James Spann: Rising heat levels ahead for Alabama; no rain through next week
James Spann forecasts a hot, dry stretch for Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
HEATING UP: A strong upper high over the eastern third of the nation will keep Alabama dry through the weekend with rising heat levels. Look for mostly sunny days and fair nights through Sunday. The high today will be in the 85- to 89-degree range, and over the weekend most places will experience 90-degree heat for the first time this year. The last time Birmingham had a high of 90 degrees or higher came on Sept. 14, 2020, when the high was 91.
NEXT WEEK: The upper high will keep the weather hot and dry with sunny days and fair nights; we are projecting highs mostly in the mid 90s next week, right at record levels for late May in Alabama. There is just a slight risk of a shower at the end of the week as the ridge weakens slightly.
TROPICS: A surface trough and a mid- to upper-level disturbance over the western Gulf of Mexico are producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are expected to be marginally conducive for development before the disturbance moves inland over the northwestern Gulf Coast tonight. Regardless of development, the system could produce heavy rainfall over portions of southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana during the next few days. This disturbance won’t affect Alabama in any way.
A non-tropical low-pressure area about 500 miles east-northeast of Bermuda is producing winds to storm force and disorganized showers and thunderstorms. The low is expected to move west-southwest over warmer waters during the next day or so, and it will likely become a subtropical cyclone later today or Saturday near or northeast of Bermuda. The low is forecast to move northeast into a more hostile environment by Saturday night or Sunday. If it gets a name, it will be Ana. This is all well to the east of the U.S.
ON THIS DATE IN 1949: A violent tornado crossed the Mississippi River from the St. Louis area into Wood River, Illinois, then to Roxana, Illinois. This tornado damaged or destroyed 300 homes in these two towns, killing five people. Four people died in a destroyed restaurant in Palestine, Illinois; one body was recovered from a tree. A tornado causing estimated F4 damage killed five people and injured 55 in St. Louis and St. Charles counties in Missouri and Madison County in Illinois. This tornado was part of an outbreak that produced four tornadoes and was responsible for five deaths and 57 injuries.
ON THIS DATE IN 2001: Golfers participating in a golf tournament at the Majestic Golf Course in Hartland, Michigan, received an urgent message on the G.P.S. on their carts. The message, relayed from the clubhouse, was that a tornado was bearing down on the course. Most of the golfers made it to safety in the clubhouse, although some had to take shelter on the course. Only one golfer suffered a minor injury. The F2 tornado damaged 70 cars in the parking lot along with numerous golf carts and a pontoon boat.
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