Moisture Levels Slowly Rising
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DRY AND WARM TODAY: Not much change in the weather for Alabama today; the sky will be partly to mostly sunny with a high in the mid 80s this afternoon; showers and storms should remain to the north along a nearly stationary surface boundary over Kentucky.
We will introduce the chance of widely scattered showers tomorrow afternoon as moisture levels continue to increase, and the front to the north drifts south. The best chance of showers will be north of Birmingham, and we stay warm with a high in the mid 80s.
THE WEEKEND: Finally getting a little better clarity, and the ECWMF looks to be the winner as the GFS is coming around to that solution now. Moist air continues to move northward, and the surface front should kick off at least scattered showers and thunderstorms Saturday into Saturday night. Looks like the front will stall out somewhere around U.S. 278 (Hamilton to Cullman to Gadsden) Sunday morning, so on Sunday the best chance of showers will be over the southern two-thirds of the state, with drier air over far North Alabama. The high Saturday will be in the low 80s, with upper 70s Sunday.
As you plan weekend events, just be ready for a few passing showers, and maybe even a thunderstorm in spot. The rain won’t be continuous, or really that heavy. Rain totals should be one-half inch or less for most places. And, the sun should be out at times.
NEXT WEEK: A surface low will keep the chance of rain going early next week. The GFS has the low pretty far south, but the ECWMWF has been very consistent with the low closer to the coast. We will forecast a good chance of rain at times Monday, especially from I-20 (Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Anniston) south… far North Alabama could very well stay dry, depending on the position of the low.
We will also have to keep an eye on the low for potential tropical development early next week; that is not totally out of the question.
The GFS keeps us in moist air Tuesday through Thursday with a chance of showers each day as the upper air winds won’t allow the cool, dry air in here, and we will lean in that direction in our forecast. Be sure and see the Weather Xtreme video for the details.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: The sky should be mostly clear for the high school games tonight with temperatures slowly falling through the 70s. For the games tomorrow night, a brief shower is possible, but many stadiums will be dry. Temperatures will also be in the 70s.
Auburn takes the weekend off; Alabama will play a late game in Tuscaloosa Saturday night against Ole Miss (8:15 p.m. kickoff); the sky will be mostly cloudy, and a few showers are possible during the game. The rain shouldn’t be especially heavy, and the showers will be scattered. Temperatures will be generally in the 70s.
Saturday afternoon UAB hosts Tulsa at Legion Field (2:00 p.m. kickoff); the sky will be mostly cloudy and a shower or thunderstorm will be possible. The kickoff temperature will be near 80, falling into the 70s during the second half.
GULF COAST WEATHER: Expect a good supply of sunshine from Panama City to Gulf Shores today and tomorrow with only a slight risk of a shower. Then, over the weekend, scattered showers and storms are possible Saturday, followed by increasing clouds, wind, and rain Sunday and Monday thanks to a Gulf Coast low moving through the region. The rain could even be heavy at times on Monday. Highs will remain generally in the 80s.
TROPICS: Nadine is the storm that won’t go away; it is still hanging around in the East Atlantic. No threat to land. And, in the West Pacific, Super Typhoon Jelawat will threaten Okinawa this weekend; thankfully the system is weakening and it should be the equivalent of a Category One or Two hurricane at that point. Then, early next week, it will approach Japan as a tropical storm. See the Weather Xtreme video for the graphics and details.
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I will be doing a weather safety program today at Protective Life in Birmingham… look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:30 or so this afternoon. Enjoy the day!
Category: Alabama's Weather
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James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.Subscribe
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