The latest edition of the ABC 33/40 Weather Xtreme video is available in the player below. You can subscribe to the Weather Xtreme video on iTunes by clicking here.
It was another rainy night across Central Alabama with most locations picking up good soaking rains on the order of 2 inches in the last 36 hours or so. The rain will be tapering off from the northwest across much of Central Alabama but another wave along the frontal boundary could send the rain back northward again tonight. The short wave off to our west will finally kick through on Monday afternoon which should end the precipitation threat for much of the upcoming week. We will come under weak ridging aloft and with surface high pressure we should be dry and a little warmer than average for mid March.
Temperatures have been difficult to forecast with the presence of a weak wedge or cold air damming. Even this morning the wedge effects are still being felt in northern Georgia and to some extent in extreme eastern Alabama along the Georgia border. The wedge appears weaker this morning with Birmingham and Tuscaloosa in the upper 50s while it was in the lower 40s along the Georgia/Alabama line. The wedge should continue to weaken today with highs most locations getting into the lower 60s. Wedges really underline the fact that Central Alabama is not a one number place when it comes to highs and lows.
Another trough is forecast to come by on Thursday. I think the main impact will be some clouds, but the forecast for the moment mentions a slight possibility of a passing shower or a little light rain as a weak cold front comes by during the day Thursday.
That trough zips by quickly, so we should be seeing a dry weekend. Temperatures will drop back a bit, however, as the area comes under weak northwesterly flow. I think temperatures late this week and into the weekend will hover at or slightly below our seasonal averages with highs in the mid 60s and lows in the lower 40s.
Nothing especially serious to write home about in the longer range. The GFS suggests a front being dragged into the Southeast US late in the month which could keep our weather unsettled. But nothing extreme or unusual appearing in those outlooks at the moment.
Don’t forget to listen to our weekly netcast anytime on the web or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40. You can even listen here on the blog; look for the player on the top left.
And you can follow news and weather updates from ABC 33/40 on Twitter here. And, my personal Twitter feed is here if you want to keep up with the adventures and mis-adventures in my life. Twitter is a short messaging service you can receive via the web, cell phone, or IM.
I’m off to church this morning as it is my week to usher for the early service. Going to do my best to take much of the day off and veg out! James Spann will be back with the next edition of the Weather Xtreme Video. In the meantime, stay dry. Godspeed.
-Brian-
