Alabama Stays Dry As Irene Runs The East Coast

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DRY DAYS: Unfortunately, the chance of a significant rain event for Alabama is still very small for the next five to seven days as dry air stays in place. Rain deficits for the year are generally in the 2 to 6 inch range, and will growly slowly higher as the dry pattern continues. We are projecting sunny days and fair nights through Tuesday of next week; we stay hot again today with highs in the mid to upper 90s. Heat levels will slowly fall over the weekend, with highs in the low 90s tomorrow and Sunday.

Moisture will increase a bit Wednesday, but the last few runs of the GFS don’t suggest anything more than scattered showers.

IRENE: Be sure and watch the Weather Xtreme video for all of the graphics and details. Irene has weakened a bit overnight with sustained winds down to 110 mph. Seems like the outflow is a bit restricted over the western semicircle; related to some shear and drier air (the same dry air that is keeping us rain-free here in Alabama).

Irene should move over the Outer Banks of North Carolina tomorrow evening, most likely as a category two hurricane. Then, it moves up toward Long Island and New England Sunday afternoon as the system accelerates northeast. Irene will be in a weakening phase at that point, and should be a weak hurricane or a tropical storm as it moves inland.

This storm won’t knock down buildings or cause much serious structural damage… the main threats are flooding, downed trees, and power outages. Rain amounts of 4 to 8 inches are likely along the path, and power outages could last for days in some areas.

Travel will be very difficult in New York City, Boston, and points in-between Sunday and Sunday night, and major airport delays are likely. Conditions will improve greatly during the day Monday as the system moves into eastern Canada.

REST OF THE TROPICS: Tropical Depression 10 in the eastern Atlantic could become Tropical Storm Jose today, but this one won’t bother any land area. It will drift slowly to the northwest over the open ocean over the next five days, and should begin to weaken early next week. The rest of the Atlantic basin is quiet.

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Tags: dry

Category: Alabama's Weather