Midday Nowcast: Sweltering Heat and Strong Storms

Afternoon temperatures are in the upper 90s across Alabama today with a mix of sun and clouds. With high humidity mixing in as well, heat index values across Alabama are in excess of 105° today, and a Heat Advisory is in effect for almost all of Alabama.

Along with the heat, of course we have to keep an eye on radar trends as some strong storms could drop into Alabama from Tennessee this afternoon. The SPC has defined a “slight risk” of severe thunderstorms (level 2/5) for the northeastern portions of the state, with a “marginal risk” (level 1/5) as far south as Hamilton, Birmingham, and Roanoke.

Most of the storms today should stay east of Alabama in Georgia and the Carolinas, but again we will keep an eye on trends. The main issue will come from damaging wind gusts.

MORE STORMS TOMORROW: Most of our Friday will be hot and dry with highs in the mid to upper 90s. Tomorrow evening and night, a surface front will drop south into Alabama enhancing our rain chances and the risk of storms. Any storms could have the potential of strong winds, and most of Alabama in included in a level one risk of severe storms for this reason late tomorrow.

WEEKEND WEATHER: Showers and storms will remain possible Saturday as the front sags southward… they will be most numerous over the southern 2/3 of the state. This won’t be an “all day” rain, and the sun will be out at times. Heat levels come way down as most places will see highs in the mid to upper 80s.

On Sunday, the northern half of the state will be in a drier airmass. The sky will be mostly sunny with lower humidity levels, but it will be rather comfortable for a late July Day, the high will be near 90°. Scattered storms will remain possible Sunday across the southern counties.

NEXT WEEK: For now the week looks fairly quiet with mostly sunny days with isolated to widely scattered afternoon showers or storms…highs will be in the low to mid 90s, which is pretty much what we expect in late July in Alabama.

IN THE TROPICS: We still have Don in the Open Atlantic, with winds of 50 mph, it is no threat to the U.S. A tropical wave located a few hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands is currently interacting with the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The combination of these features is producing an elongated area of showers and thunderstorms over the eastern and central tropical Atlantic. While dry air to the north may prevent significant organization during the next couple of days, environmental conditions could become more conducive for some development this weekend as the system moves westward across the central tropical Atlantic. Formation chance through 7 days…low…20 percent.

In the Central Pacific, Calvin has dissipated.

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 120.9F at Basrah-Hussen, Iraq. The lowest observation was -82.8F Dome A, Antarctica.

CONTIGUOUS TEMPERATURE EXTREMES: Over the last 24 hours, the highest observation was 121F at Death Valley, CA. The lowest observation was 26F at Mackay, ID.

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