Monday, Monday

The Monday morning map discussion video is on the web and available on iTunes:

http://www.jamesspann.com/

Anyone remember the Mamas and Papas?

"Monday, monday (ba-da ba-da-da-da)
So good to me (ba-da ba-da-da-da)
Monday mornin, it was all I hoped it would be
Oh monday mornin, monday mornin couldnt guarantee (ba-da ba-da-da-da)
That monday evenin you would still be here with me

Monday, monday, cant trust that day
Monday, monday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh monday mornin you gave me no warnin of what was to be
Oh monday, monday, how could you leave and not take me"

Gotta love those ba-da ba-da-da-das...

What a nice break from the heat over the weekend. Saturday's high in Birmingham was 89, and the high yesterday was 84. Nice wedge from the east; the front moved all the way to the Mississippi line.

TODAY: The backdoor (or wedge) front will dissipate today, but it still looks like any storms will be over the western half of the state, and they should be pretty isolated with most spots staying dry. The mercury should rise back into the low 90s, where we should be this time of the year.

MID-WEEK: Another surface front will approach from the north, and by Wednesday it should be close to I-59 (Fort Payne to Birmingham to Tuscaloosa). The front will probably wash out on Thursday in that general area. So, we will mention scattered, mainly afternoon and evening showers and storms tomorrow through Thursday with that surface boundary approaching and hanging around. We should be in the low 90s tomorrow, and close to 90 on Wednesday and Thursday.

FRIDAY/SATURDAY/SUNDAY: Once again, as I often write here, it really doesn't pay to be too cute in the longer ranges this time of the year, since many of our weather changes are mesoscale (small scale), and not on the larger (synoptic scale). We will do the ole summer broad brush for Friday and the weekend: morning sun and the risk of a passing afternoon shower or storm in scattered spots. Afternoon highs close to 90 degrees.

TROPICS: A tropical wave is moving through the Windward Islands this morning... not much convection so far. All of the systems have really struggled in this area this month with strong winds aloft; I am not totally sure this thing can get its act together, but we will keep an eye on it.

Another surface low is forming east of Fort Lauderdale, and just north of the Bahamas. That thing will probably meander around all week with very little steering current; it has some chance to develop into a tropical cyclone.

Lots of noise from those calling the 2006 hurricane season a bust... I would hold that nose until November and we can review everything then. We still have a long, long way to go.

TODAY: I will be down in Tuscaloosa today for this event:

Officials from NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) will recognize Tuscaloosa County, Alabama for renewing its “StormReady” status again on Monday, August 14 at 2 pm, in front of the Tuscaloosa County Commission Meeting at the City Council Chambers, Northport City Hall, 3500 McFarland Boulevard, in Northport, Alabama. Local officials from the county, including the Honorable Judge Hardy McCollum, Probate Judge and Chairman of the Tuscaloosa County Commission, the Honorable Mayor Harvey Fretwell, city of Northport, the Honorable Mayor Walter Maddox, city of Tuscaloosa, and Tuscaloosa County’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director David Hartin. NWS representatives will also be present. Co - keynote speakers at this event will be James Spann, Chief Meteorologist, ABC 33/40 Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, and Wes Wyatt, Chief Meteorologist, WVUA 7 Tuscaloosa. This will again place Tuscaloosa County among the NWS’s “StormReady” communities.

This is special to me since I really developed my interest in weather as a volunteer for the Tuscaloosa County EMA (called Civil Defense back then) as a kid in the 1970s. I know most of these folks very well and looking forward to being with them today. With that 2:00 time, I will be posting the afternoon map discussion video late this morning... probably by 12:00 noon. Most of the 12Z model guidance should be in the house by then.