Bill Murray: Saturday weather briefing; Arctic blast on the way

ALABAMA YESTERDAY
Friday was a beautiful day across Alabama with mild temperatures and mostly sunny skies. A few high clouds darted across the northern half of the state during the afternoon, while thicker stratocumulus clouds moved across the southern part of the state just before sunset. Highs were in the 60s across much of Alabama, with 70s over far South Alabama. Mobile reached 73°F, the warmest reading in the state.

ALABAMA THIS MORNING
Low-level moisture surged back into the region overnight, and as warm, humid air moved across the much cooler waters of the Gulf, Mobile Bay, and the Mississippi Sound, widespread sea fog developed. Areas of dense fog will linger through the morning hours, especially near the coast and along the I-10 corridor, where visibility may drop below a quarter mile at times.

This type of sea fog forms when air is warmer than the water beneath it, allowing the air just above the surface to cool to its dew point and saturate. Mariners, early travelers, and anyone driving near the bays and beaches should be prepared for rapid changes in visibility through mid-morning before the fog slowly lifts.

Saturday morning began chilly across much of Alabama, with lows in the 30s across the northern half of the state and 40s over South Alabama. Vic Bell at Black Creek reported that his temperature jumped three degrees as clouds moved in before sunrise. We thank all of our Skywatchers for their continued reporting.

Join the team and learn how to become a Spann Skywatcher at spannskywatchers.com.

ALABAMA 7 DAY FORECAST
A sharp contrast is setting up across Alabama this weekend, with mild weather today giving way to a powerful cold front and some of the coldest air of the season by Sunday and early next week.

TODAY
Saturday starts cool but turns pleasantly mild statewide. Highs reach the mid to upper 50s across north Alabama, the low to mid 60s across central sections, and the upper 60s to near 70 along the Gulf Coast. Skies are mostly sunny to partly cloudy, though lingering low clouds or patchy fog may persist early in south Alabama, especially near the coast. Winds remain light, allowing for a comfortable afternoon.

TONIGHT
Clouds increase from northwest to southeast Saturday night as a strong cold front approaches. A few light showers are possible, mainly across central and south Alabama, with the highest chances south of the Tennessee River and into the Wiregrass. Rainfall will be light and spotty, with many locations staying dry. Temperatures begin to fall late as colder air arrives.

SUNDAY, MONDAY, AND TUESDAY
Sunday will be the coldest and windiest day of the stretch. Temperatures fall through the day and struggle to reach the upper 20s to near freezing north, the 30s central, and lower 40s south. Gusty north winds drive wind chills into the teens and even single digits in north Alabama. Dangerous cold continues Sunday night into early Monday. Monday remains cold but calmer, with highs mainly in the upper 30s to low 40s. A slow moderation begins Tuesday as highs return to the 40s and 50s.

MIDWEEK OUTLOOK
By Wednesday and Thursday, temperatures rebound into the 50s and 60s statewide as southerly flow returns. Clouds increase midweek, and rain chances gradually return late Wednesday into Thursday. This system appears to bring mainly steady, stratiform rain with no severe weather or flooding concerns at this time.

PREPARE FOR THE COLD
As the cold settles in, take steps to protect people, pets, pipes, and plants:

• Limit time outdoors and dress in layers, especially overnight and early in the morning when wind chills are lowest
• Check on elderly neighbors or anyone without reliable heat
• Bring pets indoors
• Cover or drip exposed pipes
• Protect sensitive plants until temperatures moderate.

NATIONAL WEATHER

RECORD SNOWFALL IN FAIRBANKS
A potent winter storm delivered historic snowfall to interior Alaska. Fairbanks recorded 10.3 inches in a single day, breaking the previous daily record of 9.5 inches set in 2012. This marked the largest daily snowfall ever recorded there for December 12.

ARCTIC AIR SURGES EAST
A powerful blast of Arctic air is pouring south from Canada, bringing much colder conditions to the eastern two-thirds of the country. Gusty winds will make it feel even colder across the Midwest, Ohio Valley, Appalachians, and the East. Some locations may challenge or break records for cold daytime highs.

CLIPPER SYSTEM BRINGS SNOW
A fast-moving clipper system is producing accumulating snow from the Northern Plains into the Midwest, spreading into the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians tonight and Saturday. Snow may reach parts of the northern Mid-Atlantic early Sunday before tapering off later in the day.

LAKE EFFECT SNOW CONTINUES
As Arctic air deepens, lake-effect snow is redeveloping downwind of the Great Lakes and will persist through the weekend. Snowbelt regions may see periodic heavier bursts creating localized travel issues.

WARMTH IN THE WEST
While much of the country turns sharply colder, the West remains unusually warm with above-average to record temperatures from the West Coast through the Southwest, Rockies, and Southern Plains. The Pacific Northwest enjoys a brief break from heavy rain before another lighter round arrives Sunday.

COASTAL FORECAST
It’s a beautiful start to the weekend along the Alabama and northwest Florida beaches, with mostly sunny skies, highs in the upper 60s to near 70, light winds, and calm surf around one foot. Water temperatures are near 60 degrees. Rip current risk is low along Alabama beaches and moderate across much of the Florida Panhandle. Conditions change Sunday as a strong cold front brings much colder air, gusty north winds, and increasing surf to two to three feet. Rip current risk rises to moderate or high in parts of the Florida Panhandle. Cold, breezy conditions linger into Monday before gradual improvement Tuesday.

TODAY IN WEATHER HISTORY
December 13, 1977 — Evansville University Team Crash
A chartered DC-3 carrying the University of Evansville basketball team crashed shortly after takeoff from Evansville Regional Airport, killing all 29 people on board. The aircraft departed in dense fog caused by low-level temperature inversions and trapped moisture, with temperatures near freezing raising concerns about icing. Moments after liftoff, the plane failed to gain altitude and crashed in a field north of the airport. The NTSB later determined that the crew failed to remove the aircraft’s control locks before departure, though adverse weather added to the difficulty of the takeoff. The tragedy devastated the University of Evansville community and remains one of the darkest days in collegiate athletics and aviation history.

IMAGE OF THE DAY
Skywatcher Tyne Wingo captured a striking image of contrails being distorted by strong high-altitude winds during Friday evening’s sunset.

For more weather news and information from Bill Murray and the rest of the James Spann team, visit the Alabama Weather Network.