Rain This Morning; Brighter Tomorrow
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RADAR CHECK: A band of light to moderate rain is moving through Northwest Alabama this morning ahead of a cold front. This rain will move southeast over the next few hours, and should be out of here by the lunch hour today. Rain amounts will be generally less than 1/4 inch, and drier air will begin to work into the state this afternoon with the clearing process beginning late in the day.
We turn colder tonight in the wake of the front; most places will be very close to freezing early tomorrow, with 20s likely for the colder valleys. Also we should point out there could be some fog late tonight and early tomorrow.
TO THE NORTHEAST: A major blizzard is ahead for the New York City-Boston I-95 corridor over the next 24 hours; potential for 2-3 feet of snow with winds over 50 mph, with potential for gusts to hurricane force. This storm will be a major disruption with potential for widespread, long lasting power outages, airport shutdowns, and infrastructure damage. Travel will be impossible in many areas tonight.
BRIGHTER DAY FOR ALABAMA: Once the morning fog burns off, tomorrow promises to be a delightful day, with ample sunshine and a nice warm-up; the high will be very close to 60 degrees.
QUICK CHANGES: South winds will increase Sunday ahead of a deepening surface low over the Great Plains; we will mention a chance of showers Sunday afternoon, and rain and storms will become widespread Sunday night over the northern half of Alabama with potential for heavy rain. While a strong storm is certainly possible, for now the chance of organized severe weather looks low, and SPC does not have any defined areas in their Day 4-8 convective outlook. Looks like the heaviest rain will come from about 6:00 p.m. Sunday through 8:00 a.m. Monday.
Both the GFS and ECMWF are in good agreement; most of the midday and afternoon hours Monday should be rain-free for North and Central Alabama as the axis of rain shifts down into the southern counties.
But, a wave of low pressure is forecast to form on the front west of Alabama, and another batch of rain and storms will blow through Tuesday into Tuesday night. Heavy rain will be possible again, and we will have to watch for flooding issues since the ground will be saturated. And, like the Sunday night round of storms, a strong storm can’t be ruled out, but the severe weather threat for now seems minimal.
Rain totals between Sunday and early Wednesday will be in the 2-3 inch range, with some spots possibly getting 4 inches of rain.
Cooler and drier air arrives Wednesday.
VOODOO LAND: The GFS and ECMWF continue the idea of a colder and unsettled pattern for the Deep South at mid-month, and almost every run has hinted at some kind of winter weather mischief in the February 17-21 time frame. Still too early to make any specific kind of forecast, but clearly something to watch with very cold air in place and an active southern branch of the jet stream. See the Weather Xtreme video for details, maps, and graphics.
STORM ALERT 2013: Our annual severe weather awareness tour across Alabama continues through February. We will share lessons learned after the April 27, 2011 generational tornado event, along with other amazing weather stories. Learn how to keep your family safe during severe weather, and have a chance to win some cool prizes as well. Here are the remaining Storm Alert tour dates…
February 12 Jasper – CHS Community Building
February 21 Clanton – Jeff State Performing Arts Center
February 26 Ohatchee – Ohatchee High School
February 28 Clay – Clay/Chalkville High School
All shows begin at 6:30… be sure and get there early to get a good seat.
CONNECT: You can find me on all of the major social networks…
Thanks to everybody for coming out to our first weather tour stop last night at Holt High School… had a standing room only crowd. Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon. Enjoy the day!
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
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