Tuesday Afternoon Update 4:12 PM

I sure had a blast out at the new Duncanville Middle School today. I along with weather intern Laura Radford hit the road this afternoon and the weather was picture-perfect. You will notice some big temperatures changes over the next few days.

Tonight a cold front will move through ushering in more fall-like temperatures. This oncoming cold front will give us comfortable weather for the daytime hours; however, the nights will be very chilly. Our low tonight will be near 53 degrees, with a light northwest wind. Tomorrow through Friday will brings us highs in the mid to upper 70s, with lows in the chilly 40s! A very dry air mass settling in will mean bright skies for the rest of the week. There may be a few more clouds around as temperatures begin a slow warm-up over the weekend.

Looking ahead, there appears to be better signs of a rain maker looming around the Tuesday/Wednesday time frame of next week. A strong leeside low looks to drop into the southern Plains and this may help to promote shower development by next Tuesday afternoon. We are around 10” below average in the rainfall department and any rain would be very beneficial at this time.

Wes Wyatt
WVUA Chief Meteorologist

Latest Drought Assessment: 10:20 AM

Monday Afternoon Update 4:30 PM

Good Afternoon! We’ve had a nice sunny start to the week and the dust is flying due to the lack of rain. The last rainfall measurement we have on record is from Saturday the 20th, when 0.17” of rain fell at Tuscaloosa Airport. The last decent rain amount was recorded on August 26th. That amount was an official 0.86.” Unfortunately, our outlook on rain is not too promising this week. With that said, we will have some noteworthy changes in temperatures.

Our weather tonight will be quite pleasant, with a mostly clear sky and lows in the middle 50s. Winds will become rather gusty out of the northwest direction at 6-12 mph. This will be in response to a cold front moving into the state. You can expect highs in the middle 80s tomorrow however, tomorrow night we will cool into the low 50s. Both Wednesday and Thursday will be sunny days and it’s going to feel like fall, with highs reaching the middle 70s. Lows at night will drop into the chilly 40s.

We will continue to enjoy bright and comfortable days through the weekend. You can also expect the chilly nights to continue. There may be an opportunity for a few showers by the middle of next week and this will depend on the possible scenario that a low pressure area will develop to our southeast. That’s still a long ways off and we will have to wait on more data before we can fine tune the forecast.

Subtropical Storm Laura formed during the early morning hours today over the northern Atlantic. Laura is expected to grow into a tropical storm and what is quite interesting is that this system is expected to turn eastward towards Ireland. This system could end up bringing unsettled weather to Great Britain.

Wes Wyatt
WVUA Chief Meteorologist

Sunday Evening Weather Discussion; Posted at 7:20 p.m.

A good Sunday to you! There are some big changes coming up in the weather by mid week, which includes some cooler temperatures. Meanwhile, the weather today was very nice, as highs reached the middle to upper 80s. With dry air around, temperatures will quickly cool off tonight, as lows are expected to reach the upper 50s. Clear skies will be around tonight and lots of sun for tomorrow. Clouds will be on an increase by Tuesday, with highs in the middle 80s. We could see a few showers, but the chance of rain is only 20%, so don’t expect a washout.

A strong cold front will move through the area late Tuesday night, which will bring some of the coolest weather so far this season. Highs will be in the upper 70s for Wednesday through next Saturday. Lots of sun will be around each day, with a breeze out of the northwest. With very dry air, calm winds and clear skies at night, temperatures will be heading for the upper 40s for Thursday and Friday mornings. The weather will continue to be very nice on through the weekend; highs will be in the upper 70s to lower 80s.

Hurricane Kyle has made landfall as a category 1 hurricane in Nova Scotia. Winds are sustained at 75 MPH. You certainly don’t hear of a hurricane making landfall in Canada very often, but it has made a direct hit this evening. Flooding rains and water level rises are occurring in portions of Maine and Nova Scotia as this system progresses northward. It will become extra tropical very soon as it continues its movement. There is another area in the northern Atlantic that could become a sub-tropical storm or tropical storm over the next day or so, as it tracks westward. This system doesn’t pose any threat to the US mainland, as it is expected to turn back out to sea. Elsewhere, things are relatively quiet. Be sure to join us tonight at 10 p.m. for the latest on your forecast. Have a great day!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Saturday Afternoon Weather Discussion; Posted at 5:25 p.m.

