10:00 PM DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
At 1000 PM CDT (0300 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Barry was located near latitude 31.0 North, longitude 93.0 West. Barry is moving toward the north-northwest near 8 mph (13 km/h). A turn toward the north is expected on Sunday, and this general motion should continue through Monday. On the forecast track, the center of Barry will move across central Louisiana tonight, through northern Louisiana on Sunday, and over Arkansas Sunday night and Monday.
Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts, and these winds are occurring near the coast to the southeast of the center. Additional weakening is expected as the center moves farther inland, and Barry is forecast to weaken to a depression on Sunday.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles (335 km) mainly over water to the southeast of the center.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1002 MB (29.59 inches).
The Tropical Storm Warning from the Mouth of the Mississippi River to east of Grand Isle has been discontinued.
A Tropical Storm Warning continues from Grand Isle to Cameron and for Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas including metropolitan New Orleans.
A Storm Surge Warning continues from Intracoastal City to Biloxi and for Lake Pontchartrain.
The good news is that the threat for flooding rainfall continues to drop as the forecast track continue to keep the center of Barry over the western parts of Louisiana and Arkansas as it moves slowly to the north. Forecasted rainfall totals from the WPC has some places in the western parts of Central Alabama getting as much as 4 inches through Tuesday morning. Now we could see from roughly around 1/4 inch up to around 2 inches from east to west across the area. While this will help out somewhat in the drought department, there are places that would have loved to see a little higher totals in the forecast.
The best news of all is that the more westerly forecast track greatly lessens any chance of having a brief spin-up tornado from the outer band of Barry. While still not at zero, the odds are really, really low at this point.
That is all for today. If any warnings happen to be issued for tonight in Central Alabama, they will be posted instantly on my Twitter feed @ScottMartinWx. Give me a follow… and be sure to tell your friends. Have a great night and God bless.
Central Alabama Weather 