Cool Weekend – Warmer Next Week

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.

As I write this Blog post this morning, a dry cold front is moving through Central Alabama helping to reinforce the cooler air we’ve seen over the last couple of days. So look for some additional cool weather for another couple of days before we move into a gradual warming trend for the upcoming week.

You’ll see some clouds today but those along with sunshine and a good north to northwest breeze. The afternoon highs expected to peak around 50 degrees or so. Good weather stays with us on Sunday with a brisk start to the day as overnight temperatures drop into the upper 20s – mid 20s in some of those colder spots. But with a mostly sunny sky we should see the highs climb into the lower and mid 50s, about 54 for most locations.

With the upper ridge settling in across the eastern US, a strong trough once again develops over the Southwest US. But the ridge centered over Florida by Thursday seems to hold strong keeping any significant weather at bay. With the southwesterly flow aloft, we are likely to see mostly cloudy skies for much of the week ahead after this weekend but there is not much chance for rain until we get to the latter part of the week. I will note that temperatures continue to moderate for the week thanks to that southwesterly flow, but the clouds will help to keep the contribution from the sun down somewhat.

The big trough over the Southwest US that helps to pump up the ridge finally edges closer somewhat by next Saturday. This means that we need to introduce some rain chances to the latter part of the week ahead. There are differences between the models with the European faster in timing while the GFS seems to be much stronger with the ridge. So there is some uncertainty in the forecast as we edge out to the 5 to 7 day portions. This is somewhat typical for this time of year as the weather patterns remain fairly progressive.

The pattern remains dry for the next five days, so I do not expect to see rain. Just beyond the five days, that changes but with the uncertainty I mentioned.

Voodoo country shows a wet system around the 19th and 20th of December. After that as we head into Christmas the GFS is suggesting another ridge over the eastern half of the country, so there is an absence of any major weather systems or extremes.

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…

I get to play Santa Claus this morning at my church. We’re hosting a group of 75 foster children through the Shelby County DHR. I’m a little nervous playing the jolly old elf himself. But this surely will fulfill James Spann’s question about who I look like, Santa Claus or Colonel Sanders!! I hope you have a wonderful day whatever you have on your calendar. 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: Alabama's Weather