Today, we dealt with more nice weather, as highs topped out in the middle 80s. A few more clouds have moved into the area this evening but there is no rain in the state. Tonight, skies will become clear, with lows in the upper 50s. On Sunday, expect the nice weather to continue, as we deal with more sun and a north breeze; highs will top out in the middle 80s. With relatively dry air in place and clear skies overnight, lows will dip into the middle and upper 50s again on Sunday night. Monday will be a copy of Sunday’s weather, with temperatures in the middle 80s.

Things begin to change on Tuesday, with a strong cold front approaching the area. We will see more clouds enter the picture, with the chance for some light showers. With limited moisture, don’t expect much in the way of rainfall. I have a 20% chance for showers Tuesday afternoon. Many neighborhoods will remain dry. Once the front moves through, cooler weather will be around on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, as highs top out in the upper 70s. On Wednesday, we will deal with a breezy northwest wind, which will make things feel a little more like fall. Skies will clear out Wednesday morning, with sunny skies around for Thursday and Friday. As winds go calm Wednesday and Thursday nights, expect low to get into the upper 40s. The weekend looks very nice, with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s.

Things have gotten interesting in the tropics. Hurricane Kyle is moving to the north at a very fast pace. There are hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings in place for much of the coastline of Maine. You certainly don’t see that everyday. This power-house storm will quickly make landfall late Sunday night along the northeastern coast of Maine as a weak hurricane. Our friends in the northeast certainly need to keep a close eye on Kyle. The center of it will be passing within 100 miles of Boston. There will be a lot of heavy rain and strong winds in that area until Monday evening, when the remnants of Kyle lift out of that area. Be sure to tune in tonight at 10 p.m. for the latest on Kyle and your extended forecast. Have a great day!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Thursday Afternoon Update 4:01 PM

Our weather continues to look very nice! We will have a mostly clear sky tonight and this will allow us to cool into the lower 50s. After another cool start tomorrow, afternoon temperatures will rebound into the lower to middle 80s. You can expect lots of sunshine for tomorrow, with a partly sunny sky on Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures will remain very pleasant during the day, with cool nights.

A strong area of low pressure continues to pound away at the Carolinas. This system will be tracking inland towards the Appalachians. This may bring us a few more clouds over the weekend, with a north wind. This system has brought 60 mph wind gusts to the east coast. Also, Tropical Storm Kyle just formed north of Puerto Rico. Kyle is expected to track northward and strengthen into a hurricane and the forecast track keeps this system just off shore as it passes New England.

The low pressure area over the Carolinas will help to carve out a trough over the eastern U.S. We will have partly cloudy skies developing by Tuesday, with a few showers possible. A cold front will drop in as the trough opens the gate to colder air. Showers will be possible next Wednesday followed by a cool down into the upper 40s Wednesday night.

I was back on the road today visiting a fun group of kids at Cottondale Elementary School. Today I visited the second grade bulldogs! I will have some video tonight on the news and this will be posted later on our kid’s page.

Wes Wyatt
WVUA Chief Meteorologist

Kyle Forms!

LOW PRESSURE AREA FINALLY DEVELOPS INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE…

INTERESTS IN BERMUDA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF KYLE.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT AND
SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT THE LOW PRESSURE AREA THAT MOVED
NORTHWARD FROM HISPANIOLA HAS DEVELOPED INTO A TROPICAL STORM.

AT 500 PM AST…2100Z…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KYLE WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 23.5 NORTH…LONGITUDE 68.3 WEST OR ABOUT 645
MILES…1035 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF BERMUDA.

KYLE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 8 MPH…13 KM/HR…AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH…75 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF
DAYS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES…165 KM
FROM THE CENTER.

