The good news is that we will not see major impacts through much of the week across Central Alabama from either system, but we may have to watch for stronger storms that may develop with the enhanced instability on Friday from Laura.
We’ll have some showers move across the area today from the northern periphery of Marco and those may continue for a little while on Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday are actually trending drier with only a chance of scattered showers and storms. Rain chances will increase as Laura will be moving through the northern parts of Central Alabama on Friday.
10:00 AM (08/24/2020) UPDATES FROM THE NHC
Tropical Storm Marco
Location: 55 miles southeast of the Mouth of the Mississippi River
Winds: 50 mph
Movement: north-northwest at 8 MPH
Pressure: 1006 MB or 29.71 in
A turn to the west-northwest is expected to occur by Tuesday, and this motion should continue until the system dissipates in a couple of days. Steady weakening is forecast, and Marco is expected to weaken to a tropical depression tonight, and degenerate to a remnant low on Tuesday.
Storm Surge: Morgan City LA to Ocean Springs MS, including Lake Borgne (2-4 ft)
Wind: Tropical storm conditions are expected to start by this afternoon in portions of the warning area.
Rainfall: Marco is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 3 to 6 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches across portions of the northeast and north-central Gulf coast through Tuesday. This rainfall may result in areas of flash, urban and small stream flooding along the same area.
Surf: Swells generated by Marco are likely to affect portions of the northern Gulf Coast for the next couple of days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.
Tornadoes: A couple of tornadoes are possible today into tonight across the Florida Panhandle, southern Georgia, southern Alabama, and southern Mississippi.
Tropical Storm Laura
Location: 65 miles east-southeast of Cayo Largo
Winds: 60 mph
Movement: west-northwest at 20 MPH
Pressure: 1002 MB or 29.59 in
A turn toward the northwest is forecast by Wednesday, and a northwestward to north-northwestward motion should continue through Wednesday night. On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move over the Caribbean Sea just offshore of the southern coast of Cuba this afternoon, cross western Cuba this evening, and move into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico overnight. Laura is then forecast to move over the central and northwestern Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night and Wednesday, and approach the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday night. Little change in strength is forecast today, but strengthening is expected when the storm moves over the Gulf of Mexico, and Laura is forecast to become a hurricane on Tuesday, with additional strengthening forecast on Wednesday.
Rainfall: From Wednesday afternoon into Friday, Laura is expected to produce rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches across portions of the west-central U.S. Gulf Coast near the Texas and Louisiana border north into portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley. This rainfall could cause widespread flash and urban flooding, small streams to overflow their banks, and minor to isolated moderate river flooding.
Wind: Tropical storm conditions are expected to spread westward within the warning area in Cuba through today. Tropical storm conditions are expected in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac today. Tropical storm conditions are also expected within the warning area in the middle and lower Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas this afternoon and tonight.
Surf: Swells generated by Laura are affecting portions of Hispaniola, eastern and central Cuba, and the Bahamas. These swells are expected to spread across western Cuba and the Florida Keys today. Please consult products from your local weather office.
Tornadoes: An isolated tornado will be possible later today into tonight across the Florida Keys.
Central Alabama Weather 