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Tropical Storm Ida has made landfall on Dauphin Island at about 5:40 this morning. It’s now heading northeast across Mobile Bay .

Here in West Alabama we have a lot of rain and wind out there… there is a flood watch and wind advisory for the entire area.

TROPICAL STORM IDA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  26A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL112009
600 AM CST TUE NOV 10 2009

…IDA OVER MOBILE BAY…

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE AUCILLA RIVER FLORIDA…INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE.

Click for Larger View - NHC Forecast

DATA FROM NOAA DOPPLER RADAR AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM IDA MADE ITS FIRST LANDFALL AROUND 540 AM CST…1140 UTC…ON DAUPHIN ISLAND ALABAMA…WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 45 MPH…75 KM/HR.

AT 600 AM CST…1200 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM IDA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 30.3 NORTH…LONGITUDE 88.0 WEST OR ABOUT 25 MILES…40 KM…SOUTH OF MOBILE ALABAMA.

IDA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 9 MPH…15 KM/HR.  THIS GENERAL MOTION WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED TODAY.  ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CENTER OF IDA SHOULD REACH THE MAINLAND ALABAMA COAST LATER THIS MORNING.  AFTER LANDFALL…IDA IS EXPECTED TO TURN EASTWARD.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 45 MPH…75 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  SOME ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED…AND IDA IS EXPECTED TO LOSE TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS LATER TODAY.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES…280 KM FROM THE CENTER.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 999 MB…29.50 INCHES.

IDA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES…WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM TOTALS OF 8 INCHES…THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FROM THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF COAST ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES INTO THE SOUTHERN MID-ATLANTIC STATES.

A DANGEROUS STORM TIDE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE COAST NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.  NEAR THE COAST…THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

…SUMMARY OF 600 AM CST INFORMATION…
LOCATION…30.3N 88.0W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…45 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NORTHEAST OR 35 DEGREES AT 9 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…999 MB

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

Dry air is wrapping into Ida and much of the rain has shifted to the north and northeast of the center. Infrared satellite imagery at the time of this update revealed an exposed center to the tropical storm. Flood watches are up for our area through tonight and wind advisories are in place. Look for winds to increase, with a steady rain through the early morning hours. I’m expecting Ida to make a landfall around midnight at or near Mobile Bay. Be sure to join us tonight at 10:00 for a live update!

Tropical Storm Ida continues to churn towards the Alabama Gulf Coast. I’m expecting Ida to make a landfall near Dauphin Island tonight and then make a track northeast as a trough approaches. This is a rare event for Alabama as most November tropical cyclones typically occur to our southeast. As Ida lifts into Alabama tonight we will have breezy conditions along with a soaking rain. The system will make its track across south Alabama tomorrow and rain will continue. The winds will average between 15 and 25 mph, with some rogue gusts around 35 mph. Because of the recent heavy rain, there may be a need for flood advisories locally. This flood threat will be greatest to our south where flood watches are currently in place. At the time of this update flash flood watches were in place for Clarke, Wilcox, and Choctaw counties. Tropical storm wind warnings were also in place for these areas. The windy conditions will continue into tomorrow night, with the rain threat ending. We will have clearing on Wednesday, with bright weather to close out the week. Beyond tomorrow, highs will be near 70 degrees, with lows in the 40s. Be sure to join us tonight for more details!

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Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

Click for Larger View - Hazardous Weather Outlook from B'ham NWS

Ida continues to move towards the Alabama Gulf of Mexico coast. Landfall will be near Dauphin Island as early as midnight Tuesday. Rainfall has already spread over southern Alabama and is over much of West Alabama as well.

You can expect some heavy rain and gusty winds through Tuesday and into early Wednesday. Gusts could be as high as 35 to 45 miles per hour. We could see rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches.

Here are the latest stats on Ida:

6:00 PM CST Mon Nov 9
Location: 28.9°N 88.5°W
Max sustained: 70 mph
Moving: N at 17 mph
Min pressure: 993 mb

Here is the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center:

TROPICAL STORM IDA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 24A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL112009
600 PM CST MON NOV 09 2009

…IDA CONTINUES NORTHWARD…SHOULD MAKE LANDFALL OVERNIGHT…

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE AUCILLA RIVER FLORIDA…INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

Click for Larger View - NHC Forecast for Ida

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE.

AT 600 PM CST…0000 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM IDA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.9 NORTH…LONGITUDE 88.5 WEST OR ABOUT 40 MILES…60 KM…EAST-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ABOUT 125 MILES…200 KM…SOUTH OF MOBILE ALABAMA.

IDA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 17 MPH…28 KM/HR. A REDUCTION IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. ON THE FORECAST TRACK… THE CENTER OF IDA SHOULD REACH THE NORTHERN GULF COAST TONIGHT. AFTER LANDFALL…IDA IS EXPECTED TO TURN EASTWARD ON TUESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH…110 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. WEAKENING IS EXPECTED THIS EVENING AS IDA MOVES OVER COOLER WATERS PRIOR TO MAKING LANDFALL…AND IS EXPECTED TO MERGE WITH A FRONTAL ZONE ON WEDNESDAY.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES…325 KM FROM THE CENTER.

WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS AN OBSERVING SITE NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT AN ELEVATION OF 79 FEET MEASURED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 60 MPH WITH A GUST TO 74 MPH.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 993 MB…29.32 INCHES.

RAINS FROM IDA ARE ALREADY MOVING ACROSS THE COAST WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. TOTAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES…WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM TOTALS OF 8 INCHES…ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FROM THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF COAST ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES INTO THE SOUTHERN MID-ATLANTIC STATES.

A DANGEROUS STORM TIDE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS
3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE COAST NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL…AS WELL AS IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW IN SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA. NEAR THE COAST…THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

…SUMMARY OF 600 PM CST INFORMATION…
LOCATION…28.9N 88.5W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…70 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NORTH OR 360 DEGREES AT 17 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…993 MB

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 900 PM CST.

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

Click for Larger View - NHC Ida Forecast

Ida has weakened to a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico. The hurricane warnings along the gulf coast have been replaced with tropical storm warnings.

Here is the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

Ida’s Location & Stats:

9:00 AM CST Mon Nov 9
Location: 26.5°N 88.3°W
Max sustained: 70 mph
Moving: NNW at 17 mph
Min pressure: 996 mb

TROPICAL STORM IDA ADVISORY NUMBER  23
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL112009
900 AM CST MON NOV 09 2009

…IDA WEAKENS TO A TROPICAL STORM…

AT 9 AM CST…1500 UTC…ALL HURRICANE WARNINGS AND WATCHES ALONG THE GULF COAST HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED.  A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE AUCILLA RIVER FLORIDA…INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.  A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE. 

AT 900 AM CST…1500 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM IDA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.5 NORTH…LONGITUDE 88.3 WEST OR ABOUT 185 MILES…300 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ABOUT 285 MILES…460 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA.

IDA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH…28 KM/HR. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH AND THEN TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CENTER OF IDA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST TUESDAY MORNING.  AFTER LANDFALL…A TURN TO THE EAST IS EXPECTED ON TUESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS CONTINUE TO DECREASE AND ARE NOW NEAR 70 MPH…110 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  SOME ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED TODAY AS IDA APPROACHES THE COAST.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES…325 KM FROM THE CENTER.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 996 MB…29.41 INCHES.

RAINS FROM IDA WILL BE REACHING THE COAST OVER PORTIONS OF THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. TOTAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES…WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM TOTALS OF 8 INCHES…ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING FROM THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF COAST NORTHWARD INTO THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY…THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS…AND THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.

A DANGEROUS STORM TIDE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS
3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE COAST NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. NEAR THE COAST…THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

…SUMMARY OF 900 AM CST INFORMATION…
LOCATION…26.5N 88.3W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…70 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NORTH-NORTHWEST OR 340 DEGREES AT 17 MPH MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…996 MB

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 1200 PM CST FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 300 PM CST.

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

Click for Larger View - NWS Hazardous Weather Outlook

Hurricane Ida continues to move north-northwestward in the Gulf of Mexico.  It is weakening as it gets over cooler waters in the central and northern Gulf. The storm will bring West Alabama some gusty winds up to 40 mph tonight through early Wednesday morning, and some possibly heavy rain.  Those higher winds are more likely in southern sections of our viewing area… Marengo, Perry and Sumter Counties.

Here is the intermediate forecast/advisory from the National Hurricane Center on Ida:

HURRICANE IDA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 22A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL112009
600 AM CST MON NOV 09 2009

…IDA CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO…

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST FROM PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST FROM GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO WEST OF PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI…INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24 HOURS.

Click for Larger View - Hurricane Ida Forecast

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST FROM EAST OF INDIAN PASS FLORIDA TO AUCILLA RIVER FLORIDA.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE.

AT 600 AM CST…1200 UTC…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IDA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.8 NORTH…LONGITUDE 88.2 WEST OR ABOUT 235 MILES… 380 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ABOUT 330 MILES…535 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA.

IDA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH…26 KM/HR. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS…FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST ON TUESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…IDA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS
THE GULF OF MEXICO TODAY…AND MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST OVERNIGHT.

DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 80 MPH…130 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IDA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE
NEXT 24 HOURS. HOWEVER…IDA COULD STILL BE A HURRICANE WHEN IT APPROACHES THE GULF COAST TONIGHT.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES…55 KM…FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES…325 KM.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE BASED ON DATA FROM THE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS 993 MB…29.32 INCHES.

RAINS WILL BE INCREASING WELL IN ADVANCE OF IDA ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF COAST…BUT WILL BECOME STEADIER AND HEAVIER LATER TODAY INTO TUESDAY. TOTAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES…WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM TOTALS OF 8 INCHES…ARE
POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY FROM THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF COAST NORTHWARD INTO THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS.

A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE COAST NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. NEAR THE COAST…THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

…SUMMARY OF 600 AM CST INFORMATION…
LOCATION…25.8N 88.2W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…80 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NORTH-NORTHWEST OR 335 DEGREES AT 16 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…993 MB

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 900 AM CST.

