SEVERE CLEAR: We have nothing but sunshine across Alabama this afternoon, with temperatures mostly in the 87- to 91-degree range. Tonight will be clear and pleasant.
LABOR DAY WEEKEND: Moisture levels will rise a bit, and a few scattered showers are possible over the southern half of the state Saturday and pretty much statewide Sunday, but nothing really heavy or widespread. Otherwise, expect partly sunny days over the holiday weekend with highs between 87 and 90 degrees. Any showers on Monday should be few and far between.
NEXT WEEK: It looks dry for most of Alabama with mostly sunny days, fair nights and highs between 88 and 92 degrees.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: We should have perfect weather for high school football games across the state tonight — clear with low humidity and temperatures falling from the low 80s at kickoff into the 70s during the second half.
Alabama will take on Duke in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic in Atlanta Saturday (2:30 p.m. Central kickoff). The game will be played indoors at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but outside the sky will be mostly sunny. Temperatures will peak close to 90 in Atlanta Saturday afternoon.
Auburn travels to Dallas/Fort Worth to take on Oregon at AT&T Stadium Saturday evening (6:30 Central kickoff). Temperatures will top out in the mid 90s during the day Saturday with a sunny sky, falling though the 80s during the game.
HURRICANE DORIAN: Dorian is now a dangerous Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph. It most likely will become a Category 4 hurricane tonight.
Some important notes:
- Life-threatening storm surge and devastating hurricane-force winds are likely in portions of the northwestern Bahamas, where a hurricane watch is in effect. Residents should execute their hurricane plans and listen to advice given by local emergency officials.
- Life-threatening storm surge and devastating hurricane-force winds are likely along portions of the Florida east coast by early next week, but it is too soon to determine where the highest storm surge and winds will occur. Residents should have their hurricane plans in place, know if they are in a hurricane evacuation zone and listen to advice given by local emergency officials.
- A prolonged period of storm surge, high winds and rainfall is likely in portions of Florida into next week, including the possibility of hurricane-force winds over inland portions of the Florida peninsula.
- Heavy rains are expected over portions of the Bahamas, Florida and elsewhere in the southeastern United States this weekend into the middle of next week.
- Dorian is expected to recurve over the Florida Peninsula, and there could be high impact from the system through far eastern and coastal parts of Georgia and the Carolinas next week.
- We expect no impact from Dorian in Alabama or the central Gulf Coast (places like Gulf Shores, Destin and Panama City Beach).
- For those along the east coast of Florida, know your evacuation zone (if you are in one), and follow instructions from local officials this weekend. Don’t fool around with this hurricane; it is dangerous.
- Don’t focus too much on the dots on the National Hurricane Center track. Remember, wind, rain and storm surge impact can extend out a couple of hundred miles from the center.
- The most severe storm surge will come along and north of where Dorian makes landfall on the east coast of Florida.
Elsewhere, a new tropical wave is moving off the coast of Africa with some chance of slow development over the next five days.
ON THIS DATE IN 2002: Typhoon Rusa dumps torrential rains across South Korea, causing widespread flooding from Aug. 30 through Sept. 1. Typhoon Rusa was the most powerful typhoon to hit South Korea since 1959. Nearly 90,000 people were evacuated. The province of Gangwon was hit the hardest, where an estimated 36 inches of rain fell in less than 48 hours. The torrential rains flooded nearly 36,000 homes. The Korean Defense Ministry reported flood waters submerged 16 jet fighters and 622 military buildings and facilities at Kangnung airbase.
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