James Spann: Scattered summer showers and thunderstorms for Alabama
RADAR CHECK: The northern third of Alabama is dry this afternoon with a mostly sunny sky. One shower is near Anniston; otherwise, most of the scattered showers and storms are over the southeast counties. Temperatures are mostly in the mid to upper 80s, very close to seasonal averages for mid-June. Showers will fade quickly after sunset; tonight will be mostly fair with a low between 67 and 74 degrees.
Thursday will be partly sunny with a few spotty afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms, mainly over the southern two-thirds of the state.
FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Moisture will move northward, and there will be a general increase in the number of showers and storms, but they will still be scattered and mostly during the afternoons and evenings (2-10 p.m.). The chance of any given spot seeing a shower or thunderstorm each day is 50-60%; otherwise, expect warm, humid days with a mix of sun and clouds.
Remember, this is summer in Alabama. You will have the risk of an afternoon shower or storm just about every afternoon from now through early September. They tend to be totally random and scattered, with no way of knowing in advance exactly when and where they pop up. You simply have to watch radar trends once they form.
NEXT WEEK: Looks like we will have classic June weather next week with partly sunny days and the typical risk of a pop-up shower or thunderstorm during the afternoons and evenings. Heat levels will rise over the latter half of the week as an upper ridge strengthens; afternoon highs will be in the low 90s by then.
TROPICS: All is quiet across the Atlantic basin, and there is no risk of a tropical storm or hurricane over at least the next seven days.
ON THIS DATE IN 1990: One of the most expensive hailstorms in U.S. history occurred as $625 million of damage was caused along the Colorado Front Range from Colorado Springs to Estes Park. Golf ball- to baseball-sized hail fell along with heavy rain. Sixty people were injured in the storm.
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