Drew McCombs: Warm Christmas Eve in Alabama with foggy start in the southern part of the state
ALABAMA YESTERDAY
Widespread cloud cover persisted yesterday, allowing highs to reach the upper 60s in northeast Alabama and the 70s in other parts of the state.
Skywatcher Clay Hunsecker captured the sight of cows and asperitas clouds in the Huntsville/Lacey Springs area yesterday.
ALABAMA THIS MORNING
After a temporary clearing overnight, clouds returned from the north this morning and are spreading south across the state. In the south, dense fog has begun to develop and spread northward. A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect until 9 a.m in south and parts of central Alabama. Under this current setup, temperatures in the north and south are in the mid 50s, while central Alabama sits in the upper 40s and low 50s.
@dittogorme on X posted pictures of the foggy Christmas Eve morning in Atmore.
ALABAMA 7 DAY FORECAST
Today’s conditions feature above-average highs, partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies, and fog this morning and evening in south Alabama. This pattern will continue through Saturday before a cold front brings below-average temperatures back to the region.
The Skywatchers are reporting temperatures in the upper 40s and low to mid 50s on this Christmas Eve morning.
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ABNORMALLY WARM CHRISTMAS EVE
The high-pressure system encouraging the warm, dry weather will reside over the state today, bringing highs into the mid to upper 70s north to south. While clouds persist in the north and south, central Alabama will see more sunshine.
CLOUDY SKIES FOR SANTA
Rudolph will be front and center tonight, guiding Santa’s sleigh through clouds across all of Alabama. Clouds will help hold low temperatures in the upper 50s across north Alabama and the low to mid 50s farther south. Dense fog will develop in south Alabama again, creating hazardous evening/early morning travel on the ground as well.
CONTINUED WARMTH ON CHRISTMAS
Mid to upper 70s north to south can be expected once again on Christmas. North Alabama will remain cloudy, but central and southern areas may see a few hours of sunshine before clouds return overnight. Fog will once again affect visibility and travel in the south.
PERSISTENCE FORECASTING FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND
Persistence forecasting involves using the previous day’s conditions to predict the next when no major weather systems are present in the area. This will be the method of forecasting through Sunday. High-pressure and upper-level ridging remain over the east, keeping highs in the mid to upper 70s, with clouds present but variable.
HUGE TEMPERATURE SWING EARLY NEXT WEEK
A cold front will sweep across the state Sunday night into Monday morning. This will cause Monday’s highs to be 20-30 degrees below Sunday’s. Lows Monday night will be in the 20s and 30s.
COLD TUESDAY
Highs on Tuesday are expected to be in the upper 30s and mid 40s, which are below average for late December.
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES BROKEN FURTHER EAST
Recently, numerous high temperature records have been broken in the Western U.S., but as upper-level ridging translates eastward, the Central and Eastern U.S. is beginning to see record warmth. Arkansas and Tennessee saw a few record high temperatures surpassed yesterday including:
– Little Rock, 75, 73 (2015)
– Monticello, 78, tied (1955)
– Hot Springs Memorial Field, 76, 74 (2015)
– Mount Ida, 76, 75 (1921)
– Batesville Regional Airport, 76, 70, (1996)
– Jacksonville/Little Rock AFB, 78, 73 (1967)
– Stuttgart Airport,78, 75 (2015)
– Memphis, 74, 74 (2015, 1931, 1921)
These can be read as: location, new record, previous record (year set). These records are a glimpse at the warmth that’s to come to Alabama and the southeast over the next few days. A record or two may be broken here as well.
WHITE CHRISTMAS FOR NORTHEAST
A low-pressure system will bring snow to the Northeast today through tomorrow. This means a white Christmas Eve and Christmas!
COLD RAIN IN THE MID ATLANTIC/OHIO VALLEY
The same system will bring rain to the Ohio Valley through this afternoon. As it moves east, the Mid-Atlantic will experience rain and freezing rain on Christmas morning.
RAINY CHRISTMAS EVE FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST
A front pushes into the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, producing more rain, adding to the many inches they have received this month.
HAZARDOUS RAIN AND FLOODING THREATEN CALIFORNIA
The atmospheric river continues to pour buckets of water in California. Heavy rain will fall over most of California today, with Southern California bracing for the largest impact. The Weather Prediction Center has placed parts of it under a High Risk (4/4) for Excessive Rainfall today. Surrounding areas are in Moderate Risk (3/4), and further north and inland are under a Slight (2/4) or Marginal (1/4). Nearly all of California faces at least some risk of flooding today. Southern California can expect flooding in areas that usually don’t flood, severe and widespread flash flooding, and lives and property to be in danger.
Tomorrow, the High Risk is taken away, but a Moderate Risk takes its place. Rain will continue to impact Southern California and worsen already flooded areas, so lives will still be in danger.
NATIONAL HIGH AND LOW
A large range between the high and low temperatures in the United States continues. Rio Grande Village, Texas, topped out at 89 degrees yesterday, while Estcourt Station, Maine, fell to –11 degrees.
DECENT CONDITIONS FOR A CHRISTMAS EVE BEACH DAY
The high temperature along the coast will be around 70 degrees, the UV Index will be moderate, and winds will be light. These conditions will make for favorable beach weather along the coast. The water conditions, however, are not so swell. The rip current risk is moderate and surf height is around 1-3 feet. Exercise caution and swim near a lifeguard if you venture into the water today. Waters are supposed to calm into the weekend and shore conditions will be similar.
WEATHERBRAINS 1040: I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN
This week’s WeatherBrains features two friends of the show, Bruce Thomas and Mark Sudduth. Topics include updates from Mark and Bruce, discussions of this year’s unusually quiet hurricane season, and why Alabama and Mississippi are the most dangerous places on Earth for tornadoes! Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts or watch it here.
TODAY IN WEATHER HISTORY
December 24, 2004 – The South Texas White Christmas
On December 24, 2004, a historic and surreal snowstorm delivered a true white Christmas to deep South Texas and the Gulf Coast—one of the most remarkable winter weather events in U.S. history. An unusually deep arctic air mass had settled over the region, leaving the entire atmospheric column below freezing and allowing snow to fall all the way to the ground, something almost unheard of along the Gulf. By evening, heavy snow was falling from Brownsville to Louisiana. Brownsville received 1.5 inches — its first measurable snow since 1899 — while Corpus Christi picked up 5.2 inches and Victoria recorded a staggering 12.5 inches, an all-time record. Snow covered parts of Houston, Galveston and even New Orleans, creating an unforgettable white Christmas across a region where many children had never seen snow at all. Meteorologists were stunned by the depth of the cold air and the satellite imagery that followed, showing a bright white snowpack stretched across the South Texas coastal plain.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Trevor Keller tagged James Spann on X in this picture with the caption, “Cracks in the ice on a warm Christmas week in the Midwest. Tuesday’s sunset on Lake Wingra, Madison, WI.” So vibrant!
For more weather news and information from Drew McCombs and the rest of the James Spann team, visit the Alabama Weather Network.