UNSETTLED WEATHER CONTINUES: Today will be another windy, wet, stormy day for Alabama, but at least temperatures will be considerably warmer for the northern counties of the state as a warm front moves north of us. A tight pressure gradient will keep winds (away from thunderstorms) out of the southeast in the 15-25 mph range, with higher gusts.
Activity over the southern 2/3rds of North/Central Alabama is really starting to calm down while rain and thunderstorms continue to move northeastward over North Alabama.
Thunderstorms with heavy rain are moving across parts of West Central Alabama. They will move over areas that have already seen 1.5-2.5 inches of rain. Flooding will be possible.
SOAKER: As expected, this has been a cold, wet day across Alabama. Despite temperatures only in the upper 30s and 40s, we have experienced a good bit of thunder over the northern counties of the state today thanks to elevated convection/very cold air aloft. Heavier storms have produced small hail in a few places, only hours after some sleet came down early this morning.
Showers and heavier thunderstorms continue to move across much of North and the northern parts of Central Alabama, and as we have continued through the morning and now into the beginning of the afternoon, the lightning has really been on the increase throughout the area.
Today, we take a look at our second topic for Severe Weather Awareness Week: Flooding and Flash Flooding.
As of 9:46 am on this rainy and gray Tuesday, rain and a few thunderstorms continue to move northeastward across North and Central Alabama.
NWS Birmingham extends flood watch farther south while NWS Huntsville extends flood watch in time.
COLD AND WET: As this day begins we have widespread rain falling over North Alabama in a cold airmass. In fact, a number of places had some sleet at the onset of the precipitation thanks to evaporative cooling. Temperatures, however, are above freezing, and there is no impact from the sleet.
Sleet is mixing with the rain over extreme North Alabama and southern Tennessee this morning.
Multiple rounds of heavy rainfall are expected starting Tuesday and continuing through the end of the week for portions of North and Central Alabama.
THIS AFTERNOON: As advertised, we have a dry afternoon over the northern half of the state with a mix of sun and clouds; temperatures are in the 40s and 50s. But, to the south, we note showers at mid-afternoon along a nearly stationary front from near Linden to Montgomery. These showers are moving eastward, and below that stalled front temperatures are in the 60s.
As of 11:50 am today, radar is mainly free of any echos across Central Alabama, but we do see a few blips down around the southeastern parts over Pike and Bullock counties.
Today, we take a look at our first topic for Severe Weather Awareness Week… Severe Thunderstorms.
ON THE MAPS: A surface front is over South Alabama this morning; north of that front temperatures are in the 37-45 degree range, but south of the front Dothan report 60 degrees just before daybreak. For North/Central Alabama, today will be mostly cloudy and cool with temperatures holding in the 40s north of Birmingham, with 50s south of I-20. The sun could break out a bit this afternoon, and the day should be dry. Showers will be confined to the far southern counties of the state.
The northern two-thirds of Alabama is socked in with clouds early this afternoon, but a northward moving warm front is warming things up. Heavy rain is still on its way to Alabama later this week. Flooding will be possible, and there is a threat of severe weather by Wednesday.
