Rain Tomorrow Night; Cold Weekend Ahead
BLUE SKY: Hard to find a decent cloud in the Alabama sky today; temperatures are well up into the 60s; Birmingham reports 69 degrees at 2:00p CT. Tonight will be clear and cool with a low in the 40s.
CHANGES AHEAD: Clouds will move into the state tomorrow afternoon as the big upper trough in the western states lifts out, and rain is likely statewide tomorrow night. SPC maintains a “marginal” risk of severe weather for Southwest Alabama, but we won’t have any issues over the northern counties of the state since there won’t be any surface based instability.
Rain amounts of around 1/2 inch are likely, some places south of Birmingham could see up to 1 inch.
The rain will end early Thursday morning, followed by gradual clearing. Thursday will be cooler with a high around 60 degrees.
FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: Expect a good supply of sunshine Friday, but the day will be breezy and cool with a high only in the low 50s (we begin the day with mid 30s Friday morning). Temperatures will drop below freezing early Saturday and Sunday morning, with most communities seeing lows in the 27-32 degree range both mornings. The high Saturday will be close to 50, followed by upper 50s Sunday. Dry air means a sunny sky both days. Enjoy the pre-Christmas chill.
CHRISTMAS WEEK: More changes. Moisture returns Monday, and a shower is possible by afternoon. Then, Tuesday through Thursday the weather looks mild and unsettled with occasional showers and thunderstorms. Highs will be well up in the 60s, and with rising instability levels there could be a risk of strong, maybe even severe thunderstorms by Wednesday and Thursday. Just too early to determine the threat at this point; something to watch closely since many will be traveling. The 12Z run of the GFS brings drier air into the state at the end of the week; giving hope that Christmas Day will be rain-free. No sign of any seriously cold air, however… still looks like most of the eastern U.S. will see above average temperatures.
AT THE BEACH: Look out for showers and a few strong thunderstorms tomorrow night, followed by clearing during the day Thursday. The weather will be cool and dry along the Central Gulf Coast Friday and over the weekend… See the complete Gulf Coast 7 Day Planner here. The Gulf Coast Beach Forecast is presented by Gulf Shores Plantation by Mandoki Hospitality Vacation Rentals. Escape to Gulf Shores Plantation where memories last a lifetime.
WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 90 minute 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.
CONNECT: You can find me on all of the major social networks…
Facebook
Twitter
Google Plus
Instagram
Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow…
Category: Alabama's Weather
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
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
