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LET’S BE NICE: Again, whenever the “s” word is mentioned here in any way, it brings out this odd range of emotions which often ends up with some nasty stuff in the comment sections from know-it-alls, trolls, and haters. Let’s take take a big deep breath and be kind….
TODAY/TOMORROW: While there will be a few peeks of sun along the way, today and tomorrow will be generally cloudy and chilly with temperatures holding steady in the 40s. Dress warmly if you are attending the high school football championship games in Tuscaloosa, but rain is not expected despite the clouds. Good football weather, actually.
BRING ON SOME SNOW: I encourage you to watch the Weather Xtreme video, which goes into detail and has all of the associated graphics that go with this discussion. No doubt there will be some snow around here as we kick off the weekend, and maybe enough for some light accumulation. But, this should not be a major winter storm that causes major problems for our state. A fun little event if anything.
A strong lobe rotating through the upper trough over the central U.S. will spin up a surface wave in the Gulf of Mexico Friday night, spreading rain into the Gulf Coast region, and snow for inland areas of the Deep South.
WHEN? The main window for snow will be from about 2:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. Saturday.
WHO? This is always the hard part, finding the “sweet spot” we always talk about. During any snow threat here, some will be delighted in what they see, others severely disappointed. And, that will be the case with this one as well. Seems like the best match of colder air and moisture for some snow will be in the general area from Birmingham to Montgomery, or areas south of I-20 and north of U.S. 80.
HOW MUCH: The ground is relatively warm, so the good news is that we do not expect any serious travel problems, but a few slick spots could develop, so you will need to be careful if you are driving Saturday morning. Remember, we have more accidents around here with one inch of rain compared to one inch of snow. On the grassy areas, there is potential for 1 to 2 inches in a few spots, especially over East-Central Alabama, but most places will only see one inch or less (just a dusting). It could be enough in a few places for a snowman or a snow ball fight. And, this happens on a Saturday so it shouldn’t disrupt life too much. Just a novelty, and a chance of a few great photos and a little fun.
REST OF THE WEEKEND: The sky becomes partly sunny Saturday afternoon, and Sunday will be partly to mostly sunny. We will struggle to get out of the 30s Saturday, but low 50s are likely Sunday.
TRAVEL WEATHER: We don’t expect any serious travel issues in the Atlanta area Saturday for those going to the SEC Championship game, although some light snow is likely there.
NEXT WEEK: The weather turns wet for the first half of the week as moisture returns, and there seems to be some potential for heavier rain, and perhaps strong thunderstorms, by Tuesday night and Wednesday. Watch the Weather Xtreme video for details.
WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 30 minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40. You can even listen here on the blog; look for the player on the top left.
Busy day today… headed to the ground breaking for the annual ABC 33/40 “Home For The Holidays” Habitat For Humanity home project early this morning in Wylam, and then on to Attalla for a school program. I will be back in the office by early afternoon, and the next Weather Xtreme video will be posted by 3:30. Enjoy the day!
