Published On: 05.30.18 | 

By: James Spann

James Spann: Mix of sun, scattered storms for Alabama in coming days

A CALMER AFTERNOON: The radar is pretty quiet across the northern half of Alabama this afternoon in the wake of tropical downpours this morning that produced serious flooding across some of the central counties of the state. A few scattered showers and thunderstorms are over northwest Alabama, and also across the southern counties. Flash flood warnings remain in effect for a zone from Eutaw and Greensboro to Marion, Clanton and Prattville for runoff from morning rain. Some communities had more than 4 inches of rain in just a few hours.

We will maintain the chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms across all of Alabama tonight and Thursday in a very moist, tropical air mass. Precipitable water values are still around 2 inches, very high even for late May here in the Deep South. We do expect some good intervals of sunshine tomorrow with a high between 85 and 88 degrees.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: We expect very routine weather for the first few days of meteorological summer — partly sunny days with scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. The chance of any one spot seeing a passing storm on these three days is about 1 in 3, and heat levels will rise, with afternoon highs at or just over 90 degrees.

NEXT WEEK: Global models hint that a trough will form east of Alabama, and with a northerly flow drier, continental air will flow into the state. This means few, if any, showers for at least the first half of the week with lower humidity values and cooler nights. A few pockets across north Alabama could see lows in the 50s early Monday and Tuesday mornings; highs will be in the 80s. Showers and storms could increase late in the week with the approach of a surface front.

TROPICS: All is quiet across the Atlantic basin, and tropical storm formation is not expected through next week.

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