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Rain is moving into Central Alabama from the south and southwest. So look for a cloudy, rainy, chilly day across Central Alabama. Temperatures should warm into the 40s today and hold in the 40s overnight tonight before warming a trifle on Sunday. By Sunday, highs should be in the 50s.
Due to a very dry layer just above the surface, the precipitation is likely to begin as sleet, but I think the warming from above will force the precipitation to change over quickly to rain. I do not expect any accumulation of sleet with this current weather pattern. I do not expect to see any widespread icing problems for Central or North Alabama. However, it is certainly possible that we might see some isolated icing issues, so I encourage everyone that needs to be out there this morning to use caution especially as the precipitation first begins. Those bridges can be chilled with the cold air we’ve seen over the last couple of mornings, so play it safe.
But once the rain sets in, look for rain to continue off and on through much of the day and through a good portion of Sunday. I expect to see the area begin drying out late in the day on Sunday but do not expect to see much sun as the clouds will continue to hold tough.
Monday should be a mostly dry day as we see the development of the next system ahead of a short wave trough coming out of the Southern Rockies. This one will also generate a wet pattern with lots of precipitation once again along the Gulf Coast states. But the pattern remains pretty zippy, so I that disturbance moving through quickly allowing us to really dry out by Wednesday The dry weather should extend into the next weekend.
With a long wave trough over the East Coast, we should remain under a northwesterly flow which will keep us cool with morning lows in the lower and mid 30s and afternoon highs in the 50s for the end of the week and into the next weekend.
Rainfall amounts with the next two weather systems over the next five days will result in 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain for much of Central Alabama. So December seems poised to continue the wet trend that began back in September. The SPC is watching the potential for severe weather development along the Central Gulf Coast, however, they have not outlined a slight risk area.
The overall flow pattern remains active into the longer range with a continuation of rapidly moving weather systems as the southern stream remains active. In fact, toward the end of December, the GFS even suggests more Gulf lows but very far south.
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Excited to have my daughter coming for a visit today. She’ll be leaving a really chilly Chicago to come to the Birmingham area which is much less chilly. This is her annual Christmas visit, but we just do it a bit before the actual date to avoid travel issues. I expect to have the next Weather Xtreme Video posted by 8 am or so Sunday morning. Godspeed.
-Brian-
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