Rain Returns Today; Sharply Colder Thursday
RADAR CHECK: Rain is falling over much of North Alabama this morning with temperatures in the 50s…
The rain is ahead of a surface front that will become nearly stationary over Alabama tonight. We should point out this is not an Arctic front; the high today will be close to 60, followed by mid 60s tomorrow.
The most widespread rain will come this morning; there should be a break for much of North/Central Alabama this afternoon, but the sky will stay cloudy. Then, the front will move northward slowly as a warm front tonight and tomorrow, with rain increasing again statewide. Rain amounts through tomorrow night should be in the 1/2 inch range. Some thunder is possible over the next 36 hours, but there is no risk of severe thunderstorms.
For now it looks like the rain will be pretty much over by late tomorrow night… Wednesday looks cool and dry with slow clearing and a high in the mid to upper 50s.
ARCTIC BLAST THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Yet another surge of very cold air drops into the state Thursday. The high will be around 40 degrees along the I-20 corridor (Tuscaloosa to Birmingham to Anniston)… most places to the north will hold in the 30s all day with a chilly north breeze of 10-18 mph, making it feel colder. On the positive side, the sun should be out in full force.
We project a low early Friday in the 18-22 degree range for most communities; then during the day Friday the high will be in the mid 40s with sunny sky.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: The weather turns warmer; we rise into the 60s Saturday with the sky becoming mostly cloudy, and rain should become widespread late Saturday, Saturday night, and into Sunday. The weekend event should bring around one inch of needed rain to our state.
NEXT WEEK: After a dry day or two, it looks like more rain will move into Alabama by mid to late week. Remember, we are still in a severe to exceptional drought, so this is a very good thing. Here are rain deficiencies since January 1…
Anniston 16.26″
Tuscaloosa 13.43″
Birmingham 11.72″
Montgomery 10.74″
Huntsville 9.18″
CHRISTMAS?? There is no skill in a specific forecast beyond seven days, but the pattern seems to favor seasonal temperatures with highs in the 50s. For Birmingham, the average high on December 25 is 54 degrees.
We need to stress there is no evidence of any issues in Alabama with snow or ice over the next 15 days.
WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 90 minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40.
CONNECT: You can find me on all of the major social networks…
Facebook
Twitter
Google Plus
Instagram
Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!
Category: Alabama's Weather
About the Author (Author Profile)
James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
