Changeable Weather In The Days Ahead

An all new edition of the ABC 33/40 Weather Xtreme video is available in the player below, and on iTunes…

Scroll down to see pictures of yesterday morning’s snow atop Mount Cheaha, and our live coverage of the December 16, 2000 Tuscaloosa tornado (yesterday was the 7th anniversary). The roof tops are actually still snow covered up on Mt. Cheaha this morning… see the current image and weather data from our SKYCAM network here.

RIGHT NOW: This is our coldest morning of the season… with a clear sky, light wind, and air coming across the vast snow and ice pack across the U.S. Some quick morning lows from our Skywatchers:

Ingramtown (Hale County) 19
Concord (West Jefferson County) 19
Scrougeout (NE Etowah County) 19
Kimberly (North Jefferson County) 20
Hamilton 21
Fayette 21
Vinemont 22
Greystone Cove (Shelby County) 26
Meadowbrook (Shelby County) 27

J.B. will generate a longer list later this morning.

LOOKING AHEAD: We will warm up into the low to mid 50s today with maximum sunshine. We go below freezing again late tonight and early tomorrow morning (20s are likely by daybreak tomorrow), but a warming trend begins tomorrow afternoon we edge up into the mid to upper 50s. We will be flirting with 60 degrees by Wednesday as south winds return. There will also be some moisture increase on Wednesday, and I guess a shower or two could show up by the afternoon hours, but the next good rain event should come on Thursday.

The 06Z GFS hints at around 1/2 to one inch of rain on Thursday with a few thunderstorms possible as well. Then, we will be dry on Friday, but a stronger system forms off to the west, and will bring more rain to the state over the weekend.

WEEKEND SYSTEM: The latest GFS run hints the best chance of rain and storms will come late Saturday afternoon, Saturday night, and possibly into Sunday morning. This one has the potential to bring over one inch of rain to the state, and even some strong thunderstorms. We note SPC has the southern two-thirds of Alabama in a severe weather risk for Saturday night. Something to watch as the week rolls along… instability values look a little marginal, but that could change.

CHRISTMAS WEATHER: Now that we are emerging out of voodoo land for December 24-25, it looks like we can roll with a dry and cool forecast for those days with temperatures about where they should be for late December (highs in the 50s, lows in the 30s). If you are dreaming of a White Christmas, just travel north; the big snow cover over the northern U.S. won’t be going anywhere during the next 8 days.

LONG RANGE: The 06Z GFS paints a very dynamic system in here around December 28, but with this active wave pattern, there sure isn’t any confidence in any specific solution beyond seven days or so.

WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 30 minute 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. We will record a few show tonight… it will be posted by 10:00 or so.

WEATHER PARTY: Get all the latest weather news over on our sister site, WeatherParty.com. Be sure and register while you are there; you can submit stories and vote on them to determine what is published on the front page. This is a great way to find the latest weather-related news stories.

I will have the next Weather Xtreme video posted here by 3:30… enjoy the day!

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