Clouds are overspreading the sky tonight from the southwest and west. Skies are still clear over the Tennesseee Valey and eastern sections of the state. We have partly cloudy skies in Birmingham.
Temepratures were in the 30s over the Tennessee Valley, with 40s over Central sections. It was down to 40F at Birmingham.
The cold front that put an end to our beautiful weather yesterday is now a stationary front lying across South Alabama. A low pressure system is over Southeast Texas. As this wave of low pressure moves east, moisture will be increasing from the west and precipitation will start to overspread the area startng during the early morning hours.
The precipitation should begin over western sections around sunrise, reach the I-65 corridor around 8 a.m., and into eastern sections after midmorning.
Temperatures are expected to be cold enough for freezing rain to occur during the morning hours, mainly along and north of the I-20 corridor, including Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Anniston. To the south of this line, a mix of freezing rain, sleet and rain will fall as far south as a line from Aliceville to Clanton to Roanoke.
Winter weather advisories are in effect for tomorrow for areas north of that line covered by the NWS Birmingham.
Temperatures in the morning will hover right around the freezing mark. Although precipitation amounts are expected to be on the light side, around 0.15 of an inch, it does not take much freezing rain to cause big problems.
With temperatures falling below freezing tomorrow night…ice may persust through the overnight before melting on Sunday.
Further north, generally along and north of US-278, the termperature may be cold enough for the precipitation to fall mainly as snow, with some freezing rain and sleet mixed in.
All residents of North and Central Alabama will want to check the latest forecasts, road conditions and closings in the morning before heading out.
As always, it is going to be another close call with winter and just a difference of a few degrees may result in very different conditions tomorrow morning.
JB and I will have updates throughout the night and the entire ABC 3340 weather team will be in close coordination throughout this event.
