James Spann: Cool, dry day for north and central Alabama
James Spann forecasts colder weather for Alabama, but not for long from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
ON THE MAPS: A cold front is stalled out over southeast Alabama early this morning; south of the front Dothan reports 60 degrees, but most communities over the northern half of the state are in the 30s, and a few spots are at freezing. Today will be mostly cloudy and cool, with a high between 48 and 52 degrees for north and central Alabama; the average high for Birmingham on Dec. 7 is 59. A few showers are possible today over south Alabama near the stalled front.
A wave of low pressure will move along the front tonight, and showers are possible statewide after midnight and into Wednesday morning. Then, there’s a decent chance we see some sun Wednesday afternoon as the wave moves east of the state. The high will be in the low 60s over north Alabama and closer to 70 over the southern third of the state.
Thursday will be warmer with a mix of sun and clouds. The high will be in the upper 60s and any showers during the day should be widely spaced. On Friday, temperatures will surge into the mid 70s, very close to record levels. Birmingham’s record high for Dec. 10 is 79, set in 2007. Scattered showers and storms are possible Friday, but it won’t rain all day.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: A cold front will bring an organized rain event to the state Saturday into Saturday night. It is still a little too early to be specific on timing (many outdoor events are scheduled, like Christmas parades), but the broad window for rain will come from 6 a.m. until midnight. The rain could be heavy at times, and with an unstable air mass in place the door is open for strong thunderstorms. For now the severe weather threat doesn’t look especially high; it could very well be an event like we experienced Monday. The Storm Prediction Center doesn’t have any area outlooked for severe storms on Saturday at this point.
The temperatures will be mild, with a high between 67 and 70 degrees. Rain will end late Saturday night, and Sunday will be a much brighter day, with sunshine back in full force. The day will be significantly cooler, with a high between 52 and 55 degrees.
NEXT WEEK: A ridge aloft will build over the Gulf Coast region, and at this point the week looks rain-free with pleasant days and chilly nights. The high will be in the upper 50s Monday, followed by 60s for the rest of the week. Long guidance suggests above-average temperatures for much of the eastern half of the U.S. Dec. 14-20.
MONDAY’S RAIN: Rain totals from the ABC 33/40 Skywatchers Monday included:
- Cottondale — 1.37 inches
- Bessemer — 1.1
- Bluff Park — 1.1
- Coker — 1.09
- Arley — 1.08
- West Blocton — 1.07
- Crestwood — 1.05
- Moody — 1.04
- Mountain Brook — 0.96
- Jemison — 0.76
- Weaver — 0.74
- Lay Lake — 0.69
- Oneonta — 0.68
- Heflin — 0.64
- Rainbow City — 0.61
ON THIS DATE IN 1951: It was the warmest December day on record for most of Alabama. Montgomery soared to 83 degrees. Other highs included 80 at Birmingham and Anniston, 79 in Tuscaloosa and 78 in Huntsville.
ON THIS DATE IN 2006: A rare tornado tore through Kensal Rise in London. This T4 on the TORRO scale, equivalent to an EF2 on the Fujita scale, injured six people and damaged 150 homes. According to the BBC, the last tornado that had caused significant damage in London was in December 1954, in West London.
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