Rain Returns This Week
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STILL DRY TODAY: Today could very well be the warmest day so far this year for many Alabama communities… we begin the day with temperatures in the 30s, but we should rise into the low 70s today with a decent amount of sunshine. Both the GFS and the NAM are printing 72 degrees for Birmingham today.
TOMORROW AND MID-WEEK: A few showers should break out across Alabama tomorrow as a southerly flow sets up. This won’t be a wash-out… the showers will be rather intermittent, and rain amounts should be relatively light. It looks like Wednesday could be the wettest day of the week, with occasional showers and maybe even a thunderstorm. We note SPC has a slight risk of severe weather on Wednesday for areas west of Alabama, and we might see a strong storm Wednesday night with increasing dynamic lift, but for now severe weather looks rather unlikely for much of Alabama.
Rain amounts tomorrow through Wednesday night should be in the 1 to 2 inch range.
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY: Watch the Weather Xtreme video and you will see the 06Z GFS brings in a dry slot Thursday, with the rain pushing east of Alabama by daybreak. If this solution is correct, most of Thursday and Friday will be dry with mild afternoons. If the sun breaks out Thursday, that should push us into the mid 70s, maybe even upper 70s over West Alabama. Then, expect a high closer to 70 on Friday with the sky occasionally cloudy. You really can’t rule out a shower somewhere on Thursday and Friday with an upper low to the north and occasional waves rotating around that feature, but it looks like it will be mostly dry on these two days.
WEEKEND PEEK: The upper low continues drifting northeast, away from Alabama, and for now we are looking at rather benign weather for the weekend, with a partly sunny sky Saturday and Sunday. The weather will be a little cooler, with highs around 60 degrees Saturday and Sunday.
LONG RANGE/VOODOO LAND: Still some decent hint of colder weather for Alabama in the March 16-22 time frame, but nothing severely cold, as the AO goes negative again. Just a reminder, the average date of the last freeze here is March 26, and we have see a freeze as late as April 23, so it is too early to be planting something that will be harmed by freezing temps. See the Weather Xtreme video for details.
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Today I will be doing a severe weather safety program at the Hibbett Sports corporate HQ, and a weather program at Deer Valley Elementary School in Hoover. I will be back in the office by early afternoon, and the next Weather Xtreme video will be posted by 3:30 or so. Enjoy the day!
March 8th, 2010 at 6:29 am
Good Morning! Well, I planted lettuce, onions, potatoes and cabbage on Saturday. I looked at the Alabama Extension guide and it was time! I also saw that the cabbage and lettuce can handle frost- just no hard freezes. I decided that if we did go into the deep freeze for a little while, it probably wouldn’t hold for several hours- so- I took a chance!
I can’t believe even I am looking for Spring. I’m usually depressed because winter is coming to an end- not this year!
March 8th, 2010 at 6:54 am
Oh no! We are getting to that time of year that is my least favorite. I do not mind early spring and the nice colors but the allergy is terrible and I know the heat is not too far off. Anything over 70* is too warm for me and I have been in 40 below and loved it. That was in Canada.
I am a storm chaser for hurricanes so I look forward to the late summer and early fall, but fall is my favorite season because it is nice and cool and I know chances of snow are there for several months ahead.
I do believe winters are going to start getting colder again. I think we go through 30 year warm/cold phases and are not back into a cold phase early on. I think next winter will be less wet, colder with many bright sunny days and then some very strong Gulf lows, but not many like in El Nino years. I think chances for big snows are there for next winter, but very cold weather near or even below zero for Northern Alabama and Tennessee.
Have a wonderful and healthy week everyone.
God bless,
Mark
March 8th, 2010 at 7:25 am
Yes Kelly, those plants all love colder weather. It can be hard to grow potatoes here with our wet early springs. They often rot in the ground, but those “new” potatoes are sure good if you can get away with it.
March 8th, 2010 at 7:27 am
Good morning everyone,
It is cool here in Vigo this morning.
Low 29 pressure 30.04
humidity 69%
winds calm
DP 33
We had heavy frost this morning but the peach trees are starting to bud out and so are the tulip poplars. looks like spring is around the corner and we are going to have to get ready for it.
Kids will be here on the 19th for a week so it will be just rite for that AO to be negative and cool the off. Maybe we can go to Little River Canyon and do the rim road and they can see some of the waterfalls with plenty of water for a change. Maybe even a little ice hanging over the edge. While the Dog Woods and Red bud trees are in bloom. That would be neat for sure.
Have a wonderful day everyone.
Bill
March 8th, 2010 at 8:36 am
Spent the weekend on Lookout Mountain and went to Little River Canyon on Saturday. It was such a beautiful weekend. Cool enough at night to snuggle up by the fireplace, and warm enough in the day to enjoy hiking/sightseeing. One of the areas that help to make Alabama such a great state!
March 8th, 2010 at 8:45 am
Thank you Vic. I just have a raised bed garden- But last year, I managed to squeeze in 90 okra plants, 20 tomato plants, a few squash, 2 eggplants, a few peppers, 2 broccoli, cabbage and some potatoes! I didn’t plant the potatoes until late and they did fine but this year I decided to do it in a more timely manner. If they rot I’ll know that my procrastinating method works best for me =-) My cabbage that I planted last year didn’t do because I was TOO late! The heads were the size of golf balls! I love my garden!
March 8th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Kelly, a raised bed is the best, and as Vic says, all that
you planted will be fine. Most of those I grow as fall/winter
crops. So you’re doing great.
Mark, you need to ask your Doc about flonase. No allergy since.
March 8th, 2010 at 9:45 am
McCalla LOW 29 NOW SUNNY 52
WEST 3 30.21 DP 28
Steamed or fryed, soup or chowder there
is nothing like fresh potatoes,corn,
onions,peppers or fresh fruit.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
So, James, what can we expect for Gulf Shores and Mobile this weekend and next week? (It’s Spring Break for a lot of schools.) Thanks!
March 8th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
I’d like to know about next week too. I might go to Atlanta for Spring Break so I hope the weather is good then.