COMPLEX WINTER FORECAST: This kind of winter weather pattern will always cause great weeping and gnashing of teeth in weather offices across the southern U.S. The Polar Vortex over Canada, very cold Arctic air over much of the U.S., and an active southern branch of the jet stream. Continue reading →

SUNNY, BUT COLD: Not a cloud in the sky across Alabama this afternoon; temperatures are in the 40s over the northern half of the state, with 50s to the south. Tonight will be clear and cold with a low in the 20s. Continue reading →

RAW WINTER DAY: Clouds persist over most of Alabama this afternoon, and temperatures have barely moved from early morning values. We are seeing mostly mid to upper 30s over North Alabama, with 40s to the south. A few snow flurries will remain possible this evening, but the sky will clear late tonight as dry air works in from the northwest. We project lows early tomorrow in the mid 20s for most communities. Continue reading →

COLD AIR RETURNS: Parts of Alabama enjoyed 70 degree warmth yesterday, but cold air returned last night, and today will be a raw winter day for the state. Clouds linger through the day with an icy northwest wind of 15-25 mph. A few snow flurries or showers are likely over the northern counties today, but no impact is expected. Continue reading →

SEVERE CLEAR: Bone crushing subsidence (sinking air) means a cloudless sky for all of Alabama this afternoon. Temperatures are below average… 40s for North Alabama, with 50s to the south. Tonight will be clear and cold with a freeze; most places will see a low between 22 and 28 early tomorrow. Continue reading →

THIS AFTERNOON: The sun is shining brightly this afternoon north and west of a line from Butler to Tuscaloosa to Lake Guntersville, but to the south and east clouds are hanging tough. Temperatures are only in the 30s under the cloud cover, but in the 40s where the sky has cleared. Most places will see a freeze tonight, with lows early tomorrow ranging from 25 to 33. Continue reading →

CLOUDY, COLD MORNING: Temperatures are generally below freezing early this morning in areas north and west of Birmingham, where snow was falling at this time yesterday. Keep in mind a little patchy black ice is possible on bridges there, but elsewhere we are seeing mostly mid to upper 30s at daybreak. We expect some gradual clearing this afternoon, especially over West Alabama, as dry air slowly pushes into the state. Continue reading →

COLD WINTER DAY: Temperatures just haven’t budged across Alabama today. They are generally between 35 and 43 degrees at mid-afternoon; the average high for Birmingham on January 8 is 53. Clouds persist over the state, but the precipitation has ended. We expect gradual clearing late tonight… the low early tomorrow will be in the mid to upper 20s. Continue reading →

COLD, DAMP DAY: Cloudy, cold, damp weather continues across Alabama today. There is some lingering rain early this morning south and east of Birmingham, with scattered patches of drizzle elsewhere. The precipitation will end later this morning, but clouds linger through the day with temperatures going nowhere. Most places hold in the 40s today; some communities across the Tennessee Valley of far North Alabama won’t get out of the 30s. Continue reading →