The National Weather Service office in Mobile issued a formal Extreme Heat Warning late Tuesday night, escalating its language after days of dangerous heat across South Alabama and warning that Wednesday could bring the most punishing conditions of the summer so far. The warning was issued at 9:56 p.m. Tuesday and covers the 11-hour window from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday.
The Extreme Heat Warning applies to Mobile’s and Baldwin’s coastal communities, where heat index values — the combination of air temperature and humidity that measures how hot it actually feels — are forecast to climb as high as 115 degrees. Forecasters say the risk of heat-related illness rises sharply once index values reach that level, even for people who consider themselves acclimated to Gulf Coast summers.
A companion Heat Advisory, covering a broader swath of south central and southwest Alabama, was issued alongside the warning for the same Wednesday window. That advisory stretches across inland Mobile and Baldwin counties and into Choctaw, Washington, Clarke, Wilcox, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw and Escambia counties, along with parts of northwest Florida and southeast Mississippi, where heat index readings up to 110 degrees are expected.
Meteorologists are calling Wednesday a STORMtracker Alert Day because of the combination of extreme heat and humidity. Afternoon highs along the coast are expected to reach the upper 90s, but it’s the added humidity that pushes the heat index into dangerous territory. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon and evening, though rain chances remain low and are not expected to meaningfully cool things down.
The National Weather Service is urging residents across the warning and advisory area to take the heat seriously. Recommended precautions include drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day, staying in air-conditioned spaces as much as possible, avoiding prolonged sun exposure, and checking in on elderly relatives, neighbors and anyone without reliable air conditioning. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in a vehicle under any circumstances, officials stressed, since vehicle interiors can reach lethal temperatures within minutes even with the windows cracked.
Anyone working or spending extended time outdoors is encouraged to reschedule strenuous activity to the early morning or evening hours when possible, wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing, and take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends employers build in extra rest breaks for outdoor workers during extreme heat events like this one. Forecasters also urged residents to know the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke — including heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, confusion and a rapid pulse — and to move anyone showing those symptoms to a cool, shaded location immediately. Heat stroke is a medical emergency; officials say anyone showing signs of it should be taken to a hospital or have 911 called right away.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however. Forecasters say Thursday should bring a notably better chance of rain, with roughly a 60% probability of showers and thunderstorms that will begin chipping away at the heat. By the weekend, highs are expected to fall into the mid-to-lower 90s with heat index values easing into the upper 90s — still warm, but a significant improvement over the extreme readings expected Wednesday. Rain chances are expected to climb to between 60% and 70% Saturday and Sunday.
In the tropics, forecasters say conditions remain quiet, with no tropical storm formation expected over the Gulf or Atlantic in the next seven days. Beachgoers are still urged to check posted beach flags and rip current conditions before entering the water, since dangerous surf conditions can develop independent of any heat event.
South Alabama residents can expect continued updates from the National Weather Service office in Mobile as conditions evolve through the week.