WINDY/COOL: The big storms that moved trough the region last night and very early this morning have shifted down into the southern quarter of the state, and are much weaker. Following the storms, the sky becomes sunny today, but it will be windy and cool with a high only in the 60-65 degree range, about 20 degrees colder than yesterday. A northwest wind of 15-25 mph will make it feel colder.
WEDGE FRONT: Yesterday featured a huge thermal contrast across Alabama; the northeast corner of the state barely got out of the 40s, while parts of West Alabama flirted with 80 degree warmth. Cold air damming (CAD) was responsible for this; a pattern where cold air slips down the backbone of the Appalachian Mountains and into East Alabama. The wedge will be deeper today, and much of North and Central Alabama will hold in the 50s all day.
LATE SEASON COLD SNAP: A dry cold front moved through North/Central Alabama during the pre-dawn hours with gusty north winds; as a result today will be noticeably cooler. Despite a good supply of sunshine, the high today will be only in the 50-55 degree range.
SUNNY AFTERNOON: As advertised, we have sunshine in full supply across most all of Alabama this afternoon as dry air has returned to the state. Temperatures are in the mid to upper 60s at most reporting stations.
RAW, COLD AFTERNOON: As expected, temperatures have been steadily falling across Alabama this afternoon, and some communities have reached the upper 30s over the northern quarter of the state. Some patchy light rain lingers over Central and South Alabama, but the storms we dealt with early this morning are long gone. Clouds cover all of our state now, but we expect clearing tonight as dry air works in.
LOUD EARLY MORNING STORMS: A band of thunderstorms with torrential rain and gusty winds has been moving through North/Central Alabama early this morning… heaviest rain is now south of I-20.
Heavier rain will push into the southern half of the state in coming hours, where SPC maintains a “marginal risk” of severe thunderstorms. The main threats are from gusty thunderstorm winds and small hail; the tornado threat is very low, but not zero.
DIFFERENT KIND OF DAY: Temperatures across Alabama will be about twenty degrees colder than the ones we enjoyed yesterday; despite a good supply of sunshine we won’t get past the mid 40s this afternoon. Some places up in the Tennessee Valley won’t get out of the 30s. Tonight will be clear and cold with temperatures dropping into the 21-25 degree range early tomorrow morning.
COLDER: Many communities across North/Central Alabama hit the 60 degree mark yesterday, but today will be about 15 degrees colder with highs in the 44-47 degree range despite sunshine in full supply. Tonight will feature another freeze; we drop down into the mid 20s early tomorrow morning. But, expect a nice warm-up tomorrow afternoon as temperatures rise into the mid to upper 50s. The air remains dry tomorrow and the sky will stay mostly sunny.
FEELS LIKE SPRING: Temperatures have soared into the low 70s in some spots across Alabama this afternoon, mainly where there have been breaks in the overcast. On radar some rain is falling over the western side of the state, but nothing too heavy or widespread. Showers will increase across Alabama tonight, ahead of a very sharp Arctic cold front now over western Arkansas. Some thunder is possible, but there is no risk of severe thunderstorms. Rain amounts overnight should be in the 1/2-3/4″ range for most places.
NOTICEABLY COLDER TODAY: A new surge of cold air drops into Alabama today from the north; despite a decent amount of sun we won’t get past the mid 40s this afternoon… that is about 10 degrees below average for December 15. Tonight will be clear and cold; most North/Central Alabama communities will dip into the mid 20s early tomorrow morning.
ACTIVE DAY: A strong cold front continues to pass through Alabama this afternoon bringing widespread rain and a few thunderstorms. Heavier storms are over the central counties ahead of the front, where SPC maintains a “marginal risk” of severe weather through the evening…
THIS AFTERNOON: While the sun is shining in places like Huntsville, Scottsboro, and Fort Payne, much of the state is under an overcast sky with temperatures around 60 degrees.
WET, COLDER TOMORROW: Rain will push into Alabama tomorrow as the front moves southeast. The good news is that we don’t expect any severe storms, although some thunder is possible. Looks like a decent part of the rain will be post-frontal, in the colder air. Rain amounts of around 1/2 inch are likely.
ON THE MAPS: A cold front is nearing Birmingham this afternoon… radar shows a band of showers ahead of the front near I-20. Some thunder is possible this evening, but no severe weather is expected. Temperatures are in the 70s south of the front, with 60s over the northern quarter of the state.
COOL OCTOBER DAY: The average high for Birmingham on October 23 is 74 degrees; we are way below that this afternoon with temperatures only in the upper 50s and low 60s in most spots. Clouds linger over parts of the state under a deep upper trough moving through, but the sky becomes clear tonight.
