Unseasonably Warm for a Few Days

As we’ve been saying, the likelihood of any chance for a white Christmas just doesn’t exist around here. In fact, we could be pushing the record highs for several days beginning on Christmas Day. But this morning Central Alabama is waking up to cloudy skies with a front located just to the north and northwest of us. But while the clouds were present across the North and Central Alabama areas, clear skies across South Alabama allowed temperatures to plunge overnight. The morning temperatures were backwards from what we typically see with 40s across South Alabama while North Alabama was around 60. It seems that it has been awhile since our temperatures have acted the way they should.

With the clouds we could see a sprinkle or two across North and Central Alabama today, but the main rain area is expected to remain just to our north along the front. Highs today should reach the middle and upper 60s.

If you are headed to the beach, you will find mainly sunny days, and cool, fair nights, along the beaches through the weekend and into the first of next week. See the complete Gulf Coast 7-Day Planner here.

The SPC has no areas of severe weather outlined for Day 1. Day 2 shows an area of the standard slight risk over eastern half of Kansas and Nebraska. For Day 3, there are no severe weather areas, but an approaching front may have enough instability to produce a few peals of thunder for the Southeast US and Lower Mississippi River Valley.

With an upper ridge in place center across the Florida Peninsula, the front to our north is not likely to progress further south. That front should wash out but with the return of southerly flow on Monday, we may see an isolated shower or two. Temperatures will stay warm with GFS MOS guidance projecting highs in the 70s for Central Alabama through Tuesday.

The front approaching on Tuesday is forecast to weaken as it moves into the Southeast US, but that still looks like our best chances for rain. The upper flow holds weak ridging over the Gulf area, so there is only a limited amount of push for the front to come south as it weakens. Rainfall is not expected to be very large with the greatest amounts most likely over the Tennessee River Valley where one half to one inch are possible. For much of Central Alabama rainfall amounts will be less than half an inch and probably less than a quarter of an inch.

A large upper trough takes shape on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday pushing the upper ridge out of the way and dropping temperatures once again. Wednesday and Thursday will see temperatures lowering into the 60s for highs with Friday and Saturday our coldest days with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s.
January 1 and 2 may bring some rain chances to Alabama with the approach and passage of a weak short wave trough ejecting out of the Southwest US. By January 5th/6th the upper air pattern has gone cold once again with a fairly large and broad trough over the eastern half of the country. But the cold pattern is not forecast to last long as an upper ridge centered over the Gulf of Mexico develops around the 8th of January with a strong upper low over the Northwest US.

Here’s a quick summary of the record highs for Central Alabama for the next several days.

City         24th      25th     26th     27th
Birmingham  77/1964  77/2015  72/1911  74/1982
Tuscaloosa  80/1964  78/1987  72/1984  78/1982
Anniston    78/1964  73/1982  71/1964  75/1982

You may have noted yesterday that James Spann will be on vacation through January 2nd, so we are on a one a day schedule for the Weather Xtreme Videos. With tomorrow being Christmas, I plan to post one in the morning, but not as early as I typically do. For the rest of the week and next weekend, the videos should be available between 7 and 8 am each day.

One of the interesting things about the weather is the continual state of change – and that can make it challenging, too. I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and will be able to enjoy the warm weather despite our desire for a White Christmas. Godspeed.

-Brian-

Tags: ANC

Category: Alabama's Weather