Alabama 811 | Know What's Below.

Big Changes Next Week

| December 5, 2012 @ 5:49 am

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LIGHT RAIN AT TIMES TODAY: A strong impulse over Louisiana will keep clouds and showers over Alabama today. Additional rain amounts should be light, generally under 1/4 inch for most places. Temperatures will remain mild with a high between 65 and 69 degrees.

TOMORROW AND FRIDAY: While a moist airmass will remain in place, there is really no trigger for rain, and we believe most of the state will be dry on these two days. Any showers will be few and far between, and the sun should peek out at times. The high tomorrow will be near 70; Friday’s high will depend on where you are. The wedge, or cold air damming, will bring some cooler air into far East Alabama, and it looks like a case where communities near the Georgia border over Cherokee, Cleburne, and Randolph Counties high see a high in the upper 50s, while the western half of the state will be in the low 70s.

MILD WEEKEND: We project highs in the low 70s Saturday and Sunday, but you need to enjoy that because things begin to change in a big way next week. I sure can’t rule out a shower or two both days, but the showers should be pretty widely spaced, and I think much of the weekend will be dry with a mix of sun and clouds both days. Clouds should begin to thicken Sunday afternoon ahead of a strong cold front.

FLIP TO COLDER: Global models are much faster with the Polar front early next week. The 06Z GFS now moves the front through here by late morning Monday, and hints the main risk of showers and storms will come from about midnight Sunday night to 9:00 a.m. Monday. The European is a touch slower, with the bulk of the showers and storms during the day Monday. While strong storms are certainly possible along the front, the good news is that we don’t see a strong surface low north of here to back the surface winds around to the southeast, meaning a tornado threat probably won’t materialize. But, gusty winds with the storms are a good possibility, and rain amounts of 1/2 to 1 inch are likely.

If you buy into the GFS solution, temperatures would fall into the 40s Monday with an icy north wind, and we will be below freezing by early Tuesday.

Later in the week a strong impulse along the Gulf Coast brings more rain into Alabama on Thursday, but temperatures will modify enough for just rain and no winter weather issues.

CHRISTMAS COLD? Still seeing strong signs of more cold air moving into Alabama in the December 15-22 time frame. While we have enjoyed very mild weather in recent weeks, the air has been brutally cold up north, and I sure believe temperatures here will be below average as we head into Christmas week. Still way too early to determine how cold. And, remember, we had a White Christmas two years ago, and that is just about a generational weather event in Alabama. Don’t get your hopes up.

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I will be doing two weather programs today in Etowah County… Duck Springs Elementary… and then Glencoe Middle School. Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon; enjoy the day!

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Category: Alabama's Weather

About the Author ()

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.

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