Alabamians witnessed days of chart-topping heat earlier this month, with heat indices reaching as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Though temperatures recently fell to the mid- to upper 80s, weather experts anticipate temperatures to rise again in the coming days.
“We’re getting right into the middle of summer now,” said Gary Goggins, a meteorologist with National Weather Service Birmingham. “In terms of the typical temperatures this time of year, low to mid-90s are fairly prevalent, and we’re going to see that coming up again this week.”
Goggins said last weekend's thunderstorms brought relief to residents Monday and Tuesday, but temperatures will reach the 90s once again today and tomorrow.
“We had a little bit of reprieve with the stormy activity,” Goggins said. “It’s kept temperatures down the past three or four days, but we’re going to start to get into more of a normal summertime, where you have low to mid-90s [temperatures] for highs. We actually had a front come through the last couple of days that’s brought the humidity down in terms of what it feels like outside, but it’s going to be short-lived this week.”
Goggins said scattered showers and thunderstorms will also make an appearance this week, with an increase in storms on Friday. Though stormy weather often lowers temperatures, Goggins said some residents may witness temperatures that feel like 105 and even 106 degrees outside.
“We could see the heat index going up to 105 [degrees] in some places,” he said. “I would say the southern half of the state is probably going to have the best chance. Right now, we have a heat index around 106 [degrees] for Thursday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Demopolis, Jasper [and other] areas like that stretching down into Montgomery. [There is] maybe not as much of a chance in the east, but it’s still going to be hot on Thursday and Friday afternoon.”
Nevertheless, Goggins said Alabama will not have any excessive heat warnings this week, which indicate when temperatures feel like 110 degrees or warmer. This was the case for much of Alabama in June. However, he did not rule out the possibility of extreme heat for the rest of the summer.
“That's certainly possible as we go through the rest of the summer,” Goggins said. “Around 2016 or [2017], we had a heatwave in the middle of October. It got over 100 degrees across Central Alabama. These heat waves can happen all the way through September and October. The hottest temperatures ever recorded have actually been in September here in Alabama. We hope that does not happen, but we’ve got a lot of the summer left to go.”
To prepare for rising temperatures, Goggins said it is important that Alabamians do a few things.
“We always recommend taking frequent breaks if you’re outside for a long period of time, whether it’s for sporting events or outside doing some construction work and things of that nature,” he said. “If you have to be outside, drink plenty of water. A lot of people [recommend] non-caffeinated drinks: water, Gatorade, things of that nature. Get into a shady spot, if you can, out of the sunshine. Wear loose fitting clothing and thin layers.”
Daniel Martin is another meteorologist with National Weather Service Birmingham. He said it is also important to know the early symptoms of heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses, which include headache, confusion, nausea and dizziness.
“Heat-related stress can come on very rapidly, without you really noticing,” he said. “It’s really important to be conscientious.”
More information on weather news and updates can be found on the National Weather Service websites for Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile.
