Showers/Thunderstorms Arrive Later Today/Tonight
RADAR CHECK: There is an active batch of rain and thunderstorms pushing into West Tennessee this morning ahead of a cold front, but most of Alabama remains dry around sunrise with temperatures mostly in the 60s. A few showers are possible today over the Tennessee Valley of far North Alabama, but most places remain dry during the day with a high in the low 80s. Morning clouds will give way to intervals of sunshine this afternoon.
TONIGHT: Showers and storms will push into Alabama this evening ahead of the cold front, and SPC has amended their forecast. They have introduced a “slight risk” (level 2/5) of severe thunderstorms for areas north of a line from Reform to Tuscaloosa to Birmingham to Gadsden. A “marginal risk” (level 1/5) is defined as far south as Linden, Clanton, and Heflin.
It now looks like there will be sufficient instability for a few thunderstorms from roughly 6:00 p.m. to midnight with potential for strong, gusty winds and small hail. The chance of a tornado is low, but not zero. Rain amounts tonight should be 1/2 inch or less for most communities.
Showers will shift down into the southern half of the state after midnight, but they will continue to weaken.
TOMORROW AND THE WEEKEND: Dry air moves into the northern 2/3 of the state tomorrow; the sky will be partly to mostly sunny with a high in the upper 70s. Any showers tomorrow should be confined to Southwest Alabama, and even there most of the day should be dry. Then, Saturday will be a delightful day to start the weekend with a good supply of sunshine and a high around 80 degrees.
Moisture will return Sunday, and we will bring in a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms by afternoon… odds of any one spot getting wet Sunday are in the 40-50 percent range. Sunday’s high will be close to 80.
NEXT WEEK: A summer-like pattern sets up for the first half of the week, with moist, unstable air in place. We will deal with scattered showers and thunderstorms on a daily basis Monday through Wednesday. Storms will be most active during the afternoon and evening hours, and with high levels of instability we could see a few strong, possibly severe thunderstorms along the way. Highs will be in the low 80s for the first half of the week.
The weather will trend drier and cooler Thursday and Friday… See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.
ON THIS DATE IN 1910: The temperature at Kansas City MO soared to 95 degrees to establish a record for April. Four days earlier the afternoon high in Kansas City was 44 degrees following a record cold morning low of 34 degrees.
ON THIS DATE IN 1991: Southeast Bangladesh was devastated by a tropical cyclone with sustained winds of approximately 155 mph in the during the late night hours. A 20-foot storm surge inundated the offshore islands south of Chittagong and pushed water from the Bay of Bengal inland for miles. Best estimated put the loss of life from this cyclone between 135,000 and 145,000 people.
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Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!
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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
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