James Spann: Cold start for Alabama today; warmer days ahead
James Spann forecasts a warming trend for Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
COLD START: Here are some temperatures across Alabama just before sunrise:
- Gadsden — 23
- Haleyville — 24
- Black Creek — 24
- Pell City — 25
- Decatur — 25
- Fort Payne — 25
- Oxford — 26
- Hueytown — 26
- Cullman — 27
- Talladega — 27
- Huntsville — 27
- Anniston — 27
- Remlap — 27
- Muscle Shoals — 29
- Alexander City — 29
- Prattville — 29
- Tuscaloosa — 30
- Selma — 30
- Birmingham — 31
- Montgomery — 31
- Dothan — 36
- Mobile — 38
This will be our last morning with subfreezing temperatures until 2022. A warming trend begins later today as temperatures rise into the low 60s with a sunny sky. Friday will be partly to mostly sunny with a high in the upper 60s.
Christmas Day will be dry and warm with a high in the low to mid 70s. The latest National Blend of Models is printing a high of 73 degrees for Birmingham Saturday. If we reach that, it will be a tie for the fourth-warmest Christmas Day on record (with 1982 and 1943).
Sunday will be dry as well; we are forecasting a partly to mostly sunny sky with a high in the low 70s.
NEXT WEEK: The weather will remain unseasonably mild through the week with highs mostly in the low 70s, thanks to an upper ridge over the Gulf Coast region. Moisture levels will rise by midweek, and we will need to mention a chance of showers Wednesday, Thursday and possibly Friday. On the positive side, we don’t expect any severe weather.
We will continue to watch brutally cold air that will be in place next week over the Northern Plains and the Northwest U.S. At some point it will have to move, but it will remain north of Alabama for the next seven to 10 days, most likely.
ON THIS DATE IN 1921: An estimated F3 tornado struck the town of Clarkedale, Arkansas, killing six and injuring 60 others. Four people died in the destruction of the Banks and Danner store, where 50 people were doing their Christmas shopping.
ON THIS DATE IN 1998: A major ice storm struck central and southeast Virginia and much of North Carolina beginning on Dec. 23 and lasting until Christmas morning. Icy conditions caused injuries from slips and falls and numerous vehicle accidents. Ice accumulations of up to an inch brought down trees.
ON THIS DATE IN 2015: A violent EF-4 tornado moved along a path from near Holly Springs, Mississippi, to Selmer, Tennessee, killing nine people.
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