First Alert Weather: Widely scattered storms possible Friday

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - First Alert AccuTrack is quiet across Central Alabama this evening with just a few spotty showers slowly drifting southward across North Alabama and North Georgia. Rain chances are at 10% or less tonight with most of us staying dry. Winds will stay out of the east at 5 mph with temperatures eventually falling into the mid to upper 60s by Friday morning.

Widely Scattered Storms Possible Friday: We will likely start tomorrow morning off mild with a partly cloudy sky. We are forecasting a partly cloudy sky tomorrow afternoon with highs in the upper 80s. Winds will shift from the east to northeast at 5-10 mph. Short-range weather models are hinting at a slightly better chance to see a few storms tomorrow. I’ve increased the rain chance to 30% for isolated to widely scattered storms Friday afternoon and evening. If any storm forms, they will likely develop in northeast Alabama and drift to the southwest. Storms tomorrow could produce heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and lightning. Just remember to monitor the WBRC First Alert Weather app. If thunder roars, go indoors!

Hot Weekend: If you have any weekend plans outside, you should prepare for the heat! It looks like it’ll be nice weather to hit the pool Saturday. We’ll start the weekend off dry with temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. We are looking at a mostly sunny sky Saturday afternoon with highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s. If you plan on attending Alabaster CityFest or the Birmingham Stallions game Saturday, I recommend grabbing the hat and sunglasses. You will also need to apply the sunscreen as the UV Index will remain very high. Burn time could occur within 15-30 minutes. I think we’ll end up mostly dry Saturday, but we will hold on to a 10% chance for a stray shower or storm. Rain chances Sunday are up to 20-30% as a few storms could develop in the afternoon and evening hours. High temperatures will likely climb back near 90°F.

Summer Pattern Continues Next Week: The summertime pattern we typically see in Alabama will likely continue into next week. Long-range models are hinting that we could see temperatures stay above average in the upper 80s to low 90s across the state. Some models have been hinting at the possibility of a “backdoor cold front” coming in from the northeast by mid-week that could bring a push of drier air, allowing morning lows to fall into the low to mid 60s by mid-week. So, still some uncertainty in how the pattern will play out, but the pattern doesn’t look particularly active at least. A stray shower or storm will be possible each day next week, but rain chances will remain around 10-20%.

Tropical Outlook: Today is the official start to the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and right on cue, a new system formed in the Gulf. Tropical Depression Two developed this afternoon and could potentially strengthen into a tropical storm as it meanders over the northern Gulf of Mexico. The system would be named “Arlene.” Regardless of development, this low will likely produce rainy conditions across Florida over the next couple of days. We do not expect any local issues here in Central Alabama as the system will drift southward through the Gulf. Tropical activity in June normally remains low with only one or two storms forming. We typically watch the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast for tropical development early in the season when storms are more “home-grown.” Hurricane season peaks in September and comes to an end on November 30. NOAA is forecasting a near-average season with 12-17 named storms, 5-9 hurricanes, and 1-4 major hurricanes.

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