Nice Warm-Up Today; Rain Returns Saturday
NICE WARM-UP: Temperatures are in the 25-35 degree range over most of North/Central Alabama this morning, but with a strong December sun we expect a high pretty close to 60 degrees this afternoon. We stay dry through Friday with a warming trend; we reach the mid 60s tomorrow, and highs Friday will be in the 67-70 degree range. Clouds will increase Friday night.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: A cold front will bring a batch of showers and a few thunderstorms to the state Saturday. It won’t rain all day, and rain amounts should be generally 1/2 inch or less. We are not expecting severe thunderstorms due to limited instability, weak lapse rates, and marginal dynamics. Otherwise, Saturday will be a mostly cloudy day with a high in the mid 60s.
The forecast for Sunday and Monday is a low confidence one because of model differences. But there is evidence from the ensembles that another wave in the upper air will bring some risk of light rain back into the state late Sunday, Sunday night, and into Monday morning, and we will amend the forecast to include that possibility.
The deterministic European global model has gone rogue and shows potential for snow over parts of Tennessee, North Alabama, and North Georgia late Sunday night and Monday, but that is an outlier and has little support from the ensemble members.
But, for now, Sunday looks mostly cloudy and cool with a high in the 50s, and we will mention that chance of light rain late in the day and Sunday night.
NEXT WEEK: After the chance of light rain Monday morning, another wave bring a chance of light rain Wednesday, and there is evidence a stronger system could impact the state late in the week on Friday (December 18) with a more significant rain event. See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: Saturday, Alabama will take on Arkansas in Fayetteville (11:00a CT kickoff)… the weather looks dry but cold. The sky will be mostly cloudy with temperatures holding in the low to mid 40s during the game. Then, Saturday evening, Auburn travels to Starkville to taken on Mississippi State (6:30p CT kickoff). The sky will be cloudy, and some light rain is possible during the game; temperatures will fall through the 50s.
ON THIS DATE IN 2003: Although it never threatened land, a subtropical storm became Tropical Storm Peter approx. 700 miles WNW of the Cape Verde Islands. Combined with Tropical Storm Odette from earlier in the month, this is the first time since 1887 that two tropical storms formed in the Atlantic Basin in December.
BEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.
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Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!
Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Weather Xtreme Videos
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James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.Subscribe
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