Cooler Air, Showers Return Wednesday/Thursday
WARM MARCH DAY: Temperatures are hovering around 80 degrees across much of Alabama this afternoon with a partly to mostly sunny sky. Tonight will be mostly fair with a low in the 55-65 degree range.
Most of Alabama will stay dry tomorrow, but we will bring in a chance of isolated showers over the southern 2/3 of the state by afternoon as moisture levels begin to rise. The high will be in the upper 70s in most places.
WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Clouds will increase Wednesday as noticeably cooler air drops into the northern half of Alabama, and we will mention periods of rain beginning Wednesday afternoon, continuing Thursday, and into at least the first half of the day Friday. Temperatures will hold in the 50s over the northern third of the state on these three days, with 60s to the south. Not expecting much thunder with the rain, and there is no risk of severe storms.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: We will continue to forecast a cool, dry day Saturday with a high in the 50s and 60s. Then, clouds increase Sunday, and rain is likely by Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. Models remain in poor agreement concerning the surface and upper air features, and it remains to be seen if strong storms will be an issue. We will have much higher confidence in the weekend situation by mid-week.
NEXT WEEK: For much of the week looks dry with below average temperatures. The latest global models suggest temperatures could reach the 30s over North Alabama by mid-week, but no sign of a major freeze at this point. But, we still expect several more mornings with freezing temperatures between now and mid-April…. See the daily Weather Briefing video for maps, graphics, and more details.
ON THIS DATE IN 1962: The strongest nor’easter of this century struck the Mid-Atlantic Region on March 5-9, 1962. It is known as the “Ash Wednesday Storm” and caused over $200 million (1962 dollars) in property damage and significant coastal erosion from North Carolina to Long Island, New York. It was estimated to have destroyed or significantly damaged 45,000 homes in New Jersey alone. The Red Cross recorded that the storm killed 40 people. It hit during “Spring Tide.” When the sun and moon are in phase, they produce a higher-than-average astronomical tide. Water reached nine feet at Norfolk (flooding begins around five feet). Houses were toppled into the ocean, and boardwalks were broken and twisted. The islands of Chincoteague and Assateague, Maryland, were completely underwater.
ON THIS DATE IN 1996: Six tornadoes touched down across Alabama during the pre-dawn hours, killing six people. An F3 moved through Selma, where four people were killed at a mobile home park on the northwest side of town. An F2 tore through the southern part of Montgomery, with two fatalities there. It also brought down the WCOV-TV tower.
ON THIS DATE IN 2014: The Great Lakes saw some of their worst ice covers in nearly four decades because of a frigid winter with months of below-freezing temperatures in large sections of the northern United States, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration said. As of Mach 6, 2014, the federal agency said that 92.2 percent of the five lakes were under ice, breaking a record set in 1973 but still short of the 94.7 percent established in 1979.
BEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.
Look for the next video briefing here by 6:00 a.m. tomorrow…
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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