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Temperatures once again this morning are way, way above the averages for this time of year. We ought to be seeing a low around 35, but instead the mild pattern with a strong upper high or ridge over Florida and the Bahamas has the southern states mild with morning temperatures in Central Alabama in the lower and mid 60s. Some fog and patchy light rain persisted across the Tennessee River Valley with a blanket of clouds over much of the state.
A cold front is expected to bring rain to the area tonight, but the rain should be ending Sunday morning. In fact, depending on just how fast the drier air arrives, we could see some sun by late Sunday afternoon. But the bigger news will be the cold air. Temperatures Sunday will probably fall for much of the day with daytime temperatures likely to be in the 40s. One of those days where the high comes right after midnight and the low comes just before midnight!!
Monday will be a gorgeous day – but COLD. I expect a hard freeze with a low around 20. The sun will help to make it feel better but we’re not likely to see highs above the lower 40s – what a shock compared to the near 70 readings yesterday and today.
But moderation comes quickly as the surface high edges off to the east and the ridge establishes itself over the Southeast coast of the US. Moisture will return to our west on a good southerly flow, but I think we should stay dry for much of Tuesday – at least until early evening.
Rain becomes likely on Wednesday, Christmas eve, with the next weather system. So it really looks like December is going to be well above average for rainfall for Central Alabama. And that helps our drought situation immensely pushing us above average for the year.
Unfortunately, while I know nearly everyone would love a white Christmas, the upper ridge seems to be the big factor that will keep us mild to warm. The GFS is now suggesting that Wednesday front may stall out keeping us cloudy with some chance of rain.
With a near continuous parade of storm systems, another one is forecast for next weekend – most likely coming on Sunday. And into voodoo, the long range GFS maintains the overall mild to warm pattern with the upper ride over Florida and the Gulf but around January 3rd there could be a shift to an eastern US trough bringing us back into a pattern with strong storms and some wintery considerations! But that is way out in voodoo country which makes it fun to speculate about!
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My wife and I really enjoyed Handel’s Messiah at the Alys Stephens Center last night. The Birmingham Choral sparkled along with the excellent music from the orchestra. Plus we took some toys to the Toys for Tots drive and harassed James Spann at the 5 pm weathercast. I plan to have the next video posted by 8 am or earlier Sunday morning. Godspeed.
-Brian-
