Frigid March Morning; Warming Trend Ahead

MARCH FREEZE: Here are some temperatures across Alabama just before sunrise this morning…

Oneonta 18
Cullman 19
Gadsden 20
Fort Payne 20
Jasper 21
Haleyville 23
Scottsboro 23
Pell City 23
Huntsville 24
Birmingham 25
Muscle Shoals 25
Selma 25
Anniston 27
Evergreen 28
Tuscaloosa 28
Mobile 30
Dothan 31

The only place above freezing is along the immediate Gulf Coast; Gulf Shores reports 34 degrees at 5a CT. Farmers in Chilton County are using wind machines and helicopters in an effort to protect the peach crop there.

Today will be sunny with a high in the 55-60 degree range, followed by another clear, cold night. Lows tomorrow morning will be in the 27-37 degree range for most communities; colder spots will see yet another freeze.

WARMING TREND: Temperatures tomorrow rise well into the 60s with a partly sunny sky. The weather stays dry Wednesday and Thursday, and the warming trend continues. The high Wednesday will be close to 70, and most places will see low 80s Thursday.

FRIDAY: The day Friday will be warm and dry with a high in the low 80s, but a cold front will push an organized band of showers and thunderstorms into the state Friday night and early Saturday morning. SPC has areas north and west of Birmingham in a severe weather risk Friday night in their “Day 5” outlook…

For now it looks like the main risk to severe storms will come from 6:00 p.m. Friday through 6:00 a.m. Saturday. Most likely this will be a linear event with the main threat coming from strong winds, but an isolated tornado can’t be ruled out. The main limiting factor will be the lack of surface based instability, but we really won’t know the magnitude of the threat until later this week.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Rain ends early Saturday, and the sky will clear later in the day with a high in the low 70s. Sunday looks dry and mild with a high in the 70s.

NEXT WEEK: A disturbance will bring the risk of showers Monday and Tuesday, followed by another risk of showers or storms later in the week. Highs will be mostly in the 70s… See the video briefing for maps, graphics, and more details.

Many want to know if we are finished with freezing temperatures after tomorrow morning. We see no evidence of a freeze through the rest of March, but understand my advice remains the same every year… I would wait until April 15 to plant anything that might be harmed by a freeze. We usually have at least one significant cold snap during the first half of April.

ON THIS DATE IN 1905: A tornado estimated at F3 strength moved through parts of Chambers and Randolph counties in East Alabama; nine were killed.

ON THIS DATE IN 1998: A deadly tornado outbreak occurred over portions of the southeastern United States. Particularly hard hit were rural areas outside of Gainesville, Georgia, where at least 12 people were killed during the early morning hours. The entire outbreak killed 14 people and produced 12 tornadoes across three states. The town of Stoneville, North Carolina, hard hit by the storms.

BEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.

Look for the next video briefing here by 3:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!

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