FIRST ALERT: Building heat, plus tracking Tropical Storm Fiona

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The big weather story in the days ahead will be hotter afternoons. After another pleasant start Friday, temperatures will be rising into the 80s by lunchtime, with upper 80s after lunchtime. The sky will be mostly sunny, so don’t forget the shades and sunscreen. We will also have an easterly wind at 5 to 10 mph. The air remains very dry, so this will allow temperatures to drop quickly on Friday evening. It’s going to feel very comfortable by halftime of the high school football games.

The upcoming weekend will remain very warm and dry. Morning temperatures are expected to drop into the mid to upper 60s, with highs in the upper 80s. A few spots could end up near 90°F on both Saturday and Sunday. If you are planning on attending the UAB, Alabama, or Auburn football games Saturday, make sure you wear sunscreen and don’t forget about the hat and sunglasses! The UV Index will remain in the very high category which means you could start to burn in 15 minutes if you are not protected. Humidity levels will remain comfortable over the weekend, so the heat index will not be an issue. This would be a great weekend to plan yard work for the morning or evening hours.

Next Big Thing: The dry weather pattern is likely to continue going into next week. The big story will be the heat. Above normal heat looks likely, but I don’t think we will reach record territory. Our average high/low temperature for the middle of September is 86°F/66°F. We will see highs in the low to mid 90s with overnight lows near 70°F. It’ll be hot next week, but the dew points will remain low enough where it won’t feel super muggy or uncomfortable. We look to remain dry for most of next week with only isolated rain chances possible the following weekend.

Tropical Storm Fiona formed last night in the Central Atlantic Ocean. Winds are up to 60 mph, and it is pushing off to the west at 10-15 mph. Fiona will likely remain a tropical storm and interact with Puerto Rico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic over the weekend. Rain and gusty winds will be likely in these locations. We have decent guidance on the track of this storm for the next three to five days, but uncertainty on the track of the storm remains high going into next week. Several models hint it could curve northwards and stay east of the Bahamas. If Fiona remains fairly strong, this solution could verify. It would be the best-case scenario as it would stay east of the United States and remain over the Atlantic Ocean. If Fiona remains weak and takes a southerly route, it will have the potential to move into the Caribbean and maybe the Gulf. Fewer models support this possibility, but we can’t completely rule it out. We will monitor Fiona, and let you know if changes in the forecast are needed. The rest of the Atlantic Ocean remains quiet. Hurricane season officially ends on November 30.

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