James Spann: Scattered showers, storms tonight/tomorrow in Alabama; dry Sunday

HOT: Temperatures are generally in the 88-94 degree range across Alabama this afternoon; showers are few and far between. An organized band of showers and storms will creep into the state late tonight, and SPC maintains a risk of severe thunderstorms for the northern third of the state …

 

Some of the heavier storms could produce strong gusty winds as they pass through the Tennessee Valley; they will weaken by daybreak tomorrow. Showers and storms will slowly move through the northern half of Alabama tomorrow morning, and by afternoon most of the state will be dry with just a few widely scattered showers over the southern counties. The weather looks dry tomorrow night and Sunday … highs over the weekend will be in the low to mid 80s for most communities.

NEXT WEEK: The week will feature partly to mostly sunny days, fair nights and hardly any showers. Highs will be mostly in the 80s, lows generally in the 60s. See the video briefing for maps, graphics, and more details.

 

TROPICS: Shower and thunderstorm activity is currently limited and disorganized in association with a tropical wave over the central tropical Atlantic. Although upper-level winds are generally favorable for development, environmental dry air is likely to limit development over the next couple of days. However, a tropical depression could still form early next week as the system moves westward at around 10 mph across the central tropical Atlantic. This system is likely to be near the Lesser Antilles by the middle to latter part of next week, and interests there should monitor its progress.

NHC has dropped the chance of development to 70%; if it develops the name will be Gabrielle. Global models are not very bullish on the wave and suggest a relatively weak depression or storm will ultimately turn north into the Atlantic well before reaching the U.S. or the Gulf.

 

No tropical storms or hurricanes are expected across the Gulf for at least the next 7-10 days.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: Auburn hosts Ball State tomorrow evening (6:30 p.m. kickoff) … an outside risk of a brief shower during the first half, otherwise mostly fair with temperatures falling through the 70s.

Alabama will host LA-Monroe tomorrow evening (6:45 p.m. kickoff) … the chance of a shower is very small, otherwise mostly fair. Temperatures will fall through the 70s during the game.

UAB will play Navy at Annapolis, Maryland Saturday (2:30 p.m. kickoff) … a passing shower or thunderstorm is possible, if not likely during the game. Temperatures will be in the low to mid 80s.

ON THIS DATE IN 1925: The temperature soared to 112F at Centreville; the hottest temperature on record in Alabama. This was part of a brutal 1925 heat wave.

ON THIS DATE IN 1996: Hurricane Fran made landfall near the tip of Cape Fear, North Carolina with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph on the evening of September 5. Fran was responsible for 26 deaths and was at the time the most expensive natural disaster ever in North Carolina’s history.

ON THIS DATE IN 2017: Hurricane Irma became a category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph. This made Irma one of strongest hurricane ever observed in the open Atlantic Ocean.

For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit the Alabama Weather Network.