Tropical Storm Warning In Effect Along Alabama Coast

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The Alabama Gulf Coast is under a Tropical Storm Warning, as the National Hurricane Center is now giving a disturbance in the western Gulf of Mexico a 70 percent chance of becoming a tropical (or subtropical) depression or storm within the next 48 hours.

The storm will move northeast, coming onshore somewhere over the Florida Panhandle Saturday, according to meteorologist James Spann. With rather harsh upper winds, it is expected to remain well below hurricane strength, and the main impact will be heavy rain and rough surf.

"The latest guidance shows a track that keeps a decent part of Alabama on the drier, west side of the system," Spann said. "Most of the rain across Alabama will come over the eastern and southern counties of the state. Areas north and west of Birmingham could see some light rain Saturday, but many communities there will be dry. The heaviest rain, most likely, will come over the southeast part of the state, south and east of Montgomery."

Spann added, "Sunday looks dry statewide as the tropical system moves back out into the Atlantic. The high will be in the upper 60s Saturday, then into the mid to upper 70s Sunday."

A cold front will bring a round of showers and storms to Alabama late Monday and Monday night. The Storm Prediction Center has the southern two-thirds of the state in a severe weather risk on its outlook for Monday.

"For now, it looks like the main threat will come from strong straight-line winds, but we need to get the tropical system out of here before we can really focus and gather details about this event," Spann said.