Nice Now… Hot Days Ahead… Thursday Forecast Update – 4pm #alwx @wvua23

Good Thursday afternoon! The low dewpoints this afternoon are allowing conditions to feel much less humid. Expect a perfect weather evening, with temperatures dropping rapidly after sunset. Most areas will be in the upper 70s by 9pm, lower 70s by 10pm and lower 60s after midnight. Skies remain clear overnight.

The trough across the east, allowing the dry air to reach central Alabama will move east rapidly. This change will cause temperatures to increase on Friday and over the weekend. Expect highs in the middle 90s on Friday through Sunday, with lows returning into the 70s. As moisture increases, heat index will become a factor this weekend, with values approaching 105. I can’t rule out a stray afternoon shower or storm this weekend, but most areas will remain dry.

The tropics remain quiet…

Join us live on WVUA23 weekdays at 5, 6 and 10:00 P.M. and weekends at 10PM for the very latest on your news, weather and sports.

Richard Scott
WVUA Chief Meteorologist
rscott@wvua23.com
Twitter: RichardWVUA23
Facebook: WVUA23RichardScott

Hot Days Ahead… Wednesday Forecast Update – 3:50pm #alwx @wvua23

Good Wednesday afternoon! A few isolated storms managed to pop up in the afternoon heating, mainly near and south of I-20. At 4pm, storms are now well south of HWY 80 and moving south. I don’t expect any additional storms for the rest of this evening or tonight. Lows will drop into the upper 60s tonight.

Thursday through Sunday will feature hot days, with a small chance of an isolated afternoon storm each day. The risk of any one spot getting a quick downpour is at 10% on Thursday and Friday, then 20% on Saturday and Sunday. Highs will warm into the middle 90s this weekend, with increasing humidity. As dewpoints rise, expect a heat index to approach 103 to 105 this holiday weekend.

Independence Day on Monday is looking mostly dry, however, a passing shower or storm is possible during the afternoon hours. Expect highs in the lower 90s on Monday.

The tropics remain quiet…

Join us live on WVUA23 weekdays at 5, 6 and 10:00 P.M. and weekends at 10PM for the very latest on your news, weather and sports.

Richard Scott
WVUA Chief Meteorologist
rscott@wvua23.com
Twitter: RichardWVUA23
Facebook: WVUA23RichardScott

Hot & Dry Days Ahead… Tuesday Forecast Update – 3:45pm #alwx @wvua23

At 3:45pm, most of central and north Alabama has dried out, as a weak surface front moves southward across our area. A few scattered storms remain on radar, mainly south of HWY 80. The current storms will die out quickly this evening. Expect lows in the upper 60s to near 70 overnight.

Wednesday through Friday will feature hot days and comfortable nights. Highs will reach the lower 90s each afternoon, with overnight lows in the upper 60s. Humidity will be a tad lower, but only a little lower… Expect lots of sunshine through Friday. There is a small chance of an isolated afternoon storm or two each day, with the best chance happening south of I-20.

The 4th of July weekend is looking hot and humid, with highs reaching the middle 90s. Heat index will approach 103 both Saturday and Sunday, with a small chance of an isolated afternoon storm. Most areas will remain dry through Monday, as any storm that develops will be isolated.

The tropics remain quiet…

Join us live on WVUA23 weekdays at 5, 6 and 10:00 P.M. and weekends at 10PM for the very latest on your news, weather and sports.

Richard Scott
WVUA Chief Meteorologist
rscott@wvua23.com
Twitter: RichardWVUA23
Facebook: WVUA23RichardScott

Scattered Storms, then Dry… Monday Forecast Update – 4:15pm #alwx @wvua23

Good Monday afternoon! As of 4:15pm, numerous showers and storms are slowly pushing southeast across north and west Alabama. These storms will gradually move southeast over the next few hours before dying out during the late evening and early overnight hours. Some areas will miss out on the rain, but other spots will get a heavy downpour with gusty winds. Expect muggy conditions tonight, with temperatures dropping into the lower to middle 70s.

Scattered storms will become likely again on Tuesday, but mainly to the south of I-20. Storms will quickly move south during the afternoon hours, as a weak surface front moves through the area. Many spots north of I-20 will miss the rain on Tuesday, with the higher rain chance occurring closer to HWY 80 and points south.

Wednesday through Friday will feature hot days, with a good dose of sunshine. Highs will reach the lower 90s. Dewpoints will be a little lower, so the humidity won’t be as bad. Expect lows in the middle to upper 60s Tuesday night through Thursday night.

A few isolated storms will return next weekend, but this looks to be a very typical summer pattern.

The tropics remain quiet…

Join us live on WVUA23 weekdays at 5, 6 and 10:00 P.M. and weekends at 10PM for the very latest on your news, weather and sports.

