Published On: 06.01.21 | 

By: James Spann

James Spann: Alabama stays mostly dry today; showers return Wednesday

James Spann forecasts a mostly dry start for a short Alabama work week from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

MOISTURE LEVELS RISING: Moisture levels will begin to rise across Alabama today, but most of the state will remain dry with only isolated showers this afternoon. Look for a partly sunny sky with a high in the mid 80s; the average high for Birmingham on June 1 is 86.

The sky becomes cloudy tonight, and a disturbance has potential to bring some rain to the state after midnight and into the morning hours. Then, after a midday lull, a few more scattered storms could pop up during the afternoon and into Wednesday night. The Storm Prediction Center has a low-end, marginal risk of severe storms defined for the northwest corner of Alabama, where stronger storms could produce gusty winds.

Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with a high between 78 and 82 degrees.

THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: A moist, unstable air mass will be in place on these four days, and we will mention scattered showers and thunderstorms daily. While most of the showers will come during the afternoon and evening hours (1 p.m. to 11 p.m.), we can’t rule out a few late-night or morning showers. The sun will be out at times, and highs will be mostly in the low 80s. Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell you the exact position/timing of the showers in advance, since they will tend to be random and scattered. You will just have to keep an eye on radar trends.

NEXT WEEK: The overall pattern won’t change much; we are looking at pretty routine early summer weather through the week — partly sunny, warm, humid days with the daily round of scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Highs will be mostly in the mid 80s, right at seasonal averages.

HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS: Today is the official start of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. All is quiet this morning across the Atlantic basin and tropical storm formation is not expected this week. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a likely range of 13 to 19 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which six to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including three to six major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence. An average hurricane season produces 12 named storms, of which six become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.

ON THIS DATE IN 1903: During the early afternoon, one of the most destructive tornadoes in the history of Georgia up to this time struck the outskirts of Gainesville. The track of the storm was about four miles in length and varied between 100 to 200 feet in width. The tornado touched down about one mile southwest of Gainesville, striking a large cotton mill at 12:45 p.m. Eastern Time, just 10 minutes after 750 employees filed into the great structure from dinner. On the top floor of the mill were employed 250 children, and it was here that the greatest loss of life occurred.

ON THIS DATE IN 1999: A tornado with an intermittent damage path destroyed 200 homes, businesses and other buildings in the southern portion of St. James, Missouri. Of these, 33 homes were destroyed along with the St. James Golf Course clubhouse and two Missouri Department of Transportation buildings.

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