SCATTERED STORMS LIKELY THIS EVENING; IDALIA LIKELY TO PASS WELL TO OUR EAST… Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are likely at times this afternoon into this evening on this Monday. This will be welcome rain for many communities across the region although not ever community will have rain before the end of the day. Some of the storms may be strong, producing gusty winds, loud thunder, and cloud-to-ground lightning. High temperatures will be in the upper-90s today. We continue to monitor a strengthening Tropical Storm Idalia in the far northwestern Caribbean Sea. Idalia is forecast to pass to our east in the days ahead.
IDALIA: LOCAL IMPACTS DISCUSSION – SOUTH ALABAMA & N.W. FLORIDA… Significant local impacts are NOT expected in south Alabama or northwest Florida due to Tropical Storm Idalia, per the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center. Confidence in the overall forecast continues to increase and impacts from Idalia will likely happen in parts of the Florida Peninsula and north Florida. This would put our local area on the better/west side of the storm as it moves north and ultimately northeast. An increased risk of rip currents will happen over the next several days at the Alabama and northwest Florida beaches.
IDALIA: STRONGER THIS MORNING… Idalia continues to become more organized while the system slowly meanders in the far northwestern corner of the Caribbean Sea. The National Hurricane Center explicitly forecasts Idalia to become a hurricane before landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida late Tuesday into Wednesday. Potentially significant impacts because of Idalia may be possible across parts of the Florida Peninsula and northern Florida near places like Cedar Key, Steinhatchee, and the Big Bend region.
HURRICANE FRANKLIN MOVING NORTH IN ATLANTIC… Hurricane Franklin continues to strengthen over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Franklin is forecast to pass well east of the North Carolina coast tomorrow into Wednesday while also passing just to the west of Bermuda. Franklin is forecast to turn to the northeast and ultimately move out to sea later this week. No direct impacts from Franklin are expected in Alabama or northwest Florida.
INCREASED RAIN CHANCES AND LOWER HEAT NUMBERS THIS WEEK… Scattered to numerous pop-up showers and thunderstorms are expected today and on Tuesday. These storms will not be associated with Tropical Storm Idalia, but instead are the “normal pop-up thunderstorms” that our area experiences in the summer months. In addition to higher rain chances this week, we are looking forward to slightly lower temperatures. High temperatures will be in the 90s this week (as opposed to the triple digit heat of the last week) with morning lows in the upper-60s and near 70. Wednesday, in particular, looks nicer with high temperatures projected to be in the upper-80s!
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See all the details in your Monday RedZone Weather forecast video. Have a great start to your week!