Richard Scott
WVUA Chief Meteorologist
rscott@wvua23.com
Twitter: RichardWVUA23
Facebook: WVUA23RichardScott

Still hot for Monday…Better rain chances tomorrow…Sunday Forecast Update – 5:25PM #alwx @wvua23

Happy Sunday afternoon to all of you! I hope every body is having a nice weekend. As I type this post it is 4:57 PM and the temperature map is a mixed bag of 80s and 90s. A few lucky spots have seen some heat relieving showers this afternoon whereas others weren’t so lucky. It is currently 86 degrees in Tuscaloosa where some showers in the vicinity earlier this afternoon cooled us off, but not before we saw 94 degrees earlier today. A similar story for Birmingham where the temperature has just dropped to 86 with showers around the metro, this temperature is down from 98 degrees earlier this afternoon. Gadsden is still in the mid 90s right now at 95 and Anniston is at 90.

Looking at the radar right now the core of the shower activity is over parts of Chilton, Shelby, Jefferson, Blount, and Cullman counties, with the coverage being isolated in nature. As we head towards the evening hours expect most of the storm activity to gradually wind down. Overnight lows tonight will be in the mid 70s for most areas.

Tomorrow will bring better rain chances with more scattered showers and storms as a cold front nears the state. Tomorrow afternoon will still be another hot one though with low and mid 90s likely. We will forecast a high of 94 tomorrow in Tuscaloosa. The best chance of showers and storms for tomorrow will come during the afternoon and especially the evening hours. As is often the case during the summertime months it is possible that some of the storms could be on the strong side. We will keep a close eye on the radar tomorrow and keep you posted with all the latest.

Tuesday will have another decent shot at showers and storms as the cold front lingers over the state. We will forecast a 40 percent chance of rain and an afternoon high in the lower 90s. We see some slightly drier air move in for Wednesday,and Tuesday night we will likely see lows in the upper 60s as opposed to the 70s. At this point rain chances look pretty low for both Wednesday and Thursday but we will keep a 10 percent chance of rain in the forecast.

By Friday and the start of the weekend rain chances tick up just slightly to around 20 percent with afternoon highs still in the low 90s.

If you have any storm pictures from today I would love to show them on-air tonight for the 10 o’clock show, feel free to tweet them to me and I’ll get them on TV!

Join us live on WVUA23 weekdays at 5, 6 and 10:00 P.M. and weekends at 10PM for the very latest on your news, weather and sports.

Hunter Williams

Twitter: Hunt_Wx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HunterWilliamsWx/

Hot Sunday Ahead…More Scattered Storms…Saturday Forecast Update – 4:14PM #alwx @wvua23

I hope everybody is having a great Saturday afternoon! It is 3:55 PM as I type this update and I’m watching a few isolated thunderstorms on the radar. At the moment the heaviest rain is north of Birmingham and portions of Jefferson, Walker, Cullman, Blount, and St. Clair counties are seeing a bit of heat relief in the form of summer time thunderstorms.  Other parts of central Alabama are also seeing isolated shower and thunderstorm activity as well.

Temperatures at the time of this update are  very hot with Tuscaloosa sitting at 95, Jasper and Anniston at 98, and Gadsden at 94. Meanwhile Birmingham has dropped out of the 90s and is showing 81 degrees after the showers have moved through. Feels like temperatures right now are in the upper 90s or in to the triple digits across central Alabama with the feels like temperature in Tuscaloosa coming in at 104 at the time of this update.

Through the rest of this afternoon and in to the evening hours we will maintain the risk of isolated showers and storms, but the development should start to die down after the sun goes down and we head towards the overnight hours.

Overnight tonight we drop in to the low to mid 70s with a low of around 74 for Tuscaloosa before another scorching hot afternoon tomorrow. Tomorrow will again feature afternoon highs in the upper 90s, and we will increase the chance of rain slightly for tomorrow to 30 percent.

The upward trend in rain chances continues for Monday with a better shot of scattered showers and thunderstorms with the chance of rain at 40 percent. The better rain chances mean a little relief from the heat but not much with temperatures for Monday afternoon still in the mid 90s.

By Tuesday we maintain the 40 percent chance of showers and storms while temperatures drop in to the low 90s with a high near 91 for Tuscaloosa. After Tuesday we see our afternoon highs hang around in the low 90s right on through next Saturday with rain chances near 20 percent.

Have a great weekend!

Hunter Williams

Twitter: Hunt_Wx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HunterWilliamsWx/

More Hot Weather … Isolated Storms … Friday Forecast Update – 3:30 PM #alwx @wvua23

Happy Friday afternoon! At the time of this blog update it is 94 degrees here in Tuscaloosa with low and mid 90s widespread across central Alabama. We are also dry across the entire viewing area right now and this trend continues through this evening. If you have any Friday night plans your weather is looking great with a mostly clear to partly cloudy sky as we head in to the evening.

Get ready for some even hotter weather tomorrow with upper-90s for afternoon highs and heat index values likely reaching the triple digits. As far as rain chances for tomorrow we’ll go with 20 percent, meaning just the slight chance of a few widely isolated showers and storms.

For Sunday we will see much of the same with highs again in the upper 90s. We will increase the rain chances just a bit to 30 percent for Sunday with a slightly better chance at seeing some showers or storms, however, widespread activity is not expected.

