The Saturday map discussion video is on the web, and available on iTunes:
Getting better with the video production but still need to do some tweaking and more training. I wanted to express my gratitude for everyone's patience while I got everything working again. It's amazing to me how different the Mac is from a PC and having been a PC person for nearly 30 years the transition has had a few stumbling blocks. I'm glad I decided to give the Mac a try, though, because it really is quite a machine. I'm looking forward to being able to do web video map discussions from some remote locations whenever I have the necessary Internet connection.
Interesting situation today. While there has been no real pattern change, the thunderstorm cluster which moved into Northwest Georgia yesterday afternoon has left a boundary that may help to focus thunderstorm development today. So people in the area from Huntsville to Anniston may see some increase in coverage of storms due to that boundary. Further south in Alabama, the Storm Prediction Center has most of the southern half of Alabama in the slight risk outlook - the main threat will be damaging wind with wet microbursts. That area is in response to a small weaknesses in the upper air pattern that can be seen moving west across the northern Gulf in the 500 millibar pattern.
The upper level ridge remains in place and quite strong for the first part of the week, but the GFS continued to give us some hope for a lessening of the heat and perhaps increased rain chances at the end of next week as the ridge migrates westward and shrinks a bit allowing the development of a fairly good trough on the east coast of the Nation. This development will put Alabama in a northwesterly flow which should shave 4 to 8 degrees off the heat. A weak front will also enhance rain chances perhaps by Friday or Saturday.
Until then the forecast remains rather monotonous with isolated showers possible each day and hot temperatures. Morning lows should stay around 73 to 75 with afternoon highs in the mid and upper 90s. By the way, five Alabama stations topped out in three digits yesterday. It reached 100 degrees in Decatur, Muscle Shoals, and Tuscaloosa with 101 at Montgomery and Troy.
Going to be heading down to the amphitheater in Old Town Helena this morning to Kidfest 2006 sponsored by WHIM, Women of Helena in Motion. The free event is designed for kids and families, so come on out and join the fun. I'll be in the dunking booth from 11 am to noon. Hey, my mother didn't raise a dummy - 100 degree heat is the BEST day to be in the dunking booth!!
Sunday morning map discussion will be posted by 8 am or so - I don't usually sleep very late!
-Brian-