Hot & humid with widely scattered afternoon showers & t'storms -- this pattern sticks around through Thu. then rain & storms will increase Fri. through the weekend. Some of the increase in rain could end being helped out by the remnants of "Isaac" (first mentioned last Thu.). The remnant mid & upper level disturbance will drop into the Gulf of Mexico Wed.-Thu. & several forecast models show a surface low developing. While few models show a strong system, if the surface low does develop & becomes tropical, it will likley be dubbed "Isaac" again(!). The low should then slowly move east/northeast toward Fl. then become absorbed by a strong upper level trough & surface cold front late in the weekend into early next week. Water temps. over the Gulf (see map below) are still warm even after Isaac's passage last week averaging 82-87 degrees. There is a good deal of shear (2nd image below), especially over the Eastern Gulf, for the time being which could limit development. "Ivan" (3rd map below) also made a loop in 2004 moving inland over the Fl. Panhandle Sept. 16th....exited off the mid Atlantic coast then regenerated into a tropical storm making a 2nd landfall near W. Palm Sept. 20th & yet a third landfall on the far
SW La. coast Sept. 23rd.
In any case....the combination of the system in the Gulf & an approaching cold front should lead to widespread showers & t'storms Fri. through Sun. with locally heavy rain. The good news is that the cold front will bring our first big temp./humidity change in a long time with some pleasant temps. for a few days early next week. Highs
will still make it well into the 80s during the day but overnight lows will dip into the 60s (maybe some 50s well inland in Ga.).
Action News anchor Paige Kelton forwarded me a story about an 8-yr. old girl that had to evacuate last week in La. in advance of "Isaac". Seems she developed hurricane safety rules for stuffed animals(!) - click here.
Some great viewer photos. The first one below was snapped by accomplished local "photographer of the heavens", Mike Rosset in Mandarin. Mike writes:
"This is a stacked video, using Registax, of this early morning Jupiter. The "Red Spot" is near center, along with "trailing bands" of it's storm system. Along with several "purple storms" on the lower band. Hope you enjoy.".
The 2nd & 3rd photos were taken by Nancy Brown -- check out the sun's rays stretching upward behind storm clouds (crepuscular rays).
