The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a Heat Advisory for a wide swath of south Alabama, northwest Florida and southeast Mississippi, warning that dangerously hot conditions will make it unsafe to be outside for extended periods.
The advisory takes effect at 11 a.m. and runs through 8 p.m. Thursday, with heat index values expected to reach between 108 and 110 degrees. The affected area includes Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia, Choctaw, Washington, Clarke, Wilcox, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw and Covington counties in Alabama, along with portions of the Florida Panhandle and southeast Mississippi. Communities under the advisory include Mobile, Daphne, Foley, Fairhope, Bay Minette, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Dauphin Island, Saraland, Prichard, Monroeville, Evergreen, Andalusia and Brewton, among many others.
Forecasters say the heat is only beginning to build. Daytime heat index values are expected to climb into the low 90s Thursday, then jump into the upper 90s by Saturday and Sunday, with heat index readings again nearing 110 degrees both days. Next week could bring even more intense conditions, with actual air temperatures approaching 100 degrees and heat index values topping 110 degrees through the middle of the week. Rain chances remain low across the region, with only isolated showers expected to offer brief relief.
The National Weather Service and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are urging residents to take the heat seriously. Recommended precautions include:
- Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day and staying in air-conditioned spaces when possible.
- Limiting strenuous outdoor activity to early morning or evening hours.
- Wearing lightweight, loose-fitting and light-colored clothing.
- Taking frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas, especially for anyone working outdoors.
- Checking on elderly relatives, neighbors and anyone without reliable access to air conditioning.
Officials stressed that heat stroke is a medical emergency. Anyone who becomes overcome by heat should be moved immediately to a cool, shaded location, and bystanders should call 911.
The heat wave is developing as forecasters track increasing tropical activity in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Christobal is currently spinning in the northern Atlantic on a track toward the Azores; as it moves over cooler waters, it is expected to weaken rapidly over the next 24 hours and poses no threat to the Gulf Coast. However, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring two additional tropical waves that forecasters say carry a greater potential to affect the region as the Gulf Coast moves deeper into the heart of hurricane season.
South Alabama News will continue to monitor both the heat advisory and tropical development and provide updates as conditions change.