WBRC Weather

Record Highs Continue

Another handfull of high temperature records for the date fell Saturday afternoon including 104 in Anniston and Tuscaloosa; 107 in Muscle Shoals.

We'll likely see more records set Sunday afternoon...and the Heat Index will make the air feel more like 110!

An Excessive Heat Warning continues through 9 pm Sunday for all of Central Alabama.

Be very cautious in this heat....which will reach dangerous levels through next week. Although the triple digit air temperatures may not be reached, with increasing moisture humidity will make conditions feel just as oppressive.

Be cool.

Fred Hunter

FOX6 Meteorologist

fhunter@wbrc.com

11:30 AM Surface Analysis-NWS Issues Excessive Heat Warning

As of 11:30 AM, temperatures were already nearing 100 across the area. I included a streamline analysis chart that shows the core of the high pressure ridge now centered over Georgia. These lines represent the flow pattern at 10,000 to 15,000 ft. This should keep us dry throughout the rest of today and tonight. The models conntinue to suggest some weakening by Monday and Tuesday.  

Temperatures are soaring towards record levels  and the National Weather Service has now issued an Excessive Heat Warning in effect through 9PM tomorrow night. Highs will be near 105, with heat index values around 110 today and tomorrow.  

Fox 6 Meteorologist Wes Wyatt

Follow Me on Facebook:  Facebook.com/weswyattfox6

Twitter @ weswyattweather

Derecho Responsible For Wide-Spread Wind Damage

Earlier today we reported about the stormy weather that impacted the northern states overnight. This looks to be the product of a “derecho” that raced from northern Illinois and Indiana to the mid-Atlantic coast. A derecho is a weather term for a long lived damaging straight-line wind event associated with a fast moving line of severe storms. The Storm Prediction Center is reporting over 860 wind damage reports and two tornadoes. There were also fatalities and injuries. One fatality occurred in North Middletown, Kentucky when a tree fell on a man trying to clear the road.

I’ve attached a report from our sister station WWBT in Richmond, Virginia. More severe storms will be possible in these areas later today.

 

NBC12.com-Richmond, VA News, Weather, Traffic

Thunderstorms will be possible in our area starting tomorrow night and some could be very strong with high winds and frequent cloud to ground lightning.

Fox 6 Meteorologist Wes Wyatt

Follow Me on Facebook:  Facebook.com/weswyattfox6

Twitter @ weswyattweather

Saturday Forecast Discussion-Dangerous Heat Levels Today

June is certainly going out with a bang! More dangerous heat levels are expected across our area today. Highs should easily top 100 area-wide, with peak afternoon temperatures near105.

Here is a look at today’s record highs:  Tuscaloosa 103 (1954), Birmingham 104 (1931), and Anniston 101 (1954).

The extreme heat is being fueled by very dry conditions and burn bans are in place. Check on the elderly, friends, and family members to make sure everybody has a cool shelter. Also, check on the pets to make sure they have a cool spot. Stay well hydrated and avoid strenuous outdoor activities between 10 AM and 7 PM. More heat advisories will be in place tomorrow as the heat wave continues, with highs near 104.

The upper air ridge looks to slowly weaken by the middle of next week as an upper level trough develops over the eastern United States. This will bring us better news regarding rainfall. A few scattered strong thunderstorms may develop as early as tomorrow night.

Highs will remain in the 98 to 102 degree range for Monday and Tuesday with a downward trend in temperatures throughout the week. We will also have afternoon and evening thunderstorms each day.

Fox 6 Meteorologist Wes Wyatt

Follow Me on Facebook

Twitter @ weswyattweather

 

The Hottest Summer In...

Not since 2007 have we seen a run of hot temperatures like we're experienceing now with temperatures possibly reaching 106 over the weekend.

An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect from Cullman north to the Tennessee Valley with a Heat Advisory for the remainder of Central Alabama.

A Code Orange Ozone Alert continues Saturday for Jefferson/Shelby counties for poor air quality.

Fire dangers are high as well and the USDA Forest Service has issued a fire closure order for Alabama's four National Forests including Bankhead, Conecuh, Talladega and Tuskegee National Forests. This order prohibits use of fire, including campfires in any location of a National Forest outside developed recreation sites. Visitors are also restricted from using fireworks or pyrotechnic devices. The restrictions will remain in effect until August 31.

Stay well hydrated, avoid outdoor activities especially during the hottest part of the day, wear loose fitting, light colored clothing and be sure to keep a check on elderly neighbors, youngsters and be sure the pets have shelter from the heat and plenty of water.

