THIS AFTERNOON: We have some temporary clearing this afternoon in a rather irregular zone from near Birmingham to Mobile, but the rest of the state remains generally overcast. Where the sun is shining, temperatures are well into the 60s, but where clouds are hanging tough temperatures are in the 50s. There’s nothing on radar at mid-afternoon.
Clouds will fill in tonight; temperatures won’t drop below 50 degrees for most communities across north and central Alabama.
TOMORROW THROUGH FRIDAY: A broad southwest flow aloft will continue across the Deep South. For tomorrow and Thursday, expect more clouds than sun, but showers should be pretty widely scattered, and most likely over the Tennessee Valley region of far north Alabama. We rise into the upper 60s tomorrow, with low 70s likely Thursday. Rain becomes more likely late Friday and Friday night as a cold front approaches from the north. Friday will remain mild, with a high between 66 and 69 degrees.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: We will maintain a good chance of rain at times Saturday as the front stalls out over central Alabama; the day will be cooler, with a high in the 50s. And, for now, both the GFS (American global model) and the ECMWF (European global model) show drier air creeping into the state Sunday, with little, if any, chance of showers. We will forecast a high in the low 60s Sunday afternoon.
NEXT WEEK: The overall upper air pattern won’t change much; a ridge will be over the Bahamas and the Florida Peninsula, and a trough will be over the western third of the nation. Around here, the weather stays very mild with the risk of a few occasional showers. Highs will be in the 60s and low 70s. There’s no sign of any seriously cold air for the rest of February for now.
The good news: There is also no sign of any snow, ice, severe thunderstorm or flooding issues for the next 10 days.
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