Severe Clear

Our beloved late J.B. Elliott called a day like today “severe clear”. In fact, there are a few high cirrus clouds speeding across South Central Alabama in a fast flow aloft. To the northwest, approaching moisture in the mid-levels of the atmosphere has been evaporating as it runs into the sponge of an airmass over Central Alabama.

The Precipitable Water measurement this morning on the 7 a.m. balloon launch from the NWS in Calera, a measurement of the total water in the atmosphere along the sounding’s flight, registered an extremely low 0.24 inches. This is about as low as it gets in Alabama in October. The record for this date is 0.14 inches. That tells you how dry it is.

Temperatures are in the lower 70s across the area, and that is where the highs will finish up.

Many areas across North Alabama saw frost overnight with lows in the middle and lower 30s. Russellville was the state cool spot with 31F. Lows tonight will be in the 30s predominantly north of I-20 with a few lower 40s to the south. Frost could be scattered about once again as winds diminish overnight.

Sunday should be a lot like today, with a good supply of sunshine, and highs in the 70 degree range.

Like last week, this is mostly a temperature forecast for the area through the end of the work week. Expect upper 60s mainly again tomorrow and Monday, but lower 70s should return by Tuesday and the rest of the week should feature highs in the middle and upper 70s. Lows will be in the middle 30s to lower 40s again Monday morning, but return to the lower 50s by Wednesday and moisture levels rise. Skies will be mostly sunny all week, with some partly cloudy conditions returning by late in the week.

Our next rain chance Is tied to the tropics as a low pressure system is expected to develop in an area of disturbed weather over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico early in the week. This low should track northwar along the Texas coast and up into eastern Texas by late in the week, bringing some beneficial rains to South Texas. As it lifts northward through Arklatex into the weekend, it will bring a chance of showers and storms back to Alabama in the Sunday/Monday time frame. It spears Saturday will be dry, but we can’t rule out some showers for Sunday, which is Race Day at Talladega. Stay tuned.

Category: Alabama's Weather