TODAY: A center of low pressure will be over Lake Pontchartrain, pulling plenty of moisture up into central Alabama. We’ll start off with light to moderate showers through the morning today, but rain will become heavier through the day. We could see rainfall amounts topping out in the 2- to 2.75-inch range for the next 24 hours. Rain could be heavy enough that there is a slight risk of some flash flooding possible, especially in poor drainage areas and in locations that are known to collect water quickly. Daytime highs will top out in the mid 40s to the lower 50s from north to south. Rain will begin to diminish somewhat in coverage late tonight and through the overnight hours, but shower chances will remain elevated as Gulf moisture continues to wrap around the north side of the low. Overnight lows will be in the upper 30s to the mid 40s.

SUNDAY: Sunday is trending a little drier in this model run as most of the shower activity will have moved over into the Carolinas and much of Georgia. We’ll have some lingering light showers and drizzle wrapping around the back side of the low that may affect the northeastern parts of the area, while the rest of central Alabama will be dry and cold with cloudy skies. Highs will be in the 40s with overnight lows in the 30s.

MONDAY: The Global Forecast System is trying to pull some moisture back into the northeastern parts of the area for Monday afternoon, so we’ll mention a small chance of a stray light shower or two, mainly for locations east of I-65 and north of I-20. Those small chances will persist through the evening but should move back out by midnight. We may see a snow flurry or two, but that is it. Afternoon highs will be in the mid to upper 40s with overnight lows in the mid 20s to the mid 30s.

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY: While temperatures remain cool on Tuesday, all rain will be out of the area and skies will be sunny throughout the day. Afternoon highs will top out in the upper 40s to the mid 50s. Wednesday will be a little warmer, as we’ll have a very small zone of ridging in place. Skies will be mostly sunny with afternoon highs in the mid to upper 50s.

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY: The next system will be getting its act together on Thursday to our west, as a surface low will be over the western parts of Oklahoma at midday. We may have some scattered light showers during the afternoon, but rain will start to increase in coverage during the late night and overnight hours. Afternoon highs will be in the mid 50s to the lower 60s. Friday will start off with rain during the morning hours with maybe just enough instability thrown in for a few claps of thunder. Earlier model runs had the associated low pressure moving through the northern portions of the southeast, but this run has the low moving up into the Great Lakes region as of noon. Rain will be pushing out, and all of central Alabama should be dry by sunset. Highs will top out in the lower 50s to the lower 60s.

VOODOO LAND: Taking a brief step out into voodoo land, it looks like we’ll have a good bit of dry weather after the rain moves out on Friday, with our next possible rain chance late on the night of Dec. 20 and once again at the end of the forecast period on the evening of Dec. 23 and through the morning of Christmas Eve. But this is just a model trend at this point, not an official forecast.

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