Daily Weather Briefing
Sunday, April 12, 2026
ALABAMA THIS MORNING
This morning has been clear for the state, with fog in southeast Alabama. Sustained winds are barely reaching 5 mph, and winds are gusting between 5 and 10 mph. Current temperatures sit in the low 50s in the north, with Gadsden lagging at 46 degrees. Central Alabama sees temperatures in the low to mid 50s, with Selma at 48 and Auburn at 57. South Alabama also sits in the low to mid 50s, but Troy read only 49 degrees. Mobile is the warmest at 59 degrees, and Gulf Shores is at 55. At 6:20 a.m. this morning, the Mobile Regions Skycam captured a blanket of fog over the city.
ALABAMA 7 DAY FORECAST
Continued dry conditions and gusty winds put the state on alert for an increased fire potential today. Fire concerns continue through the week as dry and warm weather will be the main story until very low rain chances enter the northern half of the state’s forecast at the end of the period. 90-degree readings are expected at the end of the period as well.
FIRE CONCERNS CONTINUE TODAY
Winds will be stronger today compared to yesterday and are responsible for the elevated fire weather concerns. With winds gusting from 15 to 20 mph and relative humidities around the upper 20s, a Red Flag Warning will go into effect in the north and the eastern portions of north-central Alabama from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT. The rest of the state still has the potential for quick-starting fires, but conditions do not quite meet the warning criteria. Today is not a good day to burn. Skies will be mostly clear throughout the day, with isolated puffs in the afternoon/evening. Highs will range from the mid 80s to upper 80s across the state, while Mobile will only hit 82 degrees, and Gulf Shores will only hit 77.
CLOUDS FROM THE WEST TONIGHT
Clouds will move from west to east into the state throughout the night. Lows will range from the mid 60s in south-central and south Alabama to the upper 50s and lower 60s in the north and on the coast.
DRY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
The stubborn upper-level ridge will do little budging through the beginning of next week, keeping the dry and warm conditions in place.
On Monday, highs will be tamed ever so slightly by partly cloudy skies. They will stay in the low 80s in the north, the mid 80s centrally, and in the south.
Highs on Tuesday will climb back into the mid 80s across the board, with a few isolated locations, like Montgomery, expected to reach 87 degrees. Cloud cover is expected to be more widespread in the west than in the east.
The mid to upper 80s statewide are expected Wednesday, accompanied by mostly sunny skies.
RAIN CHANCE TO END THE WEEK??
Thursday will see the return of rain chances to the state. The northern half of Alabama has a 10% chance of showers. If any rain does fall, it will be light and accumulate to no more than some hundredths of an inch. The southern half of the state will stay dry. Again, highs in the mid to upper 80s are anticipated over the state.
The rain chance disappears quickly on Friday, and highs will climb to the upper 80s across most of the state. Exceptions include the lower 80s in the most northern part of the state, a 90-degree temperature possible in Gadsden, 86 degrees in Mobile, and 81 in Gulf Shores.
A 10% rain chance returns for the northern half of Alabama Saturday, with highs in the area reaching the mid to upper 80s. The southern half will again see no rain, and highs will range from the mid 80s to the lower 90s.
GOOD CONDITIONS ALL AROUND
After several days of rough ocean waters, today provides relief. The rip current risk is low, and surf height is 1 to 2 feet. The high temperature will be in the mid 70s, skies will be sunny, and the UV Index will be very high. There will be a nice breeze, with southeast winds at 5 to 10 mph. What better way to spend your Sunday than to head to the beach and soak up the sun? The next few mornings may be foggy, but it will dissipate by mid-morning.
WEATHERBRAINS 1056
Tomorrow’s three special guests are State Climatologist Russ Sch\humacher, CoCoRAHS Project Manager Steve Hilberg, and CoCoRAHS Educational Coordinator Noah Newman! Discussions of Colorado weather and CoCoRAHS growth will be featured. Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts or watch it here!
TODAY IN WEATHER HISTORY
April 12, 1979 – Alabama Flood of 1979
In April 1979, Central Alabama experienced severe flooding following a wet winter and early spring, with heavy rainfall beginning in the first week of the month and intensifying mid-month. A storm system approaching on April 11 produced extreme rainfall over the next two days, with totals of 10 to 15 inches in western counties and 4 to 8 inches common across northern areas by the morning of April 13. Intense rainfall persisted, including 4 to 5 inches over Lake Martin in just two hours before noon, causing widespread flooding throughout the region. Rivers such as the Tombigbee, Black Warrior, and Sucarnoochee reached record or near-record crests, resulting in severe residential and commercial flooding in Tuscaloosa, Demopolis, Gainesville, and Livingston. Thousands of acres of farmland, woodlands, and pastures were inundated, along with numerous camps and cabins along these waterways. Other area rivers, including the Alabama, Coosa, Tallapoosa, and Cahaba, saw significant but less severe flooding, with residential impacts near Montgomery, Gadsden, and the Tallapoosa Water Plant. In urban areas, Village Creek overflowed in Birmingham’s Avondale, Kingston, and Ensley neighborhoods, displacing 1,500 residents, while the Warrior River crested nineteen feet above flood stage, submerging much of Northport and Tuscaloosa. Rainfall was heaviest in northwestern Alabama, with Hamilton recording 10.5 inches and up to fourteen inches falling across parts of West Alabama. Total damages reached $75 million at the time, or roughly $254 million today, and at least 15 people lost their lives in the flooding.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Skywatcher Daniel Harbin sent in this picture of the captivating sunset over North Sauty Creek in Scottsboro last night!
