Cool August Weekend

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Low clouds and some patchy drizzle or mist, certainly not typical for August, were affecting Central Alabama while a steady stream of moisture was wetting down South Alabama and the Gulf Coast area this morning. Add to that the somewhat cool temperatures with readings in the middle and upper 60s, and you have some unusual August weather for the Southeast US. In fact, the high of 73 at the Birmingham airport yesterday tied the record low maximum temperature set in 1948!

The upper air pattern remains anomalous for this time of year with a significant trough and closed low at 500 millibars situated over the Mid Mississippi River Valley. With the trough axis positioned along the Mississippi River, tropical moisture continued to stream northeastward across the eastern half of the Southeast US with numerous flash flood watches for Southeast Alabama, Florida Panhandle, southern half of Georgia, and Southeast South Carolina. This pattern was bringing a wet weekend to the beach area with not much sunshine expected and highs only around 80 degrees today.

At the surface, the stationary front was located along the Gulf Coast with little disturbances rippling along the front. While not a classic wedge pattern, this was allowing some coolish air to ride eastward around the end of the Appalachians which will keep Central Alabama in the upper 70s for highs today and perhaps Sunday, too. As the ridge edges into the area we should see warmer temperatures into next week.

But take heart, the pattern will shift somewhat during the next week as the upper ridge to the west gradually pushes eastward with the weakening of the upper trough. By the time we get to Wednesday and Thursday, the upper pattern should become more of a ridge situation with temperatures climbing back into the middle and upper 80s, at least closer to what is typical for middle August. But without a real air mass change, it looks like we will remain with daily shower chances through the upcoming week and into next weekend.

Erin is bobbing up and down as a tropical storm but remains well out in the Atlantic with no threat to land. Closer to home, we’re still watching the area of disturbed weather in the Southwest Gulf of Mexico that is moving generally northwestward and could develop into a tropical storm in the next couple of days. Model projections still favor a northwestward motion into Northeast Mexico or extreme South Texas.

Not much change to the overall pattern in voodoo country with the ridge weakening again as a strong short wave brings a trough to the eastern US around the end of August.

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I expect to have the next edition of the Weather Xtreme Video posted by 8 am or so on Sunday morning. Godspeed.

-Brian-

Category: Alabama's Weather