This is a major announcement. Tampa Airport to close because of #Idalia. https://t.co/uqbY5Ekgpz

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 28, 2023

Scattered showers and storms continue to pop up across the region this morning. Heavy rain is happening near Milton, Pace, Navarre, and Beaver Creek.

More storms are likely to develop over the next several hours. pic.twitter.com/YeBoZa6s3R

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 28, 2023

P.M. STORMS LIKELY THIS WEEK… Higher rain chances are expected this week compared to the last few weeks. Most of the rain this week will come from pop-up showers and storms in the P.M. hours.

Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to remain to our east. Significant impacts possible for the Big Bend region of Florida.

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!

APP… If you haven’t already downloaded the RedZone Weather app, now is a great time to do that. redzoneweather.com/app is the link to the free download. Once you have the RZW app installed on your iOS or Android device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab to turn on the specific notifications you’d like to receive. All notifications are handcrafted by me. No automation and we promise not to bug you!

See all the details in your Monday RedZone Weather forecast video. Have a great start to your week!

RAIN & STORMS AT TIMES LATER TODAY… Scattered showers and thunderstorms are likely at times this afternoon into this evening on this Monday. Highs will be in the upper-90s today but we are looking forward to slightly cooler high temps (and higher rain chances!) over the next several days.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning till 4:15AM for much of southern Mobile County. Gusty winds and hail possible near Bayou La Batre, Alabama Port, Sunny Cove, Theodore, surrounding areas. pic.twitter.com/U8jBELMwam

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 28, 2023

WEATHER ALERT… Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Mobile-AL County until 4:15 AM.

Product issued by the National Weather Service MOB at 3:37 AM CDT Monday, August 28, 2023 and is valid until 4:15 AM CDT Monday, August 28, 2023.

ISOLATED STORMS THIS EVENING… Several widely scattered showers and thunderstorms have developed this evening across parts of Conecuh, Escambia (AL), Butler, Covington, and Crenshaw counties.

These storms are slowly moving southwest. Loud thunder possible.

Tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 42 mph) with gusts to 56 mph are now being observed at Buoy 42056 just east of #Idalia's center. The buoy is located roughly at the yellow dot in the accompanying satellite image. pic.twitter.com/pG3vj4Uv6M

— Dr. Levi Cowan (@TropicalTidbits) August 28, 2023

I see the hype machine and weather entertainers (aka fake meteorologists) are out in full force this evening…

To vehemently reiterate: No significant local impacts are expected in south Alabama or northwest Florida due to #Idalia. pic.twitter.com/l5D1IM0D1r

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 28, 2023

Buoy 42056 has been critical in determining in-situ observations while recon has been away. Pressure has tanked with the latest measurement under 997mb. This is still outside the core so it's safe to say that #Idalia is still intensifying… potentially even rapidly. https://t.co/tcv8Y3SxJF pic.twitter.com/IgHavteD7J

— Kaylan Patel (@WxPatel) August 28, 2023

Tropical Storm #Idalia is strengthening and getting better organized over the far northwest Caribbean Sea. A buoy near the center has observed a sustained wind of 42 mph, gusting 49 mph. Idalia will move north through the eastern Gulf as a hurricane on Tuesday. #FLwx #GAwx #ALwx pic.twitter.com/NfwGno9KWd

— NWS Tallahassee (@NWSTallahassee) August 28, 2023

Sunset Daphne,AL @spann @NWSMobile @rzweather @StormHour @ThePhotoHour @michaelwhitewx @KDanielCCI @AlanSealls @wkrgcaroline @WKRGEd @thisisalabama #alwx #sunset pic.twitter.com/ZDfbYarqjb

— Ditto Gorme (@dittogorme) August 28, 2023

Convection has exploded in the last hour just to the south and east of the estimated center of #Idalia. We'll need to keep an eye on trends over the next few hours to see if this attempts to rotate upshear.

Pretty impressive amount of lightning activity as well. pic.twitter.com/zGT8sM2Yvn

— Steve Copertino (@TheSteveCop) August 27, 2023

IF tropical storm (soon to be #hurricane #Idalia) were to achieve MH intensity and make landfall in the area between Apalachicola and Horseshoe Beach, FL…it will be the first known occurrence in recorded history (dating back to 1851).

Last Major Hurricane Landfalls:… pic.twitter.com/hOUveXKZhk

— Tony Brite (@tbrite89) August 27, 2023

Storm surge often doesn't get as much attention as the high wind and rain/flooding threat in hurricanes.#Idalia could pose a SIGNIFICANT storm surge threat for the Big Bend with 7-11+ feet of storm surge being possible.

