James Spann: Alabama will see afternoon thunderstorms and showers this weekend; drier and cooler next week
SUN AND STORMS: Alabama’s weather won’t change much through the weekend … partly sunny days with a few scattered showers and thunderstorms around mostly between noon and midnight. The chance of any one spot seeing rain daily is 30-40%, and afternoon highs will remain in the 88-92 degree range for most communities.
NEXT WEEK: An unusually dry airmass for August will drop into the Deep South Monday. This means lower humidity levels and cooler nights through the week; lows will be well down in the 60s by mid-week. Cooler spots across the northern half of Alabama will see 50s Thursday morning for a nice preview of fall. Most of the week will be rain-free, although global models suggest a few scattered showers could show up by Friday.
TROPICS: Hurricane Erin, with winds of 90 mph, is about 425 miles south/southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is moving northeast at 22 mph, and will become post-tropical over the colder water of the North Atlantic tomorrow.
There are two others areas of interest …
*A tropical wave a couple hundred miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands has a 70% chance of development, but this will turn north into the open Atlantic and is no threat to land.
*Another well-organized tropical wave is in the central Atlantic. The system is expected to move into a less conducive environment later today through Saturday, but could reach a slightly more favorable environment again late this weekend into early next week as it moves westward. This will likely remain a low latitude system.
No tropical storms or hurricanes are expected across the Gulf through September 1.
ON THIS DATE IN 1994: Hurricane John, about 345 miles south of Hilo, Hawaii had winds of 175 mph and pressure at 920 millibars or 27.17 inches of mercury, making it one of the strongest hurricanes ever in the Central Pacific. The 31-day existence made John the longest-lasting tropical cyclone recorded in both the Pacific Ocean.
For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit the Alabama Weather Network.