James Spann: Weather trending hotter, drier later this week in Alabama

Published On: 07.17.17 |

By: James Spann

James Spann: Weather trending hotter, drier later this week in Alabama

RADAR CHECK: Isolated showers and storms were near Piedmont and Jasper at daybreak, but the rest of the state is dry with patchy fog.

With a moist, unstable airmass in place, we will see another day with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mostly between 1 and 8 p.m. The best coverage will be along and south of I-20, and any one spot there will have about a 1 in 3 chance of getting wet. Showers will be pretty hard to find up north over the Tennessee Valley. The high today should be in the 88- to 91-degree range.

REST OF THE WEEK: The weather will trend hotter and drier as an upper ridge builds in. Afternoon showers and storms will be widely spaced tomorrow, and even fewer in number Wednesday though Friday as warm air aloft associated with the ridge puts a lid on things. And temperatures will creep upward. The high tomorrow will be close to 90, followed by low 90s Wednesday and mid 90s Thursday and Friday.

Deep soil moisture will prevent temperatures from getting past the mid 90s in most spots.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: The ridge stays strong, so it looks like we will see a good supply of hazy sunshine Saturday and Sunday with hot afternoons and only isolated afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Highs for the weekend will be in the low to mid 90s.

NEXT WEEK: Global models suggest the ridge weakens, meaning heat levels coming down and an increase in the number of afternoon and evening thunderstorms.

TROPICS: The National Hurricane Center is monitoring two waves in the Central Atlantic. The lead wave has a fair chance of some development later this week, but it is expected to remain very low in latitude and not affect the Gulf of Mexico or the U.S.