Robert Stevenson
WVUA Weather

Hurricane Ida continues to churn towards the Gulf Coast as a category two. All eyes have been on an approaching trough which will eventually turn the tropical cyclone eastward. Timing is everything with this system and the current thinking is that Ida will make a landfall along the Gulf Coast. Hurricane warnings are now up from Destin, FL eastward to Indian Pass. Hurricane wind warnings are also in place along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Tropical Storm wind warnings are in place for Choctaw and Wilcox counties southward.

Weather conditions over West Central Alabama will go downhill quickly over the next 12 hours. Look for winds overnight averaging 15-25 mph. There may be wind gusts in excess of 30 mph as Ida passes to our southeast. Heavy rain will also be associated with this system overnight and tomorrow. Be sure to stay with WVUA for continuing coverage and will also continue to post frequent updates on the blog as Ida approaches. Stay tuned!

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Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

A good Sunday to you! While our weather has been nearly perfect today, big changes are on the way. Hurricane Ida is organizing in the southern Gulf of Mexico and is expected to become a big player in our weather. We can expect a cloudy and dry start to Monday, with rain moving in later in the day. Periods of heavy rain and gusty winds are likely through Monday night and Tuesday. Winds in Tuscaloosa could gust over 40 MPH at times. For locations south of Highway 80, we could see winds gust over tropical storm strength at times. Rainfall totals will approach 3 to 4 inches in many locations. This will cause the soil to become more saturated, which will enhance our flooding risk.

The good news is that this activity will move out on Wednesday. Temperatures will be in the 60s for highs with a breezy north wind. Our weather turns very nice on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, as highs approach the lower 70s. A few showers are possible by next weekend. Be sure to join us tonight at 10 PM for the latest on your forecast on WVUA-TV.

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

Hurricane Ida is strengthening over the warm waters in the southern Gulf of Mexico. It is possible that Ida becomes a major hurricane over the next 12 to 18 hours, but it will begin to weaken shortly after. Due to a good environment and warm ocean temperatures, Ida is flourishing over the southern Gulf. The good news is that water temperatures are much cooler near the coast, and the upper-air environment will become increasing hostile for this system. This will result in a weakening trend before landfall. The National Hurricane Center expects Ida to still be a hurricane at landfall, but with winds of 75 MPH, rather than the 100 MPH it is now. We will be keeping a close eye on the future developments of Ida. There is a Hurricane Watch for all of the Alabama and Mississippi gulf coast, and parts of Louisiana and northwest Florida.

As for our weather, we will experience worsening conditions through the day tomorrow. Rain will begin to move in late in the day, with very heavy rain likely along and south of Highway 80 during the evening hours. Winds will gradually pick up through the day, due to a strong pressure gradient between Ida and a high pressure to the north. Winds will likely be in the 20 – 30 MPH range for the evening hours on Monday, with stronger winds to the south of Tuscaloosa. As Ida approaches the Alabama gulf coast Tuesday morning, we will deal with heavy rain over all of central Alabama. Winds could become in the range of tropical storm strength for areas south of Greensboro late Monday night and Tuesday; especially south of Highway 80, where we could deal with a few power outages. The ground is still very wet, so the trees are more susceptible to stronger winds. This will just be a nasty day for much of central Alabama, but the coastal communities could deal with some wind damage, as hurricane force winds are expected in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Be sure to stay with WVUA as we continue to fine-tune the forecast on Ida. Have a great Sunday!

Richard Scott
WVUA-TV’s Weekend Weather Anchor

A good Saturday to you! It was certainly a nice day to be outdoors, with sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s. Now that the sun has set, temperatures will cool off quiet a bit for the overnight hours. We can expect lows in the lower 40s. Upper 30s are likely for northeast Alabama.

We’ll have one more day of nice weather on Sunday. Temperatures will remain in the lower to middle 70s for highs, but clouds begin to move in late in the day; mainly high level clouds. Tropical Storm Ida is expected to become a hurricane later tonight, and will move into the Gulf of Mexico. It is late in the year, but it is still the Atlantic Hurricane Season. Sure, it’s rare for a tropical system to be in the gulf this time of the year, but it has happened before. Our weather will go downhill Monday afternoon, with rain spreading in from the south. As Ida gets closer to Alabama, we’ll see windy conditions developing. Winds gusting to 35 or 40 MPH in some locations are possible. We can expect periods of moderate to heavy rain Monday evening, Monday night and on Tuesday. The good news is that Ida will be weakening as it moves into the northern Gulf of Mexico, so we aren’t expecting winds to get too strong. The system moves out on Wednesday, with temperatures becoming a little cooler. Highs will top out in the upper 60s on Wednesday.

For the rest of the week and the weekend, nice weather makes a return, with highs in the lower 70s and sunny skies. A cold front moves in on Saturday, which will bring some rain with it. Be sure to join me tonight at 10 PM on WVUA-TV for the latest on Ida and your forecast.

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Have a great day!
Richard Scott