Increasing humidity and heat on Sunday

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Happy Saturday! It was a gorgeous start to the weekend with temperatures in the 10s. That’s all thanks to the dry air that moved into the Southeast yesterday. Dry air cools quickly at night but also warms quickly during the afternoon hours. Just before noon, temperatures have already climbed to 27 to 30 degrees. It remains dry and calm with just a few clouds moving into Northwest Alabama this morning. We’ll likely see temperatures of 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit in many locations this afternoon. The good news is that our humidity will remain comfortable so the heat index won’t be an issue. Please don’t forget to apply sunscreen if you plan on spending some time outside. The UV index is up to 10 (very high), meaning you can get sunburned within 15 minutes. I definitely recommend bringing a hat and sunglasses if you plan on attending the Stallions’ conference championship game at Protective Stadium this afternoon. Temperatures will likely be in the 80-85 F range for most of the game. If you have plans for the evening, it will likely remain mostly clear and warm, with temperatures cooling to 80-85 F by 7 p.m. CDT.

First warning of hot temperatures on Sunday: We’ll likely wake up to mostly clear to partly cloudy skies tomorrow morning and temperatures around 18 degrees. Humidity will likely increase tomorrow as westerly winds develop across the region. Tomorrow will be a very hot afternoon with highs in the 90s to 100s. Factoring in the mugginess, it could feel like it’s almost 100 degrees. I highly recommend finishing any outdoor work early in the day before it gets really hot. Heat at these levels can be dangerous, just be sure to take breaks and stay hydrated. Tomorrow afternoon will likely be partly cloudy. It will likely stay dry for most of the day, but some isolated storms could develop in northern Alabama late Sunday night. Any storm that develops tomorrow night could become strong or severe. The main danger is likely to be heavy rain, strong winds, large hail, and frequent lightning. The greatest chance for storms Sunday night will likely be north of I-20. The storm threat will shift south of I-20 after midnight.

The next big thing: It looks like another weak cold front will attempt to move through Alabama Sunday night into Monday. It will likely bring scattered showers and thunderstorms Sunday night, with the rain moving out of our area early Monday morning. Any storms that develop during this time frame could be strong. Once the front moves through, Monday is expected to be a bit cooler. A few showers or thunderstorms are possible before 7 a.m. CDT, but the rest of the day will likely remain dry. I’m forecasting partly cloudy skies Monday with highs between 30 and 27 degrees. Dew points are expected to drop behind the cold front, so the mugginess should slowly disappear Monday afternoon.

Almost average temperatures next week: Next week is shaping up to be a typical week for mid-June. Next week we’ll likely see temperatures close to average with highs in the 30s and lows between 18 and 20 degrees. Humidity will be quite pleasant for this time of year. There’s a 10-20% chance of rain Tuesday through Thursday, but I think we’ll be mostly dry. Overnight lows could be a little cooler thanks to the dry air. Morning temperatures could drop below 15 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

Looking ahead: We’ll need to monitor the eastern Gulf of Mexico late next week. We’ll likely see a wave of tropical moisture move into the Southeast next weekend. It’s too early to determine if a tropical depression will form in the Gulf, but some of our long-range models are pointing to that possibility. If anything does form, it’ll likely remain weak. I would simply expect an increase in the chance of rain and storms next weekend, with highs in the 30s to 35s. Humidity will likely increase as the tropical moisture moves north. A lot can change in the forecast between now and next weekend, so stay tuned for updates as we get the latest information.

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