Tropical Storm Fred: What Alabamians Should Know

MOBILE, AL — As if Alabama has not already been pounded with rainfall this summer, a storm system in the Caribbean could make its way to the Alabama coast in a matter of days, bringing more storms to the state.

Fred, currently a tropical depression but regaining tropical storm strength, is forecast move near the northern coast of Cuba later Thursday through Friday. The National Weather Service shows Fred entering Alabama Monday night into Tuesday morning.

The latest National Hurricane Center forecast track has Fred moving over the far eastern Gulf of Mexico over the weekend, making landfall near Carrabelle, Florida, Sunday night as a tropical storm.

"The system is expected to remain below hurricane strength in the Gulf due to interaction with the Florida peninsula and southwest winds aloft creating shear over the system," meteorologist James Spann said Thursday. "The main wind, rain and storm surge impact will be east of the circulation center, over the Florida peninsula and north Florida. Most of the Florida Panhandle and the Alabama Gulf Coast is expected to be on the 'good,' drier, west side of the system (places like Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Pensacola, Navarre Beach, Destin and Panama City Beach). However, in those places the rip current danger will be high Sunday and Monday, and there will be some rain."

Spann said the heaviest rain in association with Fred is expected to be east of Alabama, over the Florida peninsula, Georgia and the Carolinas. "Still, deeper tropical moisture will be pulled into the state with higher rain coverage Sunday into early next week," he said.

Scattered to numerous showers and storms are likely in Alabama Monday through Wednesday.

What about beach plans?

Those expecting to get in a late summer beach trip this weekend may spend the weekend indoors, Spann said.

"I can’t give specific advice on beach trip plans since different people go to the beach for different reasons," Spann said. "The main impact of Fred is expected to be east of the central Gulf Coast (east of Panama City Beach), but there will be some rain and a high rip current danger."