Due to an upper level disturbance to our west, moisture has been steadily streaming northward, mainly through the eastern part of Alabama today. Bands of rain were moving northward, but the whole system was shifting slowly to the east. There has even been a little sleet mixed in with the rain over East/Central Alabama, but not enough to cause any problems whatsoever.
The better radar echoes at noon were along the Alabama/Georgia border.
So far today (as of 12 Noon), Anniston Airport has received 0.31 inches of rain. Their noon temperature was 39. At Gadsden Airport, it was also 39 at noon. Montgomery has received 0.17 rain so far today. Their noon temperature was 43. Birmingham had 47 degrees at noon and no rain so far today. Clouds have decreased over the west and NW part of the state. In NW Alabama where it was clear at Muscle Shoals, it was 48 at noon.
A WET PATTERN SETTING UP?
The special unit in the NWS in Washington that concentrates on precipitation amounts, has indicated that much of Central and NE Alabama may get 4 inches of rain between now and Sunday morning. If that happens, it would make a very Merry Christmas present for Lake Purdy and other reservoirs around the area. We always look at a pronounced change like this with a lot of caution. There are indications that we will have several rain events over the next week, so it is not out of the question, but we will still take it with a grain of salt until we can finetune it further down the road.
