WHAT’S HAPPENING JUST BEFORE MIDDAY
As of 11:25 am, radar is free from any shower or thunderstorm activity, but that is expected to change later this afternoon and into the evening hours. Temperatures as of the 11:00 am round-up were in the 70s to the mid-80s across Central Alabama. Calera was the surprising cool spot at 70 degrees while Troy and Montgomery were tied as the warm spots at 84 degrees. Birmingham was sitting at 75 degrees.
MARGINAL RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS LATER TODAY
All of North/Central Alabama has been placed in a LEVEL 1 MARGINAL RISK for severe storms for today and tonight as a strong upper-level system approaches the area. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected to form and may become strong to severe. The main window for the potential of severe storms will begin around 2:00 pm in the west and southwestern parts of the area and will come to an end around 10:00 pm in the east and northeastern parts. Damaging winds up to 60 MPH and hail up to 1 inch in diameter or greater will be possible, along with heavy rainfall and dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning.
Rain chances will continue through the late night and overnight hours as well. Afternoon highs will be in the 80s across the area today with overnight lows only dipping into the 60s.
FRIDAY & THE WEEKEND
Very little change can be expected in our weather for Friday as scattered showers and thunderstorms can be expected across the area especially during the afternoon and evening hours. Afternoon highs will be in the lower to mid-80s.
The upper low causing all of the unsettled weather will be far enough away that our weather will become dry and a touch cooler for the end of Meteorological Spring. We’ll have a good bit of sunshine on Saturday and Sunday with highs reaching the lower to mid-80s for most on both days. Temperatures may be slightly warmer south of the I-85 corridor in the southeastern parts of the area.
A DRY START TO METEOROLOGICAL SUMMER
Monday and Tuesday will be dry but the trend of warming temperatures and increasing humidity will begin. Highs will be in the 80s on Monday and up into the mid-80s to the lower 90s for Tuesday.
The end of this seven-day forecast period shows that Wednesday will be a hot one with temperatures mainly in the lower 90s with only a slight chance of a few scattered showers and thunderstorms to bring any slight relief.
THE TROPICS
We are not expecting any tropical cyclone activity to form throughout the next five days across the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, or the tropical Atlantic Ocean.
ON THIS DAY IN WEATHER HISTORY
1947 – A storm produced heavy snow across Wisconsin, with ten inches reported at Gay Mills. The snow damaged fruit and other trees and downed power lines. The storm was followed by the coldest weather of the month for much of the High Plains Region and Missouri Valley. Williston ND reported a low of 21 degrees the morning of the 28th, and the next morning Cheyenne WY reported a morning low of 16 above zero.
1987 – Thunderstorms produced torrential rains in Oklahoma and northern Texas. Lake Altus, OK, was deluged with nine inches of rain. Up to eight inches drenched northern Texas, and baseball size hail was reported north of Seminole and at Knickerbocker. Ten to 13-inch rains soaked central Oklahoma the last five days of May resulting in an estimated 65 million dollars damage and forcing several thousand persons to evacuate their homes, many by boat or helicopter.
Central Alabama Weather 