For the second time this year, the Birmingham Metro Area has been placed under an Ozone Alert. That means that unhealthy concentrations of pollutants trapped in the air over Jefferson and Shelby Counties could be harmful if you are outdoors for long periods of time. The Air Quality Index is forecast to be 106 on Thursday, which is in the orange category. Active children and adults, as well as people with lung disease, should reduce prolonged activity or heavy exertion outdoors. Why the air quality alert for tomorrow? A ridge in the upper atmosphere (a pocket of warm air aloft) is spreading east from the Plains. The air underneath ridges like that is sinking, and because of a process called adiabatic warming, a temperature inversion develops and prevents the atmosphere from mixing up and down. That mixing process normally disperses polluted air, but when the air can't mix, we suffer the consequences down below with thick haze and unhealthy air. What can you do to help out on Ozone Alert days? First of all, carpool if you can. The fewer cars there are on the road, the less pollution from emissions. Try to avoid drive-thrus and jack-rabbit starts from red lights. Do not mow your lawn on Ozone Alert days, and avoid burning leaves or trash! For more information on Air Quality in the Birmingham Metro Area, click here: Jefferson County Health Department

Video map discussion for Wednesday afternoon, June 22nd, should be on the server at: http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb

How about the radar? Clean as a whistle! Nearest rain to central Alabama is over the Florida peninsula.

GFS continues on much the same track of the last several days. A weakness in the 500 millibar flow meanders across the southeastern United States with a fairly substantial short wave coming into the picture in about a week. So looks like that typical summer forecast applies with warm daytime temperatures and the persistent possibility of showers.

Just a reminder once again that there will be no map discussions Thursday through Sunday. The next video map discussion will come Monday morning, June 27, when James returns from vacation.

I'm going to try to post to the Blog from Boston where I'll be involved in training on the graphic system we use in the Weather Center.

Have a great weekend.

-Brian-

Video map discussion for Wednesday morning, June 22nd, should be available at: http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb

How about HAPPY SUMMER again!! Summer officially began at 1:46 am Tuesday, so this makes today, Wednesday, the first full official day of summer.

Not much of a pattern change in the short term for the next several days for us in Alabama and the southeastern United States. We gradullay come under the influence of the strong ridge to our west while a relative weakness is maintained across the southeast. This weakness should be enough to generate showers primarily during the heat of the day lasting into the early evening.

GFS advertising a cold front in early July - almost seems like those words should not go together. And believe me, I don't plan to hold my breath. But we have had an active upper level flow, so the solution the GFS presents is not out of the question. That far out, though, there is plenty of room for change.

Interesting to note that the GFS has become less agressive with tropical systems. Two areas being watched by the National Hurricane Center but conditions, primarily upper winds, are not favorable for any development at this time.

Just a reminder that the web video map discussions will temporarily end after the one this afternoon. They will return on Monday, June 27th. James is on vacation, and I will be away learning more about the graphic system we use in the Weather Center.

Thanks for viewing. God bless.

-Brian-

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