James Spann: Chilly nights ahead for Alabama

Published On: 04.06.17 |

By: James Spann

James Spann: Chilly nights ahead for Alabama

BLUSTERY APRIL DAY: Temperatures are a good 15 to 18 degrees below average across Alabama this afternoon; most places are in the mid to upper 50s, and a strong northwest wind of 15 to 30 mph is making it feel cooler. The sky is partly sunny over the northern half of the state, with sunshine in full supply down south.

Tonight will be fair, breezy and cold; most communities will drop into the 38- to 42-degree range early tomorrow. Then, during the day tomorrow, the sky will be sunny with afternoon temperatures reaching the mid 60s.

FROSTY SATURDAY MORNING: With a clear sky and calm wind, we will have perfect conditions for radiational cooling tomorrow night, and lows will be between 35 and 40 degrees at daybreak Saturday for most places, with a chance of frost. Colder pockets have a good chance of seeing a late-season freeze. Growers, be aware of the potential.

REST OF THE WEEKEND: A warming trend will headline the weekend forecast; the high Saturday will be in the low 70s, followed by upper 70s Sunday. Dry air stays in place, and we expect maximum available sunshine both days.

NEXT WEEK: The week looks mostly quiet. A weak surface front could bring a few showers Tuesday evening, but moisture will be limited, and there is little upper support, so rain amounts, if any, should be very light and spotty. Highs for the week will be mostly in the upper 70s and low 80s. No sign of any severe weather threats around here for the next 10 days.

STORM SPOTTER TRAINING IN BIRMINGHAM SATURDAY: The big day will feature both the basic and the advanced storm spotter classes; I will be speaking as well. If you love weather, don’t miss this. It is at the BJCC in Birmingham, and will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. It is free, and there’s no need to register; just show up with a curious mind. I hope to see many of you there.