James Spann: Alabama stays dry Tuesday; rain returns late Wednesday
CLEARING: The sky is clearing across Alabama this afternoon. The western and southern counties are enjoying lots of sunshine with temperatures in the 40s. However, clouds linger over some northern and eastern counties, where temperatures are stuck in the 30s. Those lingering clouds will move out this evening, the sky will be mostly clear statewide tonight and temperatures will drop into the 20s early Tuesday morning.
Tuesday will be sunny with a high in the mid 50s, very close to seasonal averages for mid-January.
WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY: Clouds move back into the state Wednesday, and temperatures will rise into the 55- to 60-degree range. Rain enters the northwest part of the state by afternoon and is likely statewide Wednesday night as the front passes through.
Much colder air spills into Alabama Thursday, and there is a chance of some light wintry precipitation during the morning on the back side of the front over the northern counties. Some north Alabama communities could see some light sleet or snow flurries Thursday morning in the cold air, but at this point it looks like temperatures will be generally above freezing and no impact is expected. Otherwise, Thursday will be mostly cloudy and cold, with temperatures holding in the 30s all day over the northern half of the state.
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: The forecast is about as clear as mud thanks to model inconsistencies. But the pattern favors a wave of low pressure forming on the front over the northern Gulf of Mexico, which will bring rain and maybe some snow to Alabama in the Friday-Saturday time frame. Global model ensembles support the idea, but it is way too early to call the specifics. We will have much better clarity over the next 48 hours in terms of timing, the potential rain/snow line and impact. Whatever develops Friday or Saturday will be gone by Sunday; the day should be mostly sunny with a high in the mid to upper 40s.
NEXT WEEK: The pattern favors below-average temperatures much of next week, and for now much of the week looks dry. Highs will be between 45 and 52 degrees, with lows in the 20s and low 30s.
ON THIS DATE IN 1994: At 4:31 a.m. PST, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake centered in Northridge struck southern California. Known as the Northridge Earthquake, it caused at least 57 fatalities (a subsequent study put the death toll at 72, including heart attacks) and injured thousands.
ON THIS DATE IN 1999: A total of 22 tornadoes touched down across parts of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. The most violent was an F4 tornado that tracked across southern Jackson, Tennessee, damaging more than 200 homes and 55 buses. The storm killed six people and injured 106.
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