THE HURRICANE HUNTERS REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 1001
MB…29.56 INCHES.

REPEATING THE 500 PM AST POSITION…23.5 N…68.3 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD…NORTH NEAR 8 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…45
MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1001 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
1100 PM AST.

$$

WVUA-TV’s Richard Scott

Wednesday Afternoon Update 3:30 PM

The weather remains picture-perfect in West Alabama! We’ve had a sunny sky, with highs today in the lower 80s. Winds will calm overnight and this will set the stage for a big cool down into the lower 50s. I still anticipate some upper 40s over the eastern half of the state. After the cool start, temperatures will make a quick recovery tomorrow. This will mean more delightful weather conditions for our Thursday. Our weather will be quite similar on Friday. We will have a cool start, with a comfortable afternoon. It may be rather breezy late Friday and Friday night.

At this time lots of focus is on an area of low pressure near the Carolinas. During this time of year it is rather common for east coast lows to develop into warm core tropical systems. This may grow into a depression or storm soon, and the National Hurricane Center is keeping a close eye on the possibility of further development. Regardless of today’s development, there are already 65 mph wind gusts possible north of the system due to a tight pressure gradient between a high over the northeast. Another disturbance over Puerto Rico may grow into a depression soon as it begins track northward. So, what does all of this mean for West Alabama? Basically, this will mean a continuation of a cool and comfortable flow through the weekend. There may be a few more clouds overhead; however, dry weather will prevail.

A deep upper level trough will materialize by Tuesday of next week and this will open the gate to much cooler air. We will have highs possibly in the 70s next Wednesday, with lows at night possibly dropping into the 40s next Wednesday night. There will be lots of clouds around and some showers will be possible starting on Tuesday.

I want to thank all of my little friends in Foster’s, at Myrtlewood Elementary School, for allowing me to visit today. I will have video from that visit posted this evening and you can find it on our Kid’s Page. Tomorrow we will be back on the road, visiting the second graders at Cottondale Elementary School.

Wes Wyatt
WVUA Chief Meteorologist

Tuesday Afternoon Update 4:17 PM

We’ve almost reached the mid point for the week and the dry spell continues. The weather story for the next several days will be titled, “A Double Dose of Fall Air.” First off, today you might have noticed a strong easterly breeze. This is a reinforcing shot of dry air and this will make for cool nights. Lows will be in the mid 50s at night and tomorrow night we will be falling into the low 50s. Some portions of the state, especially northeast will drop into the upper 40s tomorrow night.

I’m expecting nice conditions during the daytime hours. Bright skies will make for a nice recovery in our temperatures, with highs in the low 80s. As for precipitation, our forecast looks dry through the rest of the week. We may have a few more clouds around over the weekend. Our next chance for rain will arrive around the mid portion of next week. This will be due to a developing upper air trough and low pressure system. Look for increasing clouds on Tuesday and if the data holds true, another blast of cool air could easily drop our lows in the 40s by next Wednesday and Thursday morning. This is the second dose of fall air that was mentioned earlier in the discussion.

It is the peak of hurricane season and there is still a healthy disturbance near Puerto Rico. This feature may become better organized and some data supports this system tracking towards the northeast over the next several days.

On the Road: I had a great time over in Northport today. I visited the kindergarten class at Northport Elementary School. I was really amazed with the amount of knowledge these kids had regarding the topic of weather. I look forward to hitting the road again tomorrow. We will be visiting Myrtlewood Elementary School in Fosters.

WVUA/Alabama Credit Union Severe Weather Safety Guide: Get an early start on preparing for the fall severe weather season. Don’t forget to pickup your free copy of the WVUA TV Severe Weather Safety Guide at any nearby Alabama Credit Union location.

Wes Wyatt
WVUA Chief Meteorologist

Latest Webcast

There are a few technical issues with our website this evening. Here is a link to our latest webcast and I will also have a link posted to the morning weather discussion.

Latest Webcast From Wes Wyatt