James Spann: More humid summer days for Alabama

Published On: 06.13.18 |

By: James Spann

James Spann: More humid summer days for Alabama

RADAR CHECK: As you might expect on a June afternoon, some people are getting wet, while others are enjoying a sunny sky. Heavier storms at mid-afternoon were over Clay and Coosa counties, and over parts of southwest Alabama between Demopolis and Camden. Showers and storms are moving east/southeast, and will slowly fade late tonight. Temperatures are mostly in the 80s.

THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: We are in that time of the year when the weather doesn’t change too much, and we will pretty much roll with a persistence forecast on these four days — warm and humid, a mix of sun and clouds daily, along with the usual round of scattered showers and thunderstorms, mostly between 1 and 11 p.m. But we can’t rule out a late-night or morning shower in this kind of air mass.

Scattered showers and storms could be a little less numerous Friday and over the weekend; the chance of any one spot getting wet is 40 percent Thursday and closer to 30 percent Friday, Saturday and Sunday — certainly no major change.

NEXT WEEK: The synoptic pattern won’t change much; the weather will stay muggy with partly sunny days and scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. The daily placement and coverage of scattered storms will be determined by small-scale features that can’t be identified far in advance. Afternoon highs next week will be generally between 88 and 92.

TROPICS: A broad disturbance in the northwest Caribbean will cross the Yucatan Peninsula and move into the Bay of Campeche over the next 48 hours. While it is unlikely that this develops into a tropical storm, it will push deep moisture up into Texas in four to five days, setting up the potential for beneficial rain there. This will not affect Alabama or the central Gulf Coast.

The rest of the Atlantic basin is quiet, and we note cool sea surface temperatures across the classic breeding ground. That is unfavorable for tropical development.

Over in the eastern Pacific, Bud is now a weakening tropical storm approaching Cabo San Lucas and the southern part of Baja California. Some of the moisture from the system will work up into New Mexico this weekend.