Hurricane Idalia continues to intensify today as it encounters more favorable environmental conditions with diminished wind shear and it is likely to attain “major” classification of category 3 or higher before making landfall early tomorrow along Florida’s Gulf coast. Hurricane Idalia will then turn northeast, weaken slowly, and push towards the Carolina coastline as it becomes increasingly influenced by building high pressure ridging aloft to its west and north. As a result of the developing widespread upper-level ridge, Idalia will likely meander over the western Atlantic Ocean for several days and there is even an outside chance that it could loop back around to revisit Florida in a weakened state about a week from now. Meanwhile, Hurricane Franklin maintains status as a category 4 “major” system. It will pass to the northwest of Bermuda on Wednesday bringing tropical storm conditions to the island. After that, Hurricane Franklin will push northeastward to the open waters of the North Atlantic as southwesterly flow ahead of an incoming upper-level trough steers it in that direction.
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Hurricane Idalia will likely strengthen over the eastern Gulf of Mexico later today and it could reach “major” hurricane status before landfall along Florida’s Gulf coast early Wednesday. After that, Idalia will push towards the GA/SC coastal region and then ultimately to a position just off the Carolina coastline. This tropical cyclone will actually help to dry out our atmosphere on Wednesday after another volatile day today that likely features additional showers and storms across the region.
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Franklin has climbed to category 4 “major” hurricane status and will fortunately spend its time in the foreseeable future over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. While it does bring tropical storm conditions to Bermuda early Wednesday, a deep trough moving off the NE US coastline will help to steer it northeastward and out to the open waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, “Idalia” has reached strong tropical storm status today and is knocking on the doorstep of being declared a full-fledged hurricane. Tropical Storm Idalia will spill out over the eastern Gulf of Mexico by early Tuesday, begin an intensification process, and likely reach the Gulf coast region of Florida early Wednesday to the north of the Tampa Bay region.
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Last week featured very hot weather across the Tennessee Valley with highs well up in the 90’s on most days, but the week ahead will be quite different. In fact, high temperatures look to be confined to the low-to-mid 80’s for much of the week although it’ll be unsettled as well with the daily threat of showers and thunderstorms. In fact, the showers today can be heavy at times and there can be thunderstorms mixed into the picture. Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Idalia has begun intensification over the NW Caribbean and it is likely to heads towards Florida’s Gulf coast by mid-week and, ultimately, may actually bring drier air into the northern part of Alabama after another volatile day on Tuesday.
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Very strong upper-level high pressure ridging continues to be centered over the central states and the impact here is a continuing intense heat wave that has been accompanied by uncomfortably high humidity levels. This system will slowly retrograde westward in coming days likely re-positioning over the Four Corners region by the middle of next week. As such, the intense heat around here will begin to back off later this weekend and the improvement will continue early next week. In fact, high temperatures are likely to be confined to the 80’s by Monday and Tuesday and likely quite comfortable by the middle of next week.
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Very strong upper-level high pressure ridging continues to be centered over the central states and the impact here is a continuing intense heat wave that has been accompanied by uncomfortably high humidity levels. This system will slowly retrograde westward in coming days likely re-positioning over the Four Corners region by the middle of next week. As such, the intense heat around here will begin to back off later this weekend and the improvement will continue early next week.
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A lot is going on in the world of weather highlighted by multiple tropical systems, an intense heat wave with very high humidity levels anchored by very strong upper-level high pressure ridging, and very active weather in the “ring of fire” around the outer perimeter of that same high pressure system. On the tropical scene, Tropical Storm Franklin is pounding away today at Haiti and the Dominican Republic and once it bypasses this high-terrain Caribbean island of Hispaniola into the open waters of the Southwest Atlantic, it will intensify into a hurricane with a decent chance of attaining “major” categorization of 3 or higher. Meanwhile, the moisture associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Harold which pounded southern Texas earlier this week will douse the Four Corner states during the next couple of days. Finally, there is the chance that a tropical systems forms this weekend in Caribbean Sea and it could move north next week and impact portions of the Southeast US.
Elsewhere, very strong ridging of high pressure over the nation’s midsection is anchoring an intense heat wave from the Upper Midwest to the Gulf coast. This heat wave is made worse by very high humidity levels that have featured dew points as high as 80 degrees in some spots. On the outer perimeter of this very strong high pressure ridge is a region that I like to refer to as the “ring of fire”, there is some very active weather that is bringing heavy showers and strong thunderstorms to the eastern Great Lakes. This “ring of fire” activity will spread to the south and east bringing heavy showers and strong thunderstorms to the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast US during the next couple of days.
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The main weather theme this week continues to be one of hot and rain-free conditions in the Tennessee Valley. Temperatures will peak in the upper 90’s during the next few days with plenty of daily sunshine as strong high pressure ridging sits over the central states. This heat wave extends all the way from the Upper Midwest to the Gulf Coast and is accompanied by uncomfortably high humidity levels making heat indices as high as 115 degrees in some spots.
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The main weather theme this week with be one of hot and rain-free conditions in the Tennessee Valley. Temperatures should peak each day this week well up in the 90’s – perhaps even a few spots reaching the 100 degree mark - as strong high pressure ridging sets up in the central states. This heat wave will, in fact, extend all the ay from the Upper Midwest to the Gulf Coast.
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The main weather theme this week with be one of hot and generally rain-free conditions in the Tennessee Valley. Temperatures should peak each day this week well up in the 90’s - and a few spots can touch 100 degrees - as strong high pressure ridging sets up in the Tennessee Valley. This week’s heat wave will extend all the way from the Upper Midwest to the Gulf Coast region.
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