Fred Hunter

FOX6 Meteorologist

fhunter@wbrc.com

Particularly Dangerous Heat Wave Underway

...HISTORIC HEAT WAVE...

The heat wave started yesterday, with a high temperature in BHM of 101, TCL 101, and Anniston 98.  At 1 pm, our temperatures are running about 2 degrees warmer than yesterday at the same time, so we can expect highs this afternoon of 101 to 104 across central Alabama.  The ground is very dry, and almost all the energy from the sun is going straight into heating the ground and the air above it, not into evaporating water (as it would if we saw rain lately).  We are near the solstice, with long days and high sun angle, and with more energy coming in every day than is radiated back out, the atmosphere will continue to warm until something changes, like an increase in thunderstorms (likely to start Monday). 

A new concern is that low-level moisture levels have increased a little bit, but probably not enough to get any clouds or storms going today or tomorrow, at least.  This means dewpoints will rise some through the weekend.  With high temperatures tomorrow and Sunday 103 to 107, and even with a dewpoint of 65, the heat index could easily go above 110.  Same thing Sunday.

Temperatures this weekend will be above 95 for 10-12 hours each day, and above 100 for 5-9 hours.  Birmingham has only reached 105 or higher 18 times since 1896.  That's 18 days out of a total of 42532 days.  So, we are in rare territory here, up there with the heat waves of 1925, 1952, 1980, and 2007. 

This is a dangerous heat situation.  Any non-emergency outdoor work should be postponed.  If you are planning to be outside, take frequent breaks, pour water on yourself, and drink plenty of water and Gatorade (all water and no electrolytes can be bad for you).  A person can sweat as much as a quart every hour if doing work in this kind of heat, and sweat a lot just being outside.  If you start to feel sick, go into the air conditioning immediately.  

Right next to the ground it is 2-4 degrees hotter than the official temperature, so your pets are even hotter.  If at all possible, they need to come inside during the heat of the day (my beagle Jack is in here with me now...I am working from home).  Make sure they have plenty of water that sits in the shade and is refilled often (I use a big 5 gallon bucket), and they need shady areas.  Also, remember the elderly, as many of them may live in old homes with no air conditioning.  Check on them regularly, because they may think they can tough it out, but this heat is dangerous.  A box fan won't cut it this time.  If your air conditioner goes out, leave home and go somewhere with air conditioning until the weekend is over, at least.   

Anyone without air conditioning needs to find somewhere to go that has it...friends or family's homes, public buildings, etc.  Time spent outdoors should be extremely limited or avoided between 11 am and 6 pm.

Dr. Tim Coleman

UAH Research Meteorologist

Fox 6 Severe Weather Expert and Weather Blogger

Follow me on twitter at timbhm

Heat Advisory-Code Orange Ozone Alert

Temperatures, while not at record setting levels Thursday, did reach highs running 8-11 degrees abover average for the end of June in Central Alabama.

A Code Orange Ozone Alert is again in effect for Jefferson and Shelby counties with a Heat Advisory continuing through at least Friday across all of Central Alabama.

Air temperatures will range from 100-102 area wide through the weekend with Heat Index Values around 108-109.

Some moisture return may begin by the end of the weekend but even then only a slight chance for scattered thunderstorms is seen through next week.

Stay well hydrated. Limit your outdoor activity whenever possible during the hottest part of the day, keep a close check on the youngsters and the elderly and be sure the pets have plenty of water and a cool place to stay to avoid the heat.

Fred Hunter

FOX6 Meteorologist

fhunter@wbrc.com

Heat Wave - Particularly Dangerous Situation

(NAM forecast temperatures at 4 pm saturday,  The yellow area is all above 100, and the bright red areas are above 104.  This includes many areas in Alabama).

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HEAT WAVE OVER ALABAMA NEXT 3 DAYS...

This is the real deal.  The heat wave we are forecasting today through Sunday is particularly serious, with high temperatures possibly nearing all-time record levels in some spots, and heat index values possibly 110 to 115 degrees.  The ground is very dry, so almost all of the solar energy coming in during the day goes into heating the ground and the air, with almost none of it going into evaporating moisture.  The sun is still near its peak height in the sky (we are only ten days away from the solstice), so days are long and the sun is very direct.  A lot more sun energy is coming in every day than the ground can radiate back out at night, so each day until the air mass changes and we start getting scattered storms (early next week), it will get hotter.  There is also no flow out of the Gulf to cool us off, with our low-level winds coming from the west.

