Windy, Much Cooler Today; Some Frost Early Tomorrow
COLD FRONT PASSING THROUGH: A sharp cold front is passing through Alabama early this morning. We note a few sprinkles over the Tennessee Valley, but for most places there will be no rain. The big story is the colder air; the day ahead will be windy and very cool with a high only in the 55-60 degree range. A brisk northwest wind of 12-25 mph will make it feel colder despite sunshine in full supply. The wind will die down tonight, and with a clear sky temperatures will drop quickly, and most communities will wind up somewhere between 33 and 40 degrees early tomorrow morning.
Frost is likely in many areas over the northern half of the state, and a few of the traditionally colder spots (places like Valley Head and Black Creek) could briefly touch the freezing mark. Classic case of “blackberry winter” as some call it. Then, during the day tomorrow, the sky will be sunny with a high in the mid 60s.
The weather stays dry during the day Friday… with a partly sunny sky the afternoon high will be somewhere between 65 and 70 degrees. Clouds thicken Friday night.
STORMY SATURDAY: Rain and storms are likely in the general window from midnight Friday night through 6:00 p.m. Saturday. Understand there will be breaks in the rain, but this will be a statewide soaking with amounts of 1 to 2 inches likely. In fact, some flooding issues could develop in spots.
Also, SPC has expanded the severe weather risk Saturday to include areas along and south of I-20 (Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Anniston, and points south).
Still some uncertainties on how the day plays out, but there is evidence there could be two rounds of rain and storms. One during the early morning hours, which would feature some risk of a tornado or two, followed by more storms in the afternoon with the main threat at that time coming from hail and strong winds. Once we get within 60 hours of the event (that will be tonight) we get within range of the convection allowing models, and will have a much better idea of the timing and magnitude of the threat.
Dry air returns Saturday night, and Sunday will be a mostly sunny day with a high in the mid 70s.
NEXT WEEK: Our weather will be warm and dry Monday and Tuesday… the high Monday will be close to 80, and in the low to mid 80s Tuesday. A rather dynamic weather system will bring showers and storms in here Wednesday and Wednesday night; there could be some risk of severe thunderstorms involved, but too early to know for sure. See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.
RACE WEEKEND: At Talladega, occasional rain and a few strong thunderstorms are likely Saturday, making it a challenge to get the races in. But, Sunday will be a beautiful day for the Geico 500 with a sunny sky along with a high in the mid 70s.
ON THIS DATE IN 1967: Severe thunderstorms spawned 48 tornadoes in the Upper Midwest. Hardest hit was northern Illinois where sixteen tornadoes touched down during the afternoon and evening hours causing fifty million dollars damage. On that Friday afternoon, tornadoes struck Belvidere IL and the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn, killing 58 persons.
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Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!
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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
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