Excessive heat warning for the Alabama coast today
Higher than average temperatures are expected in parts of Alabama on Saturday, and heat advisories are in effect for the southern part of the state.
There’s even an excessive heat warning in place for parts of the coast, according to the National Weather Service, where the heat index could soar as high as 115 degrees today.
Those in the north may get a brief break: A front that brought severe storms to the state on Friday is also ushering in drier air for those in northern and north-central Alabama.
Temperatures may be a few degrees cooler and the “grip factor” will decrease during the day today as drier air enters the state, according to the National Weather Service.
Southern Alabama won’t experience this drier air, and heat advisories will be in effect today as the heat index, or “look-alike” temperature, could climb to 105 degrees or more this afternoon. , according to forecasters.
Here is the high temperature forecast for Saturday:
Today’s highs are expected to climb into the 90s for much of the state.
There were a few weather records on Friday in Alabama.
Montgomery hit 100 degrees for the second time this week on Friday and also set a record high temperature for June 17. Friday’s 100 degrees equaled the record last set in 1881, according to the weather service.
And Anniston had another daily record, this time for precipitation. The city received 1.46 inches of rain Friday, also tying a record, this one from 2003.
Here is an overview of the heat advisories in place for Alabama:
SOUTH-WEST ALABAMA
All of southwest Alabama will be under a heat advisory today, and there is an excessive heat warning for the coast.
The National Weather Service in Mobile said “dangerously hot” conditions would be possible today, with the heat index climbing to 115 degrees this afternoon on the Alabama coast.
An excessive heat warning will be in effect for the coastal counties of Mobile and Baldwin from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.
A heat advisory will also be in effect for the rest of Southwest Alabama from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. These counties are Choctaw, Washington, Clarke, Wilcox, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw, Escambia, Covington, and Inland Mobile and Baldwin.
The weather service said the heat index could reach up to 112 degrees today in those areas.
SOUTHEAST ALABAMA
A heat advisory will be in effect for all of southeast Alabama from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Fla.
The counties affected are Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston.
The weather service said heat index values between 105 and 110 degrees are expected.
CENTRAL ALABAMA
A heat advisory will be in effect for parts of central Alabama today.
Heat advisory in effect until 7 p.m. Saturday for the southern portion of central Alabama.
The counties affected by the advisory are Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Bibb, Chilton, Marengo, Dallas, Autauga, Lowndes, Elmore, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock, Russell, Pike and Barbour.
The National Weather Service in Birmingham said the heat index could range from 103 to 107 degrees this afternoon in those areas.