Alabama's weekend weather brings more storms, heat index near 100 degrees

We are tracking complex of storms northwest of Alabama that brings another threat of thunderstorms to the state Saturday, and it stays hot even with storms in the area. Check the video forecast for the latest.HOT, OCCASIONALLY STORMY WEEKENDThe weekend will not be a total washout, but Saturday does bring a better-than-average chance of some showers and storms. Thick tropical humidity means a muggy morning followed by a hot, sticky afternoon: highs in the 90s with a heat index near 100°F away from the hit-or-miss downpours. Saturday’s storms move in from the northwest early in the day. The first round of organized storms gets into The Shoals and potentially as far south as Hamilton and Jasper between 6 and 9 AM. Some of the rain may make it as far south as the Birmingham metro area by 10 AM, but the more concentrated area of heavier thunderstorms likely stays north of Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and the Anniston/Oxford area through midday Saturday.Additional disorganized areas of hit-or-miss thunderstorms develop through Saturday afternoon and evening. On Sunday, the thunderstorm threat begins to shift south of the Birmingham area closer to US 80 as a brief shot of drier air sneaks in from the north. Isolated showers and storms are possible statewide Sunday; however, your best chance of rain comes south of Demopolis, Clanton, and Montgomery.It’s still hot Sunday: highs in the lower 90s and a heat index around 95°F to 100°F.HOTTER AND DRIER NEXT WEEKSummer in Alabama means hot days, muggy nights, and at least some chance of a daily shower or storm.Next week we see more of the heat and humidity and less of the scattered storminess that we have grown accustomed to so far this season. A strong ridge (labeled 'heat ridge' in the above image) builds over the southern half of the United States early next week. Its intensity peaks around Wednesday, and then it starts to shift westward into the Rockies again by the weekend.Alabama's weather gets much hotter and drier with that feature squeezing down on us: suppressing the daily downpours and pumping up the thermometer: highs in the middle and upper 90s common from Monday to Friday.If there is any good news about it, the humidity drops just enough to keep us out of 'Excessive Heat Warning' territory.Hottest days? Likely Wednesday and Thursday. Highest temperatures around 97°F to 101°F for most communities in North and Central Alabama.Heat index? The slight drop in humidity keeps the heat index around 105°F at the highest Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. That probably gets us a Heat Advisory; however, it's not quite as bad as the heat around the end of June and early July.Shifting back to something more normal soon? Birmingham's normal high is 91°F in mid-July. We will drop back to the upper 80s and lower 90s by next weekend when the ridge shifts to the west and a northwesterly flow aloft (jet stream) sends more stormy weather this way. CLICK TO SEE THE 7-DAY FORECASTSTAY WEATHER AWAREGet the free WVTM 13 app and turn on the alerts for the latest weather updates in your neighborhood.For the latest Birmingham weather information and central Alabama's certified most accurate forecast, watch WVTM 13 News.Current Weather ConditionsHourly Forecast | 10-Day ForecastInteractive RadarBirmingham SkycamsLive Doppler RadarSign Up For Email Weather AlertsDownload the WVTM 13 AppDon't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.