James Spann has the Alabama forecast for Friday and the weekend ahead from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
SCATTERED SHOWERS TODAY: The radar is quiet early this morning, with no rain across Alabama and most of Mississippi. Temperatures are mostly in the 60s. The sky will feature more clouds than sun today, and scattered showers and storms will develop this afternoon. But the rain won’t be as widespread as it was Thursday, and severe storms are not forecast. In fact, a decent part of the day should be dry. The high this afternoon will be in the low 80s.
WET AT TIMES THIS WEEKEND: The weather will be unsettled over the weekend as moist, unstable air remains over the state. The Storm Prediction Center has most of Alabama in a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) of severe storms both days.
SATURDAY: A few passing showers and storms are likely. Most of them should come during the afternoon and evening (2 until 8 p.m.), and where they form they could be pretty robust, with potential for strong, gusty winds. The sky will be mostly cloudy, and we can’t totally rule out a few scattered morning showers. The high will be in the 77- to 80-degree range.
SUNDAY: The cold front just north and west of here will get a southward push, and a line of strong to severe storms will likely pass through the state, much like Thursday. High-resolution model data suggests the line passes through Sunday morning, followed by a dry afternoon. But models have not been performing well in this pattern, and the timing could change. Storms Sunday in that line will be capable of producing strong winds; the tornado threat will be very low. The high Sunday will be in the upper 70s.
For those planning or attending outdoor events this weekend:
- It won’t be a washout, but be ready for a passing shower or storm from time to time.
- It is impossible to give specific rain start/stop times for any given point in this pattern.
- When thunder roars, go indoors, even if it is not raining.
- Rain amounts over the weekend will be around 2 inches over the northern half of the state.
NEXT WEEK: The week looks dry for most of Alabama, but a few showers are possible near the Gulf Coast Monday through Wednesday. Highs will be in the 77- to 80-degree range for the first half of the week; then we rise into the mid 80s Thursday and Friday.
ON THIS DATE IN 2010: On this day, Oklahoma experienced its largest tornado outbreak since May 3, 1999. Fifty-five twisters tore through the state, including two rated EF4. The EF4 storms took three lives and injured 81 people. Oddly enough, both EF4 tornadoes struck Norman, Oklahoma, home of the Storm Prediction Center and the National Severe Storms Laboratory. Fourteen additional tornadoes hit Oklahoma during May 11-13. The May 10 disaster racked up insured property losses of $2 billion.
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