A TOUCH OF FALL TONIGHT: Alabama is rain-free this afternoon with a mix of sun and clouds; temperatures are in the 80s over much of the state, with low 90s around Mobile. A northerly flow on the west side of Hurricane Idalia will pull down dry, continental air into the state tonight. Some of the cooler spots across North Alabama will dip into the 50s; most places will be in the 60-65 degree range.
ON THE MAP: We have a rare August front pushing through Alabama this afternoon; temperatures are in the low to mid 80s north of the front, but parts of South Alabama are sizzling with upper 90s to the south. A band of showers and storms is along the front just south of I-85 at mid-afternoon, and SPC maintains a “marginal risk” of severe thunderstorms through this evening south of a line from Opelika to Greenville to Mobile.
AUGUST FRONT: We have a broken band of showers and a few thunderstorms on radar early this morning over the northern half of Alabama in advance of a surface front that is drifting southward. This front will bring some needed heat relief to the northern half of the state today, and statewide tomorrow. Highs will be only in the 85-89 degree range across North Alabama today, and in the mid 80s tomorrow.
RADAR CHECK: Areas of rain along with a few thunderstorms are over the southern quarter of Alabama early this morning… the rest of the state is dry and cooler. The best chance of showers and storms today will remain over South Alabama, and SPC maintains a “marginal risk” (level 1/5) of severe thunderstorms south of a line from Grove Hill to Troy to Eufaula.
COOL CHANGE: Colder air is dropping into North Alabama early this morning; temperatures are in the 40s across the Tennessee Valley. This air will slowly sag southward today, and we are forecasting highs in the 60s over the northern third of the state. But, South Alabama will stay warm with highs close to 80 for places like Mobile and Dothan.
COOLER DAY: Today will be noticeably cooler across much of Alabama; temperatures hold in the 60s over the northern counties, with 70s to the south. The sky will be mostly cloudy, and we will maintain the chance of scattered showers through tonight. The best chance of seeing some rain today will be over the northern 2/3 of the state.
COOLER: Our November heat wave has ended; we project a high today in the 70-75 degree range thanks to a backdoor front that pulled cooler air in from the northeast last night. The air is dry and the sky will be sunny.
COOLEST SO FAR: Parts of North Alabama have dropped into the mid to upper 40s early this morning… it is our coolest morning so far this fall. Expect fantastic fall weather for the rest of the week with sunny pleasant days and clear cool nights. Highs in the mid to upper 70s, lows in the 40s and 50s through Friday.
SUNNY AFTERNOON: The sky is sunny across Alabama this afternoon with temperatures mostly in the 80s, but a cold front is passing through in dry fashion, and tonight should be the coolest night so far this season. We project a low in the 46-52 degree range early tomorrow over the northern half of the state for a real “fall feel”…
COOL CHANGE: Temperatures have dropped into the 50-55 degree range over parts of North Alabama this morning following a cold front that passed through late yesterday. The cooler air will continue to spread southward, and we project a high in the low 80s today, about 15 degrees cooler than yesterday. The sky will be mostly sunny, and the humidity will be low.
RADAR CHECK: Showers and storms are confined to far South and Southeast Alabama this afternoon ahead of a cold front that will push into the northern Gulf of Mexico tonight. North/Central Alabama is a much drier airmass, with lower humidity, and that dry air will reach the coast tonight. With a clear sky, temperatures will drop into the cool 50s over the northern half of the state late tonight and early tomorrow for a nice touch of fall.
RADAR CHECK: A band of showers in association with a cold front is working through the state early this morning; these showers should be out of the northern half of the state by mid-morning, and we expect a clearing sky this afternoon. Showers could linger over the southeast counties during the afternoon hours, but rain amounts there will be very light and spotty.
CALMER DAY: The cold front that brought showers and storms to Alabama yesterday has moved out of the state, and today will be drier and cooler. With a partly to mostly sunny sky, we project a high in the 65-70 degree range this afternoon. The average high for Birmingham on April 7 is 73.
RADAR CHECK: A band of gusty showers, and a few thunderstorms, is lined up from near Wedowee to Prattville at 3:00 p.m. CT… this is ahead of a cold front that is pushing slowly southward. The showers have featured winds of 25-35 mph in spots, but no severe thunderstorms have formed across Alabama today as the main dynamic support remains well north of the state.
Our long time friend, mentor, and charter Weather Factory member, J.B. Elliott, passed away on May 11, 2015. Click HERE to read James' tribute.
