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Aug 02, 2023

Scott Martin: Dry Tuesday for Alabama; scattered storms return Thursday

Published On: 08.01.23 | By: Scott Martin  MONDAY’S HIGHS: THE FIRST DAY OF AUGUST: Ridging off to our west will continue a northerly to northwesterly flow across Alabama. While we look to stay dry

Published On: 08.01.23 |

By: Scott Martin



MONDAY’S HIGHS:

THE FIRST DAY OF AUGUST: Ridging off to our west will continue a northerly to northwesterly flow across Alabama. While we look to stay dry throughout the day, we will see some clouds move into the state from a mesoscale convective system that will be moving into Tennessee. Drier air in Alabama will keep any rain from falling from that approaching boundary. Skies will be partly to mostly sunny with highs ranging through the 90s.

REST OF THE WEEK: We get back into a more typical late-summer pattern; on Wednesday we’ll see our flow transition from the northwest to out of the south and southwest, increasing humidity across Alabama. For now, the heat index is expected to stay below advisory criteria, but the mugginess will return. Only a few isolated storms are possible, with highs in the upper 80s to the mid 90s.

An impulse moves into the state on Thursday that will fire off multiple scattered showers and storms mainly during the main heating of the day and into the evening, but don’t be surprised if one or two fire off during the morning. The coverage of rain and clouds will keep high temperatures in the mid 80s to the lower 90s. We’ll have to watch for a few strong storms along with heavy rainfall.

More scattered showers and storms can be expected during the afternoon to evening on Friday. A few strong storms may develop with gusty winds. Highs will be in the upper 80s to the lower 90s.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Unfortunately, the heat returns in a big way. Highs on both days will be throughout the 90s; mix that with dewpoints in the mid to upper 70s, and heat advisories will probably be issued. The heat index may reach as high as 110 degrees. Our only saving grace is that scattered showers and storms will be possible, cooling some of us down during the afternoons. However, with this much heat and humidity in place, expect a few storms to be strong, with gusty winds and dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning.

NEXT WEEK: For now, it doesn’t look like the weather pattern for the second week of August will be much different than the first week. Scattered afternoon showers and storms will be possible each afternoon to early evening. Highs each day will range from the upper 80s to the mid 90s.

TROPICS: Showers and thunderstorms remain disorganized in association with a gale-force low-pressure area about 700 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. Environmental conditions still could support tropical cyclone formation during the next few days while the system moves northwestward and then northward at 10 to 15 mph over the central subtropical Atlantic. Formation chances are 40% during the next 48 hours and 50% through the next seven days.

Shower and thunderstorm activity continues in association with a gale-force nontropical low-pressure system over the western Atlantic several hundred miles south of Nova Scotia. The low is forecast to move quickly toward the east-northeast at 30 to 35 mph, reaching colder waters overnight. As a result, this system is unlikely to become a tropical storm. The chance of formation through seven days is 10%.

For more weather news and information from James Spann, Scott Martin and other members of the James Spann team, visit AlabamaWx.