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Aug 05, 2023

James Spann: Heat levels down, rain chances up in Alabama

Published On: 08.28.23 | By: James Spann James Spann forecasts falling temperatures for Alabama this week from Alabama News Center on Vimeo. RADAR CHECK: A number of showers and storms are in progress

Published On: 08.28.23 |

By: James Spann

James Spann forecasts falling temperatures for Alabama this week from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.

RADAR CHECK: A number of showers and storms are in progress across Alabama early this morning, a sign the upper ridge continues to weaken over the region. This will lead to lower heat levels today along with higher rain chances. The Storm Prediction Center has much of Alabama in a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms today.

Storms this afternoon and early tonight will have potential for microbursts, small-scale areas of damaging straight-line winds. Highs will range from the upper 80s over north Alabama to the low to mid 90s over the southern counties of the state.

REST OF THE WEEK: We expect scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms Tuesday; the sky will be cloudy at times with a high between 84 and 91 degrees. On Wednesday, the best chance of rain will be over the southeast part of the state (mainly from Montgomery south and east) as Hurricane Idalia passes through north Florida and south Georgia. Thursday and Friday will be dry with lower humidity and cooler nights; highs will be in the 80s for north Alabama, with low 90s to the south.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND: Most of Alabama will be dry; expect mostly sunny days and fair nights with highs in the upper 80s and low 90s for most communities. We can’t rule out a few isolated showers Saturday over the far southern part of the state, but even there most places will be dry.

NEXT WEEK: The upper ridge begins to rebuild; highs will be between 90 and 95 degrees with only isolated afternoon showers or storms.

MONDAY MORNING NOTES ON IDALIA: Tropical Storm Idalia early this morning is about 125 miles south of the western tip of Cuba with winds of 65 mph. It is expected to become a hurricane later today.

FRANKLIN: The other tropical system on the board this morning is Hurricane Franklin, a major hurricane with winds of 115 mph about 500 miles southwest of Bermuda. Franklin will pass west of Bermuda Wednesday; then it heads out to sea with no impact to the U.S.

ON THIS DATE IN 1990: Between 3:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. a devastating F5 tornado ripped a 16.4-mile-long path through portions of Kendall and Will counties in northern Illinois. A total of 29 people were killed, and 350 more were injured.

For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit AlabamaWx.