SOGGY, MILD WEEKEND; MORE STORMS MONDAY… Keep the rain jackets handy this weekend across south Alabama and northwest Florida as numerous showers and a few thunderstorms are expected over the next few days. High temperatures today will peak in the mid- to upper-60s in most spots. More rain is expected on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before drier conditions return for the latter half of the upcoming week. Rain chances will be elevated for New Year’s Eve. There is also a chance of a few strong to potentially severe thunderstorms during the daytime hours of Monday. Let’s talk details…
RAIN LIKELY TODAY; STORMS NEAR THE COAST… Other than patchy areas of dense fog and the ongoing flooding issues across west Alabama, it should be stressed that hazardous weather is not expected today or tonight. High temperatures will peak around 66° in most spots. Those high temperature numbers remain above our climatological norms for this time of year. Rain will be possible throughout the day. The chance of lightning and thunder will be greatest near the Alabama and northwest Florida beaches, where there will likely be a small amount of atmospheric instability. Again, severe weather is not expected today or tonight.
MAINLY CLOUDY ON SUNDAY… The driest day through Wednesday will likely end up being Sunday, when we have “only” a 30-40% chance of showers and thunderstorms. High temperatures will rise into the low-70s as a moist, mild airmass remains in place.
STORMS ON MONDAY… Our next chance of strong to severe thunderstorms will happen on Monday as a shortwave trough approaches from the west. For now, it seems like the greatest combination of “severe weather ingredients” will happen over west Alabama, likely west of the Alabama River in Clarke, Washington, and Choctaw counties. Unfortunately, this is NOT what these areas need as a major flash flooding event happened there less than 36 hours ago. More rain will only exacerbate an already bad flooding situation over the western part of the state. The tornado risk won’t be major, but it likely won’t be zero either. We’ll keep tabs on this developing system and have the latest for you on Sunday afternoon in our next RZW forecast video.
SHOWERS THROUGH NEW YEAR’S… Rain will likely stick around into at least the first day of 2019. Rain chances on Tuesday and Wednesday are at 70% each day. A strong cold front will likely move through on Wednesday, clearing out all of the rain and ushering in dry, cool, stable air. Overnight lows by Friday morning of the upcoming week could be around the freezing mark.
APP… I’ll have plenty more updates this weekend in the RedZone Weather app (redzoneweather.com/app is the link for the free download).
Let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy your weekend!