Serious issues possible near Cedar Key and Steinhatchee. pic.twitter.com/fByYYuM982

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2023

Thunderstorms near Pace, Mulat, Floridatown, and Avalon Beach are VERY slowly pushing southwest. Small (dime size) hail is happening near Pace per a report moments ago from @ashleywelles2.

Gusty winds also possible as this storm slowly moves toward the Causeway and NE Pensacola. pic.twitter.com/deYOMyFTIT

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2023

Small hail in pace, fl @rzweather pic.twitter.com/6LLCItpT8X

— ashley welles (@ashleywelles2) August 27, 2023

HURRICANE WATCH FOR BIG BEND REGION OF FLORIDA AS T.S. IDALIA TO MOVE NORTH… A Hurricane Watch has been issued for parts of the Florida Gulf Coast, specifically for the Big Bend region, due to the expected approach of Tropical Storm Idalia. At 4PM on this Sunday, the center of Idalia is located about 95 miles southeast of Cozumel, Mexico in the far northwestern Caribbean Sea. The center of TD10/Idalia drifted south over the last 24 hours but is expected to begin moving north tonight or tomorrow. Idalia is now explicitly forecast to reach category 2 intensity before the expected landfall in the northern Florida Peninsula (not the Panhandle, but the Peninsula!) late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Significant local impacts in south Alabama and northwest Florida are not expected due to 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. Many questions over the last few hours asking if this forecast could change considerably. The answer at this point is, “probably not.” 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.

WHAT TO EXPECT LOCALLY DUE TO IDALIA… Could our local area get some rain off Tropical Storm Idalia? Probably not, but the good news is OUTSIDE of Idalia, our area has higher rain chances in the P.M. hours each day this week compared to the last few weeks. We will experience scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms each day this week, Monday through Friday. Areas to our east like Panama City, Port St. Joe, and Mexico Beach probably will have at least some rainfall from Idalia as the core of the storm passes to the east of those areas on Tuesday into Wednesday.

HURRICANE WATCH FOR BIG BEND REGION OF FLORIDA… A Hurricane Watch has been issued for the Gulf Coast of Florida from Englewood to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay. This includes Apalachichola, Carrabelle, Sopchoppy, St. Marks, Perry, Horseshoe Beach, Cedar Key, Crystal River, Homosassa, New Port Richey, Tarpon Springs, and Clearwater.

TROPICAL STORM WATCH & STORM SURGE WATCH FOR PARTS OF FLORIDA… In addition to the Hurricane Watch, a Storm Surge Watch is now in effect from Chokoloskee to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect south of Englewood (south of the Hurricane Watch) to Chokoloskee, and for the Dry Tortugas.

ISOLATED STRONG STORMS LOCALLY… Loud thunderstorms are happening this evening across parts of the local area. Heavy downpours of rain are happening near Grand Bay, Century, Flomaton, Canoe, Appleton, Pineview, Jay, McKenzie, Greenville, and Forest Home at the time I am producing this update around 4:15PM on Sunday. These thunderstorms are not moving much at all. Intense cloud-to-ground lightning and loud thunder is noted in some of these storms. If you’re close enough to a storm to hear thunder, please get inside!

INCREASED RAIN CHANCES AND LOWER HEAT NUMBERS THIS WEEK… Scattered to numerous pop-up showers and thunderstorms are expected on Monday and 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!

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.

I will have a detailed video and text discussion with the latest details on Idalia posted by 7:15AM tomorrow morning. Have a nice Sunday evening!

Here is our detailed Sunday evening discussion on what you can expect concerning Tropical Storm #Idalia. For south Alabama and northwest Florida, there won't be much in the way of impacts. Details here: https://t.co/8jxRIV92zv pic.twitter.com/0pipUsqWvM

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2023

A Hurricane Watch is now posted for the Big Bend region of Florida ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm #Idalia late Tuesday into Wednesday.

Idalia is forecast to be a category 2 hurricane with max. winds near or in excess of 100 mph as the storm approaches the FL Coast. pic.twitter.com/9nXqyb0qt3

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2023

Just in as of 4PM: A Hurricane Watch has been issued for the Gulf Coast of Florida from Englewood to Indian Pass, including Tampa Bay. This is ahead of the arrival of #Idalia.

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2023

Scattered storms continue to develop and drift southeast across the region this evening… pic.twitter.com/3GHxaZ87T9

— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2023