James Spann: Cooler in Alabama tonight, Tuesday; more rain ahead
RADAR CHECK: A band of gusty showers and a few thunderstorms is lined up from near Wedowee to Prattville at 3 p.m.; this is ahead of a cold front that is pushing slowly southward. The showers have featured winds of 25-35 mph in spots, but no severe thunderstorms have formed across Alabama today as the main dynamic support remains well north of the state. A very low-end marginal risk (level 1 of 5) remains in effect for parts of east and south Alabama, but the overall severe weather risk remains minimal.
Showers and storms will end this evening over the northern half of the state; temperatures will fall into the 40s tonight. To the south, the front will stall out somewhere over south Alabama, where showers will remain possible.
REST OF THE WEEK: Tuesday will be cloudy and cool, with a high in the 50s; rain returns statewide by mid to late afternoon into Tuesday night as a wave of low pressure forms on the stalled front. The rain will end from west to east Wednesday morning. Clouds linger Wednesday afternoon, and the high will be in the upper 50s.
Thursday looks generally dry, but the sky will be mostly cloudy. Temperatures return to the 60s Thursday afternoon.
A cold front will slice into the state Friday evening; more rain is likely ahead of the front. Thunderstorms are possible, but there are considerable differences in model output, and it remains to be seen whether we will have a threat of strong or severe storms. Temperatures will be near 70 Friday afternoon before the front moves through.
Much colder air rolls into the state Friday night, and there is a chance of snow flurries over the northern third of the state into early Saturday morning. No impact is expected.
COLD WEEKEND: Expect a clearing sky Saturday, but temperatures will be 20-30 degrees below average for mid-March. Some places across the Tennessee Valley won’t get out of the 30s. Cities like Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston and Gadsden will see a high between 40 and 45 degrees. Expect a very significant late-season freeze early Sunday morning with a clear sky and light wind. Most places over the northern half of the state will see a low between 20 and 28 degrees, and low 30s are likely deep into south Alabama. Some of the coldest spots might even see a low in the upper teens. Growers beware.
Sunday will be sunny with a high in the 50s.
NEXT WEEK: For now most of the week looks dry with a warming trend; temperatures return to the 70s by Thursday.
ON THIS DATE IN 1997: The worst was finally over for states hit hard by the flooding Ohio River. The river crested on March 6 at Louisville, Kentucky, at 15 feet above flood stage, after topping out at nearly 13 feet at Cincinnati, Ohio, and more than 7 feet at Huntington, West Virginia.
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