HOT DAY; FEW STORMS AROUND THIS AFTERNOON… Isolated showers and thunderstorms continue to be the headline across south Alabama and northwest Florida on this Wednesday. Severe weather is not expected, but a few of the storms that pop up this afternoon/evening could be on the strong side. This means that heavy downpours of rain, gusty winds, and cloud-to-ground lightning will all be possible. Rain chances today are near 30-40%, which is right where we should be this time of year. High temperatures will be in the mid-90s today.
RAIN CHANCES GO UP FOR WEEKEND… Another stalled frontal boundary will set the stage for an increased chance of showers and thunderstorms on Saturday. We’ve got rain chances pegged at 60%. All of the rain this weekend will come from the scattered pop-up, pulse-type thunderstorms that develop in the heat of the day. Temperatures will be in the 90s in the afternoons and near 73 around 6AM each day.
LOW PRESSURE WELL EAST OF BERMUDA… The non-tropical area of low pressure about 1,200 miles east of Bermuda continues to show signs of organization. This system will not cause direct effects anywhere close to the United States and regardless of development, the system should not affect land at all. If this system becomes a tropical storm, it would take the name “Ernesto.”
TROPICS QUIET FOR NOW… The Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean remain quiet for now, but we are officially in what has historically been the most active time in the Atlantic hurricane season. August 15 through October 15 generally are the most active 60 days or so of the season each year. Long range models continue to show no activity, but that obviously can change quickly. We also note that the constant stream of Saharan dust streaming into the atmosphere over the far eastern Atlantic Ocean will likely decrease over the next few weeks. This could *potentially* allow for more tropical activity, but again, as of this moment we see no issues on the horizon. We all know that it only takes ONE system to wreak havoc. Be prepared!
See all the forecast details in your Wednesday #rzw forecast video… Let me know if you have any weather-related questions or concerns. Have a great day!