COOL MAY DAY: Following a cold front that passed through the state last night, today will be noticeably cooler with a high between 65 and 70 degrees. A strong north wind will develop during the day, averaging 15-30 mph with gusts to 35; a wind advisory is in effect for much of the state. Some clouds will move down into North Alabama this afternoon, but the day will be dry. South Alabama will enjoy sunshine in full supply.
RADAR CHECK: Showers and thunderstorms continue to increase across North Alabama this afternoon ahead of a cold front. These will drop southward in coming hours, and will be capable of producing small hail and strong gusty winds. SPC maintains a low end, “marginal risk” (level 1/5) of severe thunderstorms for roughly the northern third of the state through the evening hours.
QUIET THROUGH TOMORROW: A cooler airmass will drop into Alabama today; look for sunshine in full force with a high between 60 and 65. The average high for Birmingham on April 10 is 73. Tonight will be clear… we project a low early tomorrow in the 36-44 degree range. Colder pockets across North/Central Alabama could see a touch of light frost. Then, during the day tomorrow, the sky will remain mostly sunny with a high in the low 70s. Clouds will increase tomorrow night.
COLD FRONT DRIFTING SOUTHWARD: A cold front is pushing into far North Alabama early this morning; a band of light rain continues ahead of the front over the northern third of the state. The front will drift down into the central counties by afternoon; the day will be cloudy with a few periods of light rain. Temperatures will fall slowly through the 60s today… some communities across the Tennessee Valley could reach the upper 50s by afternoon, considerably cooler than yesterday, when some places saw 80 degree warmth.
COOLER, BRIGHTER TODAY: A cold front is passing through Central Alabama early this morning; a band of showers ahead of the front is pushing into the southern part of the state. Morning clouds should give way to a partly sunny afternoon, and the high today will be in the 58-62 degree range, a little cooler than recent days. Showers this afternoon should be confined to far South Alabama, and temperatures will drop into the mid to upper 30s early tomorrow morning.
BRIGHTER, COOLER DAY: Following rain and thunderstorms last night, cooler and drier air returns to Alabama today. We expect a good supply of sunshine with a high in the 55-59 degree range over the northern half of the state; the average high at Birmingham for December 30 is 54. The weather will stay cool and dry tomorrow and Wednesday with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s.
DRY AIR HAS RETURNED: Following the rain and storms of last night and early this morning, we now have a sunny sky over almost all of Alabama. There is a big temperature spread; many places have reached the 70s over the southern two-thirds of the state, but we are seeing 50s over the northwest counties of the state as colder air is pouring in. Tonight will be clear and colder; most places will drop into the 36-42 degree range early tomorrow morning.
CLEARING: The sky is clearing across Alabama this afternoon as dry air blows into the state; most communities will drop into the 40-45 degree range early tomorrow, with 30s for colder pockets. Tomorrow and Friday will be delightful fall days with lots of sunshine, low humidity and chilly nights. The high tomorrow will be in the upper 60s, followed by low 70s Friday.
A strong cold front, which represents the leading edge of the coolest air so far this season, is near the northwest corner of Alabama this afternoon.
BIG CHANGE: Temperatures are in the 70-75 degree range over most of North and Central Alabama this afternoon; just five days ago they were near 100 degrees at this hour of the day. Showers linger over the eastern counties of the state; the western half oF Alabama is generally dry after the morning rain ahead of the cold front. Parts of the Tennessee Valley were really soaked this morning; one observer reported 2.39″ at Hartselle, in Morgan County.
REFRESHING CHANGE: The long awaited surface front is pushing through South Alabama this afternoon… drier air continues to flow into the northern part of the state with a partly sunny sky, lower humidity levels, and below average temperatures. Birmingham reports only 78 degrees at 2:00p CT… the record low maximum fo July 23 is 78, set in 1938. We will probably creep up toward 80 before the day is over, but this is still over 10 degrees below average.
COOLER, SOME LIGHT RAIN: A deep, cold core upper low will move through Alabama today. Heavier thunderstorms over Southeast Alabama are moving out of the state, but we will still forecast periods of light rain today. We might even hear of some small hail with light rain showers this afternoon due to the cold air aloft associated with the upper low. Temperatures won’t get out of the 50s today… next time we have a day this cool will probably come in October.
COOL CHANGE: A cold front this morning is near Montgomery; north of the front cooler air continues to seep into the northern half of Alabama. And, a southwest flow aloft overhead will keep clouds over the state today along with some rain at times. Rain amounts won’t be especially heavy… most places will see under a quarter of an inch. And, temperatures will rise little during the day. Those of you in the Tennessee Valley will have a hard time getting out of the 50s, while places like Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, and Gadsden will remain in the 60s.
RADAR CHECK: We have a mix of sun and clouds across Alabama this afternoon, and a few scattered showers are on radar… moving to the east. Temperatures are mostly in the upper 70s and low 80s, and there is a cold front near the northwest corner of the state. Back to the west, Tupelo has dropped to 68, Memphis reports 55, and Little Rock is at 49 with light rain falling.
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.
