a mix of sun and clouds with the chance for scattered showers and storms on a daily basis. Highs next week will range from the upper 70s to lower 80s.

HURRICANE SAM: The center of Hurricane Sam was located near latitude 22.6 North, longitude 60.0 West.

Sam is moving toward the northwest near 13 mph, and a turn toward the north-northwest with an increase in forward speed is expected tonight. A turn toward the north is anticipated by late Friday, and a northeastward motion is forecast to begin on Saturday. On the forecast track, the core of Sam will pass to the east of Bermuda early Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 145 mph with higher gusts. Sam is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are expected during the next couple of days, but Sam is forecast to remain a major hurricane through Saturday, with more significant weakening anticipated later in the weekend. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 937 mb (27.67 inches).

TROPICAL STORM VICTOR: The center of Tropical Storm Victor was located near latitude 9.5 North, longitude 28.9 West.

Victor is moving toward the west-northwest near 14 mph. A west-northwest to northwest motion over the eastern tropical Atlantic is expected through the weekend.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 45 mph with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is forecast, and Victor could be near hurricane strength on Friday. A weakening trend is expected to begin over the weekend. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles north of the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1004 mb (29.65 inches).

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 visiting.

WORLD TEMPERATURE EXTREMES: Over the last 24 hours, the highest observation outside the U.S. was 110.8F at Jahra, Kuwait. The lowest observation was -105.3F at Vostok, Antarctica.

CONTIGUOUS TEMPERATURE EXTREMES: Over the last 24 hours, the highest observation was 101F at Falcon Lake and Rio Grande Village, TX. The lowest observation was 4F at Mackay, ID.

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