(925 mb flow)

All major computer models (NAM, GFS, GEM, and Euro) are forecasting temperatures between 100 and 108 over Alabama.

According to the GFS model (shown in graph), we'll reach 102 tomorrow, and 106 Saturday and Sunday.  Temperatures will stay above 90 for 9 hours tomorrow, and almost 12 hours each day over the weekend.  Humidity levels may start to increase some by this weekend, causing the heat index to soar to near 110.  You would think with temperatures this hot and an increase in humidity that we would see scattered thunderstorms.  However, the mid levels of the atmosphere are very warm too, so any storms this weekend will be isolated, and there may not be many clouds at all.  Fortunately, humidity will increase further in the atmosphere by next week, allowing more clouds and scattered afternoon storms to cool things off. 

This is a dangerous heat situation, and if you are planning to be outside, especially working, take frequent breaks, pour water on yourself, and drink plenty of water and Gatorade (all water and no electrolytes can be bad for you).  A person can sweat as much as a quart every hour if doing work in this kind of heat, and sweat a lot just being outside.  If you start to feel sick, go into the air conditioning immediately.  

Right next to the ground it is 2-4 degrees hotter than the official temperature, so your pets are even hotter.  If at all possible, they need to come inside during the heat of the day.  Make sure they have plenty of water that sits in the shade and is refilled often (I use a big 5 gallon bucket for our beagle Jack, who is about to come in for a few hours now), and they need shady areas.  Also, remember the elderly, as many of them may live in old homes with no air conditioning.  Check on them regularly, because they may think they can tough it out, but this heat is dangerous.  A box fan won't cut it this time. 

Anyone without air conditioning needs to find somewhere to go that has it...friends or family's homes, public buildings, etc.  Time spent outdoors should be extremely limited or avoided between 10 am and 5 pm.

Dr. Tim Coleman

HOT, HOT, HOT!

Over the next several days it looks like we will be experiencing heat near record breaking levels.  Today many areas in north central Alabama will top out at 100-degrees or above.  The same holds true tomorrow through the weekend. 

Here are some record highs through July 1st:

JUNE 28

LOCATIONS           RECORD TEMPERATURES     YEAR(S)
----------------    -------------------     -----------
ANNISTON                    104             1931
BIRMINGHAM                  104             1931
MONTGOMERY                  105             1954
TUSCALOOSA                  105             1952

JUNE 29

LOCATIONS           RECORD TEMPERATURES     YEAR(S)
----------------    -------------------     -----------
ANNISTON                    103             1931
BIRMINGHAM                  106             1931
MONTGOMERY                  101             1954
TUSCALOOSA                  102             1954, 1969

JUNE 30

LOCATIONS           RECORD TEMPERATURES     YEAR(S)
----------------    -------------------     -----------
ANNISTON                    101             1954
BIRMINGHAM                  104             1931
MONTGOMERY                  102             1954
TUSCALOOSA                  103             1954

JULY 1

LOCATIONS           RECORD TEMPERATURES     YEAR(S)
----------------    -------------------     -----------
ANNISTON                    102             1954
BIRMINGHAM                  103             1954
MONTGOMERY                  100             1898, 2007
TUSCALOOSA                  103             1954

After Sunday, our afternoon temps will likely cool into the upper 90s.

If you have to be outside for any length of time, try to limit outdoor activity while drinking plenty of fluids.

Mickey Ferguson, FOX6 Weather

Colorado Wildfires - The View From Space

As Alabama braces for more extreme temperatures, folks out west are continuing to battle wildfires. In Colorado, wildfires have been ongoing for days. They continue to be tough to contain due to extremely dry conditions. The wildfires have reportedly destroyed more than 87,000 acres, forcing more than 32,000 residents to evacuate. Although it’s been dry, scattered thunderstorms and showers have developed across Colorado this afternoon. The Haines Index that is used to measure the conditions for wildfire growth has been at the max level for several days.

The top image is a high resolution satellite image produced by NOAA. If you look closely you can see some of the smoke plumes in eastern Colorado. Most of the features you see in the image are cumulus clouds. There also appears to be a large fire in southwest Wyoming. One of our staff members shared the bottom image. This shows the heavy smoke and low visibility at ground level.

She writes: This was taken from my sister's (Shannon Baer) back window. They live in Colorado Springs just east of the fire.

Meteorologist Kevin Jacobs

Fox 6 Weather