Excessive heat warnings for Alabama Thursday and Friday
The Alabama heatwave is expected to really crank up today, and excessive heat warnings will be in effect for western parts of the state.
The National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures to climb into the upper 90s and even triple digits this afternoon. That, combined with humidity, will send the heat index, or “feels like” temperature, as high as 115 in some spots.
Friday could be a bit worse, with more areas forecast to hit 100 degrees and the heat index climbing to 115 for some.
The forecast for Thursday is at the top of this post. Below is the temperature forecast for Friday:
More spots could hit 100 degrees again on Friday.
Some in Alabama could get some heat relief today — but it could be in the form of strong to severe storms.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has added a Level 1 risk for severe weather for the northern part of Alabama for this afternoon. A Level 1 risk means that isolated severe storms will be possible.
A Level 1 risk for severe weather has been added for northern Alabama on Thursday.
The strongest storms today could have damaging wind gusts and heavy rain.
More hot temperatures are expected on Saturday and Sunday, but they could be a degree or two “cooler” than Friday.
More seasonable temperatures — upper 80s to low 90s — are in the forecast for Alabama starting on Monday.
Here’s a look at the heat advisories and warnings for Alabama:
SOUTH ALABAMA
* Excessive heat warning: 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Thursday for Mobile and Baldwin counties.
* Heat advisory from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Thursday for Escambia, Choctaw, Washington, Clarke and inland Baldwin counties.
* Excessive heat watch: From Friday morning until Friday night for Mobile, Choctaw, Washington, Clarke and Baldwin counties.
CENTRAL ALABAMA
* Excessive heat warning: 11 a.m. Thursday to 9 p.m. Friday for Lamar, Marion, Pickens and Sumter counties.
* Heat advisory: 11 a.m. Thursday to 11 a.m. Friday for Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Dallas, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston counties.
* Excessive heat warning: Friday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. for Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lowndes, Marengo, Montgomery, Perry, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston counties.
* Heat advisory: Friday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. for Barbour, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah, Lee, Macon, Pike, Randolph, Russell and Tallapoosa counties.
NORTH ALABAMA
* Excessive heat warning: From 11 a.m. Thursday until 8 p.m. Friday for Lauderdale, Colbert and Franklin counties.
* Heat advisory: From 11 a.m. Thursday until 11 a.m. Friday for Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan and Cullman counties.
* Excessive heat warning: From 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday for Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan and Cullman counties.
* Heat advisory on Friday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. for Marshall, Jackson and DeKalb counties.