HAZY SKIES & HOT TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND… The “summer haze” has arrived and it is because of the widely-publicized Saharan Air Layer and dust that has moved into our region over the last 24 hours. Temperatures will peak in the low-90s throughout the day. Mostly cloudy skies are expected today and on Saturday. If you notice the air being not as clear as it normally is outside, it is because of the ongoing dust that continues to move in from the south. See more details about this below. We’ll transition to more of a seasonal late June and early July pattern next week with pop-up thunderstorms expected in the afternoon and evening hours with plenty of heat and humidity. Let’s look at your forecast details.

SAHARAN DUST HAS ARRIVED… If you noticed a smoky or hazy look to the air and to the sky yesterday, you weren’t alone! The reason the air looks this way is because of the Saharan Air Layer (SAL). This is totally normal and it happens every year (sometimes more than once per year!) but for whatever reason, the phenomenon has been much more publicized this year than in the past. The SAL is basically a big plume of dust and particulate matter lofted from the Sahara Desert in the northern part of Africa. The same trade winds that ultimately steer hurricanes blew the dust across the Atlantic, across the Caribbean Sea, across the Gulf of Mexico, and into our local area. The plume of dust and particulate matter is totally harmless, except to people who may be very sensitive to air quality. No doubt that air quality can sometimes suffer when you have a great deal of dust in the air. The good news is this dry, dusty air will prevent any tropical issues in the Gulf over the next week.

LOW RAIN CHANCES THROUGH SUNDAY… Rain chances will remain suppressed this weekend, partially due to the drier air in place across our region. There still could be a few showers and storms that manage to pop up today and on Saturday, but the chance of that happening in any given spot across our region remains very low (10-20%). High temperatures today, tomorrow, and Sunday will be in the low-90s with low temperatures in the lower-70s.

UV INDEX REMAINS HIGH DESPITE CLOUDS & DUST… Despite hazy conditions and clouds around this weekend, the Ultraviolet Index (UV Index) remains very high, meaning sunburns can easily happen if you’re going to be outside this weekend for an extended period of time. Be sure to remember the sunscreen if you’re headed to a local Alabama or northwest Florida beach or if you’re going to be by the pool or at the river/creek.

POP-UP THUNDERSTORMS RETURN NEXT WEEK… Rain chances are slated to rise early next week. Widespread severe weather is not expected, but the daily deluge of summertime storms is set to return. High temperatures next week will be in the upper-80s with morning lows in the lower-70s.

TROPICS TO REMAIN QUIET INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK… The Saharan Air Layer and dust in place across the Gulf of Mexico will help to keep the tropics quiet as we go into next week. No tropical storm formation is expected over the next 5 days.

APP… If you haven’t already, be sure to download the free RedZone Weather app to keep up with all the latest information on the world of weather in south Alabama and northwest Florida. redzoneweather.com/app is the link for the free download. Once you have the app downloaded to your iOS or Android device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab (lower right corner) and tap the large, yellow Alert Settings button to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.

See all the details in your Friday #rzw forecast video… Have a great weekend!

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ISOLATED STORMS AROUND THIS EVENING… While the storms happening to our north across parts of central Alabama near Birmingham are more potent this evening, we are tracking a few thunderstorms locally that remain below severe limits. Heavy rain is happening as of 9:32PM near Thomasville, Coffeeville, Morvin, Campbell, Woods Bluff, and Bashi in northern Clarke County. This mass of rain extends into Choctaw and Wilcox counties.

We’re also watching storms in northern Monroe and eastern Wilcox counties that will move into Butler and Lowndes counties over the next few minutes. Heavy rain and lightning are the two concerns in these storms.

There also are a few isolated thunderstorms that have fired up along an outflow boundary in Jackson County, Mississippi, north of Pascagoula. These storms may move into the southern part of Mobile County within the next hour.

Severe weather is not expected overnight across south Alabama or northwest Florida.

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NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING… The National Weather Service has issued a new severe thunderstorm warning for the northern half of Clarke County and much of the western part of Wilcox County in southwest Alabama valid until 8:30PM. Gusty winds, including wind gusts up to 70 mph, will be possible as the leading edge of this storm moves in from the west. Be inside and off the roads if you’re near Thomasville, Bashi, Tallahatta Springs, Chilton, Springfield, Fulton, Pine Hill, Yellow Bluff, or Possum Bend.

This is a storm that very well may be knocking down a few trees. Gusty winds are likely. ALL parts of Marengo County are also under a severe thunderstorm warning.

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SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING… The northern half of Washington County, all of Choctaw County, and northern Clarke County are involved in a severe thunderstorm warning valid 7:45PM. Gusty winds will be possible near Gilbertown, Millry, Coffeeville, Butler, and surrounding areas over the next hour.

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STORMS CONTINUE TO POP UP… Isolated thunderstorms continue to pop up and move east across the region. I am hearing thunder at our RedZone Weather studio location in the northern part of Brewton, AL due to a storm that has popped up near Castleberry and Appleton. This storm is moving east along the Conecuh County Road 6 corridor. We’re also watching a small storm currently situated near Lyeffion and the Alabama Highway 83 corridor north of Evergreen. This cell is moving east into areas near Owassa.

Storms will fade away after sunset.

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STORMS NEAR MONROEVILLE… Heavy downpours of rain are happening near and just north of Monroeville and Evergreen. These storms will continue to slide eastward across parts of Monroe and Conecuh counties over the next hour. No severe weather threat, but cloud-to-ground lightning is happening in these storms.

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