AT MIDDAY, SUNNY AND UNSEASONABLY WARM
With absolutely beautiful and sunny skies across Central Alabama, and with upper ridging in place and no soil moisture, temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees above normal for today, but still a couple short of record highs. As you can see by the Sat/Rad map image, the cold front that will be bringing us our next chance of rain is currently draped over the nation’s mid-section and down into Texas, but there is not much moisture with it.
Here are the temperatures from across the state at the 12 o’clock hour.
BIRMINGHAM’S CLIMATOLOGY AND RECORDS
The normal high for November 17th is 64, while the normal low is 41. The record high for today was set back in 1958 at 82. The record low was set back in 1997 at 20.
LATEST DATA FROM THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR
The latest data from the U.S. Drought Monitor for the state of Alabama now shows that over 65% of the state is now classified under “extreme” or “exceptional” drought conditions. That is an increase of over 13% from just this time last week. A Drought Emergency continues in effect, banning any outdoor burning for all counties in the state. Click here for more information. Be sure to conserve water as well, as the Birmingham Water Works remains in a “Stage 4 Drought Emergency.”
THE REST OF YOUR THURSDAY
Clear skies and unseasonably warm temperatures for the remainder of the afternoon hours, with highs reaching into the 77-82 degree range throughout Central Alabama. Clear skies and cool for the evening and overnight hours, with the possibility of some patchy fog developing in a few spots in the southwestern parts of the area. Lows will be in the middle 40s to the low 50s.
FRIDAY’S FORECAST
The day will start off clear with the exception for a few areas of patchy fog in the southwestern parts of the area. Temperatures will warm nicely under mostly clear to sunny skies, with highs reaching the upper 70s to the low 80s. For the evening, clouds will start to increase in the northwestern parts of the area, and move across the rest of the area as the overnight hours progress. The odds for getting rainfall are best towards the northwest and decrease as you move southeast. Even with that being said, rainfall amounts are not that impressive. Most places along and northwest of a line from Demopolis to Clanton to Anniston will receive less than 1/10th of an inch, with those southeast of that line getting just a few sprinkles or no rainfall at all. Overnight lows will be in the 40s in the northwestern parts, and in the 50s in the southwestern parts of Central Alabama.
GULF COAST FORECAST
Sunny days, fair nights through the weekend from Gulf Shores to Panama City Beach. Highs in the 70s today and tomorrow, then in the 60s over the weekend.
UPDATE ON THE TROPICS
A broad low is located over the Southwestern Caribbean Sea, and environmental conditions will become conducive for slow development during the next few days, with the possibility of it forming into a tropical depression over the weekend or early next week. Not much movement is to be expected, and it will not be a threat to the United States at all.
ON THIS DAY IN 1927
A tornado cut a seventeen mile path across Alexandria and southeastern Washington, DC, injuring 31 persons. The tornado struck the Naval Air Station where a wind gust of 93 mph was recorded. A waterspout was seen over the Potomac River ninety minutes later.
NUMBER OF THE DAY: 90
The warmest high temperature recorded in the United States for yesterday was 90 degrees, in the Texas towns of Robstown and Alice. The coolest low temperature recorded for the overnight and early morning hours was 12 degrees in Ely, Nevada.
Forecaster: Scott Martin (Twitter: @scottmartinwx)
Central Alabama Weather 