One More Very Cold Day
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THIS MORNING: Clouds and a persistent wind has kept temperatures over Northeast Alabama in the low 20s… above our forecast values. Not that anybody is complaining. But, that wind has wind chill index values in the 10-15 degree range, so it winds up feeling about the same. Elsewhere, most spots are down in the teens over Central and West Alabama with a clear sky.
Looks like we will stay below freezing for the second day in a row; the GFS is printing a high of only 31 for Birmingham despite a good supply of sunshine.
TOMORROW: Clearly tomorrow morning will be the coldest morning of this cold snap. We actually have a huge variation in model guidance, with the GFS showing 10 degrees for Birmingham, but the NAM is coming in with 20. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in between, and there will be a big spread of observations due to terrain considerations. The colder valleys with a good snow pack… places like Valley Head… will probably wind up in the 7-10 degree range. Most places will be in the low to mid teens with a crystal clear sky and light wind.
The good news is that our awaited warming trend begins tomorrow afternoon as we finally climb above freezing, reaching the low to mid 40s.
OUR WEEKEND: Saturday looks like a wonderful day, with ample sunshine and a high in the low to mid 50s. Clouds will increase on Sunday, but we stay dry with a high in the 50s.
NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND: We will continue to mention a chance of showers, and possibly a thunderstorm, on Monday and Tuesday of next week. The 06Z operational GFS hints the most widespread rain could come Monday night into Tuesday. Amounts of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch look likely before the rain ends Tuesday evening. Beyond that we get into model madness concerning the next (and last in this series) cold snap. All of sudden, the GFS and the ECMWF are back on the idea of that cold shot getting in here on Wednesday and Thursday. Other runs have suggested it comes the following weekend. We will just have to wait and see and get better model agreement. That cold snap, most likely, won’t be as cold as this one.
Still evidence the Polar jet retreats northward for the last week of the month with milder weather for Alabama and the Deep South. See the Weather Xtreme video for details.
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Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:30 this afternoon… enjoy the day!
Category: Alabama's Weather
About the Author (Author Profile)
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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