To start the work week we see rain chances continue to trend upward with afternoon temperatures still holding strong in the 90s. Monday in to Tuesday we’ll go with a 40 percent chance of rain with highs in the low to mid-90s both days. No relief from the heat though even as we get to the middle and end of the week as rain chances drop just a bit and highs stick around in the low-90s.

If you were out today in the heat and sunshine I’d love to show some pictures tonight on television. Feel free to tweet them to me @Hunt_Wx and I would love to get them on the air!

Join us live on WVUA23 weekdays at 5, 6 and 10:00 P.M. and weekends at 10PM for the very latest on your news, weather and sports.

Have a great weekend!

Hunter Williams

Twitter: Hunt_Wx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HunterWilliamsWx/

 

Hot Days Continue… Isolated Storms… Thursday Forecast Update – 3:40pm #alwx @wvua23

Good Thursday afternoon! Temperatures are hot once again this afternoon, with air temperatures in the lower to middle 90s and a heat index near 100. A couple of tiny showers have popped up on radar this afternoon, but the majority of Alabama will remain dry today. The summer ridge responsible for the current heat will intensify over the weekend, causing temperatures to rise some.

Lows tonight will drop into the lower 70s, under a mostly clear sky. Rain chances for Friday through Sunday will range from 10 to 20%, which means most areas will not get rain. These are the typical summer type of isolated storms. The best chance of getting a quick shower or storm will happen during the early to late afternoon. Highs will reach the upper 90s in spots on Saturday and Sunday, with a heat index of 103-107.

A weak surface front will drift into Alabama on Monday and Tuesday. I expect a fairly good coverage of scattered storms both days, which will help to cool some areas off. The risk of scattered storms on Monday and Tuesday stand at 40% for the moment.

The tropics are quiet for the moment, although, some of the long range data is hinting at development in about 10 days from now. We’ll update you if anything becomes organized.

Join us live on WVUA23 weekdays at 5, 6 and 10:00 P.M. and weekends at 10PM for the very latest on your news, weather and sports.

Richard Scott
WVUA Chief Meteorologist
rscott@wvua23.com
Twitter: RichardWVUA23
Facebook: WVUA23RichardScott

Hot Days Continue… Iso. PM Storms Possible… Wednesday Forecast Update – 4pm #alwx @wvua23

Good Wednesday afternoon! Our local weather has turned out hot this afternoon, with most areas in the lower 90s. With a higher dewpoint, heat index is becoming an issue once again, with a heat index approaching 100 in many areas. As the upper air ridge continues to pump up and moisture continues to increase from the Gulf, expect dangerous heat index values by Friday and over the weekend. Meanwhile, north of this ridge, there is a moderate risk of severe weather for the rest of today and tonight. There is a significant damaging wind risk through tonight for areas near Chicago to Indianapolis to Dayton and Columbus. There is no severe risk down this way, as the upper air ridge will deflect the energy to the north of Alabama.

Temperatures will remain mild and conditions will feel muggy this evening and into tonight. Expect lows in the lower 70s, under a clear sky.

Expect highs to reach the mid to even upper 90s in spots Thursday through the weekend. Heat index will average 100 to 105 each afternoon, especially by Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I can’t rule out a heat activated shower or storm each afternoon, but most of you will miss out on the rain through Sunday.

The ridge will weaken and a weak front will slip into north Alabama on Monday and Tuesday, bringing a slightly better chance of scattered storms.

The tropics are quiet for the moment, although, some of the long range data is hinting at development in about 10 days from now. We’ll update you if anything becomes organized.

Join us live on WVUA23 weekdays at 5, 6 and 10:00 P.M. and weekends at 10PM for the very latest on your news, weather and sports.

Richard Scott
WVUA Chief Meteorologist
rscott@wvua23.com
Twitter: RichardWVUA23
Facebook: WVUA23RichardScott

Hot, Humid Days Ahead… Tuesday Forecast Update – 4pm #alwx @wvua23

Good Tuesday afternoon! Our local weather is hot this afternoon, with temperatures reaching the lower 90s in many areas. Dewpoints are coming up, which is decreasing the comfort level a good bit. Expect temperatures to gradually cool into the mid 80s by 7pm, mid 70s at 10pm and lower 70s by midnight. Skies will remain mostly clear overnight.

An upper air ridge will continue to bake our local weather this week, with highs reaching the mid 90s each afternoon. A south wind underneath the upper air ridge will pump tropical moisture into the hot airmass, causing the heat index to reach 100 to 105 all week and into the weekend. With increasing moisture, I can’t rule out an isolated afternoon storm each afternoon this week, but the upper air ridge will prevent widespread rain from developing.

The ridge will begin to weaken late in the weekend, allowing for a slightly better chance of scattered, afternoon storms. Highs will drop into the lower 90s early next week, with a decent risk of scattered storms, especially during the afternoon hours.

The tropics are quiet for the moment, although, some of the long range data is hinting at development in about 10 days from now. We’ll update you if anything becomes organized.

Join us live on WVUA23 weekdays at 5, 6 and 10:00 P.M. and weekends at 10PM for the very latest on your news, weather and sports.

Richard Scott
WVUA Chief Meteorologist
rscott@wvua23.com
Twitter: RichardWVUA23
Facebook: WVUA23RichardScott