Sizzling Afternoons; Heat Levels Drop A Bit By The Weekend
HOT: Hot, humid summer weather headlines the forecast for Alabama through mid-week. Heat levels will peak today and tomorrow with afternoon highs in the 93-98 degree range; a heat advisory is in effect for the northern 2/3 of the state with potential heat index values touching 105 at times. Showers and storms will form during the peak of the heat, but they will be widely scattered and not everyone will see a cooling shower.
We SPC has much of Alabama in a severe weather risk both tomorrow and Thursday; where afternoon storms do form they will be heavy with potential for strong, gusty winds and small hail. The chance of any one spot seeing an afternoon storm today is 20-30 percent, and 30-40 percent tomorrow and Thursday. Most of them will come from around 1:00 until 9:00 p.m.
FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: The upper ridge over the eastern half of the nation will weaken, meaning slowly falling heat levels and increasing coverage of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Expect a mix of sun and clouds daily with highs in the 87-91 degree range for most communities. The chance of any one spot getting wet each afternoon is 55-65 percent.
NEXT WEEK: Not much change. Humid days, highs between 87 and 91 degrees, and scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. Pretty much what we expect around here in late June and early July… See the video briefing for maps, graphics, and more details.
TROPICS: A small area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms have redeveloped on the north side of a gale-force low-pressure system located about 700 miles east-northeast of Bermuda (in the middle of the Atlantic far from land). Environmental conditions are marginally favorable, and further resurgence of the thunderstorm activity could still result in the formation of a short-lived tropical depression or tropical storm. By later today, the low is expected to encounter more hostile environmental conditions, ending its opportunity for development.
NHC gives this feature a 40 percent chance of development today. The rest of the Atlantic basin remains very quiet.
ON THIS DATE IN 1975: An Eastern Airlines Boeing 727 crashed at JFK airport in New York City. 113 of the 124 people on board the aircraft died. Researcher Theodore Fujita studied the incident and discovered that a microburst caused the crash. His research led to improved air safety. The tower never experienced the microburst, which was held back by a sea-breeze front. The plane crashed 2,400 feet short of the runway.
Look for the next video briefing here by 3:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!
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