Watch for Icy Bridges over East Alabama, Western Georgia Late Tonight/Monday Morning

The first batch of rain is moving into western Alabama at this hour. Temperatures across North Central Alabama currently include 40F at Gadsden, 41F at Anniston, 45F at Birmingham and 47F at Tuscaloosa. Across North Alabama, readings are generally in the lower 40s. But of note, the temperature at Fort Payne is already down to 36F and Albertville is 37F. It is 41F at Cullman, which is a tad above where they were forecast to be at this hour.

Clouds have overspread much of the area, but are thinner in northeastern and eastern sections of Alabama over into western Georgia. This will allow temperatures to cool a little faster than over western Alabama, where the clouds will act as a blanket overnight.

In northern Georgia, it is only 35F at Atlanta with a dewpoint of 9F. That low dewpoint and cooler temperature is the result of an easterly wedge that is pumping in cooler and drier air from the east. The low in Atlanta is forecast to be 28F. Readings are expected to go above freezing by 11 a.m.

The afternoon model data is pretty consistent with earlier thinking. The 3km NAM and GFS are most aggressive with freezing rain late tonight and early Monday. The HRRR shows readings reaching freezing over the advisory counties in East Alabama and western Georgia before sunrise with some light freezing precipitation occurring.

The 3km NAM drops temperatures in Atlanta to below freezing, and keeps them there much of the day, which is a concern. But as a silver lining, it limits the amount of precipitation reaching the city, perhaps due to the dry air. It is going to be an interesting situation to watch.

In any case, watch for icy bridges across East Alabama and North Georgia after midnight tonight and early tomorrow where some freezing rain is possible. Temps will warm above freezing by mid to late morning across eastern Alabama and western Georgia.

A winter weather advisory continues for several counties in eastern Alabama and western Georgia.

In Central Alabama, counties include: Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah and Randolph. It is effective until 3 p.m. CST.

In North Alabama, counties include: Jackson and DeKalb. It is effective until 6 p.m. CST.

We will have frequent updates throughout the event.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS