Rain Tonight

The latest edition of the ABC 33/40 Weather Xtreme Video is available in the player below. You can subscribe to the Weather Xtreme Video on iTunes by clicking here.

Rather a complex set up for our weather over the next 36 hours. Surface low pressure off to our west and northwest is creating winter weather issues for the northern tier of the US. Meanwhile, as the surface high moves across the Northeast US, there is a little wedge – cold air damming – action occurring in Georgia and Alabama with clouds and an easterly flow this morning. This should be pushed eastward as the system to our west moves closer. Plus the pressure gradient should be tightening allowing for breezy conditions this afternoon and overnight.

The area centered on Arkansas is in a slight risk for severe weather as defined by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC). We could see a squall line move through Central Alabama tonight – probably after midnight but before 10 am. In fact it seems likely that the system will move through fairly quickly allowing the area from Birmingham westward to be dry by late Saturday morning and into the afternoon. Temperatures will be warm for this time of year with highs in the 60s.

Rainfall from this event should be in the one half to one inch range for Central Alabama. Much higher amounts are forecast along the eastern slopes of the Appalachians with parts of Georgia already under a flash flood watch.

We dry out Sunday and really cool off by Monday. But unlike the last cold spell which lasted nearly two weeks, this should be the typical cold spell for the Southeast which is fairly short-lived. By Tuesday afternoon we are beginning to moderate ahead of the next weather disturbance.

A strong short wave comes out of the Texas Panhandle area on Thursday bringing another round of wet weather to the Southeast primarily Friday to end the last week of January. It’s too far out to be very specific, but this system seems to have the potential for another round of severe weather for the Southeast US, too. This opens the way for another shot of colder air for Saturday but again moderating quickly by Sunday and Monday.

Looking further afield, the GFS continues to show an active pattern across the southern US which is typical in an El Nino event.

Don’t forget to listen to our weekly netcast anytime on the web or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40. You can even listen here on the blog; look for the player on the top left.

And you can follow news and weather updates from ABC 33/40 on Twitter here. Stay in the know by following the whole gang – here’s the list…

The Helena Police Department is sponsoring a doughnut sale today to benefit the family of the Pelham Police Officer killed before Christmas. Doughnuts at $5 a dozen will be for sale at CVS, Walgreens, and Winn Dixie, so I encourage everyone to come by and take a dozen home – it’s a great cause. I hope you have a great Saturday and Godspeed.

-Brian-

For your meteorological consulting needs, Coleman and Peters, LLC, can provide you with accurate, detailed information on past storms, lightning, flooding, and wind damage. Whether it is an insurance claim needing validation or a court case where weather was a factor, we can furnish you with information you need. Please call us at (205) 568-4401.

Category: Uncategorized