First Alert Weather: Hot, mainly dry week ahead

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - THE NEXT 24 HOURS: Another September scorcher is on the way across central Alabama. Temperatures are mainly in the lower 70s early this morning under mostly clear skies, and sunshine will send us quickly into the mid-to-upper 90s this afternoon. West Alabama will once again be the hottest, with Tuscaloosa forecast near 100 degrees. Heat index values will generally reach 101-to-104 degrees.

Afternoon Temperatures (WBRC) If you are looking for rain to cool you off, you are out of luck. Strong upper-level ridging has essentially shut off rain chances, with the probability of an afternoon shower staying below 20 percent through Sunday.

We are also coming off some impressive record heat. Birmingham tied its September 14 record high of 98 degrees yesterday, while Tuscaloosa reached 101 degrees, breaking the old record of 100 set in 1980.

Rain Coverage (WBRC) THE NEXT BIG THING: There is not much relief in sight through the workweek. The ridge remains firmly in control, keeping us hot and almost completely dry through Thursday. Highs stay in the 90s each afternoon, while the lack of meaningful rainfall will become increasingly noticeable. Fire-weather concerns remain low for now, but worsening drought conditions could increase those concerns later next week if significant rain does not return.

There may finally be a change by the weekend. An area of low pressure could begin to weaken the ridge and bring the risk for rain back this weekend into early next week, although confidence in exactly how that feature evolves remains low.

Tropical Update (WBRC) TROPICAL UPDATE: We continue to watch one disturbance in the central subtropical Atlantic, about 900 miles east-southeast of Bermuda. Development remains unlikely in the short term, with a near 0 percent chance over the next 48 hours, but the seven-day chance has increased to 40 percent. A tropical depression could form late this week as it slowly moves west-northwest. There is no immediate threat to Alabama or the northern Gulf Coast, but this is the system to watch heading toward the weekend.

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First Alert Weather: Hot, mainly dry week ahead

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