Rain Approaching

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Clouds certainly invaded the state overnight as we are all waking up to a mostly cloudy sky this morning. Most of the clouds are relatively high clouds since there is a huge dry layer up to about 20,000 feet. But this dry layer will gradually moisten up as the surface low over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico edges closer today. This is likely to be a day to see virga where rain falls from the cloud deck moistening the dry layer from above. So be watching for that. Temperatures should climb into the lower 60s for highs.

So today will most likely see dry weather through much of the afternoon with the rain coming in late today and overnight tonight. The low will move along the Gulf Coast keeping us cloudy and somewhat wet through Sunday. Monday as the surface low moves east and weakens and the upper trough moves east we should see a return to sunny skies.

Our next system approaches on Tuesday with a strong upper level disturbance rolling through the Central US. This system is being progged by the GFS as dry but it will bring some cold air to the Southeast on Thanksgiving and Friday. A fairly sharp trough swings through the Southeast on Thursday and Friday opening the way for the cold air which will be relatively short-lived as the whole system swings by very quickly. In fact, if the GFS is correct on the timing, then we should see conditions warm up nicely for next weekend.

For Thanksgiving and the biggest shopping day of the year, we should see high temperatures in the 50s and overnight lows dipping to around freezing.

The current system will bring some good rain to the Gulf Coast region, but for much of Central Alabama I expect to see rainfall amounts on the order of one half inch. The gradient to the rain should be from north to south with one inch possible around Montgomery while the Tennessee River Valley gets less than half an inch.

The long range projections continue to show a rather fast moving pattern with a steady string of weather systems – a pattern fairly typical for this time of year. Another system promises rain and cold weather for the start of December, but around the 6th of December the GFS suggests the westerlies pull north a tad while cutting off a low over Northern Mexico.

Don’t forget to listen to our weekly 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. You can even listen here on the blog; look for the player on the top left.

I plan to have the next Weather Xtreme Video posted by 8 am or so tomorrow morning. Enjoy the clouds today after several spectacular Fall days. And watch for that virga! Godspeed.

-Brian-

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