Birmingham Weather: Heavy Rain, Gusty Winds, and More Storms Expected on Thursday
Residents across parts of Alabama, including Birmingham, should brace for another unsettled spell as Thursday brings a mix of heat, humidity, and potentially severe storms.
It follows a damp and muggy night, with “narrow tropical rain bands” already soaking several communities on Wednesday.
Holly Pond in Cullman County recorded more than 3 inches of rain, Adamsville, to the northwest of Birmingham, saw 1.85 inches, and the Egypt community near Gadsden picked up 1.33 inches.
The moisture isn’t going anywhere just yet. In fact, “some classic August dense fog will develop through Thursday morning, especially in the areas that have had heavy rain in recent days.”
Warm Start, Stormy Finish
Temperatures are expected to dip to the mid-70s by dawn, before ramping up again under heavy humidity. The afternoon could see “another round of scattered, hit-or-miss, unevenly scattered thunderstorms”, with an increased chance of gusts over 40mph and intense lightning strikes.
Forecast models can give a rough idea of storm coverage, but they can’t pinpoint exact locations — meaning some areas could get drenched while others stay relatively dry.
Drying Out for the Weekend
There’s some good news for those hoping for outdoor plans. “Alabama’s daily chance of afternoon thunderstorms will drop substantially for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”
That drop in rainfall will also push daytime highs higher. Morning lows will hover in the 70s, with afternoons climbing into the lower to mid-90s. High humidity will make it feel closer to 100–105°F on Saturday and Sunday.
Heat Making a Comeback
The summer’s hottest day in Birmingham so far was 29 July, when the mercury hit 98°F and the heat index neared 110. That level of heat isn’t likely to return, but forecasters say we will feel the warmth build again next week.
While typical mid-August highs sit between 90–95°F, this month has been around 3 degrees cooler than average. That means next week’s normal temperatures could feel hotter than they are.
Tropical Developments
Attention is also on the Atlantic, where Tropical Storm Erin — the season’s fifth named storm — is gathering strength over warmer waters. It’s expected to become “the season’s first hurricane and quite possibly the first ‘major’ hurricane at Category 3 status” by the weekend.
Fortunately, the forecast track shows Erin veering sharply east next week, avoiding direct impact on the US coast. Still, large swells are expected to create dangerous rip currents from Florida up to New England.
In the Gulf, a disturbance over the Yucatan Peninsula is producing disorganised showers and storms. As it moves into the southwestern Gulf later this week, it may develop further but is likely to make landfall in northeastern Mexico, sparing the north-central Gulf Coast from any direct impact.
Hurricane Season Peak Approaching
With several tropical waves emerging off Africa, meteorologists are closely watching the Atlantic. September 10 marks the historical peak of hurricane season, and forecasters say activity is likely to ramp up in the coming weeks.
