First Alert Weather: Lower humidity for Memorial Day weekend

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - We finally had a rain-free day across Central Alabama, but experienced hazy skies thanks to wildfires burning all the way up in Alberta, Canada! Temperatures are mild and comfortable in the upper 60s and low 70s, and we expect a mostly clear sky overnight with northeast winds at 5 mph.

We will likely wake up tomorrow morning dry with temperatures in the upper 50s and lower 60s. By the afternoon, temperatures will top out in the low 80s under a mostly sunny sky - we still expect some hazy conditions though. Though rain chances don’t look overwhelming, we have a 20% chance for some isolated pop-up showers and storms, mainly north of I-20/59 into the late afternoon and evening hours. Any storm that develops could produce heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and lightning. A lot of us will end up staying dry though with east-northeast winds at 5-10 mph.

Next Big Thing: The big story over the weekend is watching an area of low pressure develop off the Georgia/South Carolina coast. Our weather models show this low developing and spreading moisture into the Carolinas and into parts of Georgia Saturday and Sunday. The National Hurricane Center has a 10% chance for this system to develop into a tropical depression or storm over the next several days. Odds will likely remain very low for it to become tropical. The track and strength of this low will determine how it will impact Central Alabama over the weekend. Most of our models keep the moisture to our east, but we will continue to hold on to a 20-30% chance for isolated showers and storms over the holiday weekend. With northeasterly winds, temperatures will hang out in the upper 70s and low 80s. Overnight lows will likely cool into the mid to upper 50s. The best chance for a few storms Saturday will likely occur in west Alabama. By Sunday, the best chance for a few showers will likely occur in east Alabama. Sunday may end up a little cooler thanks to increasing cloud cover with highs in the upper 70s. Rain chances could still increase or decrease depending on how this low develops. If rain chances increase, it will mean more cloud cover and significantly cooler temperatures. Right now, we are leaning toward the drier solution with this setup, since we’ll be on the typically drier, western side of the circulation. Stay with us for updates as we approach the weekend. The forecast could still change as the low meanders across the Southeast. For now, I wouldn’t cancel any outdoor plans.

Memorial Day Forecast: Memorial Day is looking mostly dry with comfortable temperatures. We are forecasting temperatures to start out in the mid 50s Monday morning. We will likely end up partly cloudy Monday with highs near 80°F. We will hold on to a 20% chance for an isolated shower or storm, but most of us will end up dry. It should be nice weather for grilling or heading out to the lakes.

Turning Hot: Long-range weather models are showing a summer-like weather pattern developing as we finish out May and move into June. The middle and end of next week will trend warmer with highs in the mid to upper 80s and lows in the 60s. We will continue to hold on to a 10-20% chance for isolated storms each day. Humidity levels may increase a little, making it feel slightly muggy. It’s definitely a pattern that is not uncommon for this time of the year. Enjoy the cooler temperatures and lower humidity this week while we have it!

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