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MORE COLD AIR ON THE WAY: The next surge of cold air blows into Alabama tonight; we will drop into the upper 20s early tomorrow, and during the day tomorrow we won’t make it past the mid 40s with that icy north wind returning. The coldest morning will be Saturday; looks like another setup with lows ranging from 15 in the coldest valleys to 32 on the ridgetops. Most places will be in the low to mid 20s, a very hard freeze for so early in the season. The record low for November 22 is 20, set in 1964; we will be just a few degrees above that most likely at the official reporting site at the Birmingham Airport.
The weekend will remain dry with a gradual warming trend; we will rise into the upper 50s Sunday afternoon; some places in West Alabama might even see 60, a real heat wave!
FOOTBALL WEATHER: Cold is the word for the high school football playoff games tomorrow night. The sky will be clear; temperatures will fall from near 36 at kickoff into the low 30s by the second half. This will be the coldest night yet for high school football this season in Alabama; you will need a very warm jacket. A blanket and hot chocolate will be needed! Some North Alabama stadiums could reach the upper 20s during the second half of the games.
UAB plays their final home game of the season at Legion Field Saturday night against East Carolina (6:00 kickoff on CSS); the sky will be clear with temperatures falling from near 48 at kickoff into the upper 30s during the second half. Both Alabama and Auburn are off this week as they prepare for the Iron Bowl on Saturday November 29; there is some hint in long range model data that rain could be an issue for that game in Tuscaloosa, but we can’t be specific until late in the weekend.
THANKSGIVING WEEK: We will bring in a chance of showers on Monday; the 06Z GFS is a little faster with that front. Moisture will be limited, and rain amounts should be a quarter-inch or less for most spots.
The sky will clear nicely Tuesday, and at this point our weather looks dry and pleasant on Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day, with ample sunshine and a high both days in the low 60s, exactly where we should be for late November in Alabama.
VOODOO LAND: The GFS continues to be consistent with the idea of some rain possibly beginning the day after Thanksgiving, with the rain becoming more widespread on Saturday November 29. No forecast yet, but at this point the idea of a wet Iron Bowl is very much on the table. Beyond that, lots of model madness. Seems like a major upper trough will bring very cold air down into Alabama, with some potential for strong to severe storms before the arrival of the cold air, but how that unfolds, and exactly when it happens, remains to be seen. Watch the Weather Xtreme video to see how the 06Z run of the GFS handles it.
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