Warmer Days Ahead; A Few Sprinkles Tonight

LATE SEASON FREEZE: Temperatures have dropped below freezing over much of North Alabama this morning… here are some temperatures just before daybreak…

Black Creek 26
Millport 27
Fort Payne 29
Grayson Valley 31
Haleyville 30
Gadsden 32
Cullman 32
Arley 32
Decatur 32
Birmingham 33
Hueytown 33
Pell City 34
Northport 35
Jemison 36
Heflin 36
Tuscaloosa 36
Anniston 38

There is a decent chance (no promises!) this morning will be the last freeze of the season for most of Alabama as a warmer pattern evolves in coming weeks.

Today will be mostly sunny and cool with a high in the low 60s for most communities. A wave in the Gulf of Mexico will bring clouds into the state tonight, but the air will be pretty dry and we don’t expect anything more than a few sprinkles over the northern half of the state. Showers are possible across South Alabama tonight… maybe even a thunderstorm near the Gulf Coast.

MID-WEEK: Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a high in the mid 60s, then we rise into the mid 70s Wednesday with a good supply of sunshine. During the day Thursday the weather stays dry and mild with a high in the 70s, but we will bring in a chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday night as an upper trough approaches. SPC has defined a risk of severe storms west of Alabama in their “Day 4” severe weather outlook, but for now we are not expecting any severe weather in Alabama Thursday night.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Showers and storms should taper off Friday morning, and most of Friday afternoon and Friday night should be dry. Friday’s high will be in the mid 70s. Then, over the weekend, a moist airmass will be in place across Alabama, meaning some risk of at least scattered showers and thunderstorms Saturday and Sunday. This certainly doesn’t mean a “wash-out”, but a passing storm is a possibility at times both days. The sun could peek out at times, and temperatures will rise into the 77-80 degree range. One of our warmest weekends so far this year.

NEXT WEEK: Monday could be fairly stormy with a good chance of showers and storms… and temperatures next look warm with potential for 80 degree warmth on a day or two. See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.

We note that the CPC 6-10 day temperature outlook suggests above average temperatures for much of the nation through mid-April.

ON THIS DATE IN 1960: The first weather satellite, TIROS 1 (Television and Infra-Red Observation Satellite) began sending pictures back to Earth. The TIROS series would have little benefit to operational weather forecasters because the image quality was low and inconsistent. The most critical understanding achieved from the new technology was the discovery of the high degree of organization of large-scale weather systems, a fact never apparent from ground and aircraft observations.

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN FOR INDYCAR AT BARBER: The Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama will be April 5-7 at the beautiful Barber Motorsports Park! Make plans for the event that has been voted “Best Annual Event” & “Best Sporting Event” in Birmingham. Kids 15 & under are admitted free with a ticketed adult, and three-day general admission tickets are $69. Single day tickets are as low as $15. Pack a picnic/cooler and bring the family out for a weekend full of activities and racing! For tickets, CLICK HERE.

BEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.

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I will be speaking this morning a Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa… look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon. Enjoy the day!

Tags: ANC, cool

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Weather Xtreme Videos