Another Cold Night Ahead; Some Light Rain Tomorrow Night
COLD, DRY DECEMBER DAY: Temperatures are barely out of the 30s across North Alabama this afternoon despite sunshine in full supply. It is a bit warmer to the south, where Mobile has reached the mid 50s. Tonight will be clear and cold; most communities will see a low in the 20s, and a freeze is likely deep into South Alabama.
Clouds will increase tomorrow afternoon, and a disturbance will bring some light rain to the state tomorrow night into early Thursday. By Thursday afternoon any showers will be confined to the far southern counties of the state. Rain amounts will be mostly under 1/2 inch. After reaching the 50s Wednesday afternoon, more cold air arrives Thursday when temperatures will stay in the 40s over the northern counties.
FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Friday morning will likely be the coldest morning of the week. Lows will be mostly in the 20s, but colder spots over North Alabama will reach the upper teens. And, a freeze is likely down to the coast. Friday will be a sunny day with 40s for North Alabama, and 50s to the south. Dry weather continues Saturday with highs in the 50s statewide.
Clouds will increase Sunday, and some rain could reach the northwest part of Alabama by afternoon. Then, rain becomes likely Sunday night as moisture levels continue to rise.
Periods of rain are likely across Alabama and the Deep South Monday and Tuesday; a thunderstorm will be possible but for now we see no risk of severe storms. This will likely be a beneficial rain event with potential for 1-2 inches… some spots could see more. The latter half of next week will be mostly dry and cool with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s. See the video briefing for maps, graphics, and more details.
ON THIS DATE IN 1983: The 1983 Iron Bowl game is one of the greatest in the history of the rivalry. It was played at Legion Field on December 3rd. The game started in beautiful warm sunshine after a stormy night of very heavy rains that caused severe flooding in the Birmingham area. 9.22 inches of rain fell at the National Weather Service Forecast Office, which was on Oxmoor Road at the time. If the amount had been recorded at the Airport, it would have stood as the all-time 24-hour rainfall record for the city (until Hurricane Ivan). One person was killed due to the flooding in Bessemer.
During the third quarter, a line of severe thunderstorms was approaching western Jefferson County and a tornado warning was issued. The radar at Centreville showed a well-defined hook echo heading directly toward the stadium. The game was not stopped. By ten minutes to go in the game, the rain was coming down in torrents as Auburn tried to control the ball and win the game in the horrible conditions as they clung to a 23-20 lead. The rain began to fall so heavily that you could barely see the field on the cameras.
Fortunately, the storm did not produce a tornado in western Birmingham, or the results would have been catastrophic. But later, the same storm dropped an F3 tornado that heavily damaged the Winn Dixie store at Sky City in Oxford, killing two people. A total of seven tornadoes touched down across the state that afternoon and evening.
Auburn went on to win the game 23-20.
Look for the next video briefing here by 6:00 a.m. tomorrow…
Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Weather Xtreme Videos
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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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