FRIDAY Update: Scattered Strong Storms Possible – Updated Weekend Rain Chance – HOT Next Week

1:30 PM UPDATE:

No big surprise here. A severe thunderstorm watch now covers much of west and SW Alabama, generally west of a Selma to Brewton line till 8PM. Damaging wind gusts to 70 mph are possible. A couple of tornadoes can’t be ruled out. The massive complex of storms in MS (MCS) continues sliding SE. #alwx

Good Morning!  Here’s my brief video forecast discussion.     

Today, that frontal system in south Alabama will be a big player.

TODAY:     Hot & humid today.  Sun/clouds  High 92.  Random, widely scattered this afternoon.  Showers & thunderstorms this evening & tonight.  A few storms could be strong.   Overnight low near 72. 

Radar will be rather quiet through the afternoon for most of us.    Future radar shows that big complex/cluster of strong/severe storms west of us, travelling SE across Mississippi and into SW Alabama.  Will it be a close miss for those of us in central Alabama?   Maybe….  Here’s the HRRR model snapshots. 

Some storms this could be strong possibly severe with damaging wind gusts especially west of I-65.  Some of us are in the Marginal Severe risk.  Southwest Alabama is in the Level 2 “slight risk” area.  We’ll be radar-watching this evening.

NEXT FEW DAYS:   Scattered afternoon storms Saturday.  Widely scattered storms Sunday through Wednesday. Hotter days ahead.  Mid 90’s Monday through Wednesday.  Triple digit heat index.

Are you ready for a June heatwave?   Looks like a scorcher next week.  Hottest week of the year so far.  Get ready.  A big upper level “Heat Bubble” will be in control. 

BEACH FORECAST:   Not ideal. Stormy at times, through the weekend.  Highs in the mid 80’s   Gulf water temperature is at a season high of 85.  Rip Current Risk HIGH , especially from Ft. Walton Beach/Destin  through Panama City to Mexico Beach.

TROPICAL UPDATE:     The tropics at the moment are quiet at the moment.

Models hint at Gulf Tropical Trouble over the next 10 days. We’ll see.

Thanks for reading this Blog this morning!

This morning we are LIVE on the radio from 6 to 9 on NewsTalk 93.1.  Watch us on TV on CBS 8 and ABC 32.  I’ll have another update for you in the morning.  Have a nice day.  

–Rich

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