SCATTERED STORMS TODAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND; TRACKING 2 TROPICAL SYSTEMS… Pop-up thunderstorms are expected to develop later today across south Alabama and northwest Florida. Some of the storms will produce pockets of heavy rain, cloud-to-ground lightning, loud thunder, and perhaps gusty winds. Thunderstorms are most likely to happen today and in the next few days between the hours of 1PM and 8PM. Looking ahead, hotter, drier days are likely as we get into the middle part of the upcoming week. High temperatures will be in the mid-90s by Tuesday and Wednesday with lower (not zero!) rain chances.
TROPICAL STORM BRET NEAR THE LESSER ANTILLES… The center of Tropical Storm Bret has now passed into the far eastern Caribbean Sea. The storm continues to bring heavy pockets of rain and gusty winds to parts of the southern Lesser Antilles on this Friday. Tropical Storm Warnings continue for several of the southern Leeward Islands. Bret is forecast to continue to move west toward the central Caribbean Sea over the next day or so. The National Hurricane Center suggests complete dissipation of the system will happen on Sunday as Bret moves into an increasingly hostile environment. No direct impacts are expected in the U.S. from Tropical Storm Bret.
TD4/TROPICAL STORM CINDY… Tropical Depression Four formed yesterday in the late morning hours. TD4 is explicitly forecast to become Tropical Storm Cindy in the hours ahead. TD4/Cindy will move to the northwest over the next several days, likely passing the Leeward Islands to the northeast some time on Sunday into Monday. Fortunately, TD4/Cindy will likely weaken early next week northeast of The Bahamas. The official NHC forecast calls for Cindy to weaken back to tropical depression status by Tuesday. No impacts from TD4/Cindy are expected in Alabama or northwest Florida at this time.
GULF OF MEXICO REMAINS QUIET… Despite ongoing activity in the Caribbean Sea (Bret) and in the Atlantic Ocean (TD4/Cindy), the Gulf of Mexico remains quiet at this point. No tropical storms are expected to form in the Gulf over the next 5-7 days. The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season will have a climatological peak in activity around September 11. Hurricane season officially ends on November 30.
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See all the details in your Friday morning RedZone Weather forecast video. Have a great day!