James Spann: Alabama stays dry through Friday; temps become more seasonal
BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD: The sky has finally cleared for most of Alabama early this morning; any lingering clouds will dissipate soon. We expect a mostly sunny sky today with a high in the 50s this afternoon.
The weather will stay dry through the rest of the week with seasonal temperatures. Highs in the 50s for North Alabama; the southern half of the state will rise into the 60s tomorrow, and again on Friday. Morning lows will be mostly in the 30s.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: A few days ago global models were advertising a surge of bitterly cold air into the Deep South this weekend. They have backed off on that idea, delaying the arrival of the colder air until Sunday night and Monday, and keeping the core of the Arctic air north of Alabama. So, our forecast is now reflecting seasonal temperatures Saturday and Sunday. The reliable European global model suggests the weekend will be mostly cloudy, and there will be some risk of light rain over the northern half of the state Sunday ahead of the cold front.
Temperatures drop into the 20s and low 30s across most of the state by Monday morning with a clearing sky, but teens are no longer likely for North Alabama.
NEXT WEEK: The weather looks dry for the first half of the week; some rain could return as early as Wednesday night and Thursday.
ON THIS DATE IN 2003: Although it never threatened land, a subtropical storm became Tropical Storm Peter approx. 700 miles WNW of the Cape Verde Islands. Combined with Tropical Storm Odette from earlier in the month, this is the first time since 1887 that two tropical storms formed in the Atlantic Basin in December.
ON THIS DATE IN 2023: A line of severe thunderstorms produced two brief tornadoes in the Birmingham metro during the late-night hours and into the pre-dawn hours of December 10. One EF-1 tore through parts of Homewood with 100 mph winds, another EF-1 moved from near Samford University through parts of Mountain Brook with 90 mph winds.
For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit the Alabama Weather Network.