Morning Rains Were Beneficial, Slow Clearing from the West this Afternoon

A surface low riding along a frontal system over South Central Alabama resulted in some healthy rainfall amounts across Central Alabama on this Sunday morning.

CoCoRaHS rainfall reports through early this morning.

Widespread 1-2 inch amounts were observed, with the Birmingham Airport picking up 1.81 inches. I picked up 2.18 inches off Acton Road. The Shelby County Airport picked up 2.46 inches. Early morning reports from CoCoRaHS observers included over 2.5 inches across Tuscaloosa County. Several northern Shelby County locations were around 2.5 inches, with the observer 2.2 miles southwest of Alabaster hitting the jackpot with 2.74 inches. I even saw a report from someone in Chelsea with over three inches! This is good news in the…

…DROUGHTWATCH DEPARTMENT: The drought has continued to deepen across Alabama over the past few weeks. Areas from northern Tuscaloosa across southern Jefferson County were upgraded to D3, Extreme Drought this past week. That is the next to the highest level. Now the entire state is at least abnormally dry, with a large swath of Severe Drought (category D2) across the I-59 Corridor and much of Northeast Alabama.

GOOD NEWS: This morning’s rainfall will help and more is on the way. Another 2 inches will fall from a system Tuesday and Wednesday. And then a weekend system looks like it will bring another inch or so. All this will help. In fact, three inches might help end the short-term drought across Central Alabama.

REST OF TODAY/TONIGHT: The rain exited the I-85 Corridor just after 10 a.m. There have been a few breaks in the clouds through the morning over northwestern Alabama. Clearing will begin in earnest by mid-afternoon over western parts of the area around Hamilton, Vernon, and Carrollton. Skies will slowly clear across the area overnight and should be mostly clear by Monday morning area wide. Lows will range from the middle and upper 20s in places like Hamilton, Cullman, and Gadsden to near 30-32F in places like Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Anniston, Clanton and Alex City. Middle to upper 30s will prevail across South Central Alabama.

MONDAY: Tomorrow will be a mostly sunny and cool day with a chilly north wind bringing in cold air. But warm air advection will begin tomorrow night ahead of the next system Lows will be in the upper 30s Monday night.

TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY: Tuesday will be a transition day as the atmosphere warms and becomes moister. Highs will be in the middle 60s. Showers may break out by afternoon over West Alabama and across the rest of Central Alabama during the evening and overnight. A band of showers and storms will push through the are Wednesday morning. The parameters don’t look favorable for severe weather, but we will be monitoring. Temperatures will fall during the day after the cold front passes, dropping from around 60F that morning into the 40s by afternoon. We will be near freezing by Thursday morning as skies clear overnight.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS