James Spann: Cold day for Alabama, with light rain at times
James Spann forecasts light rain for Alabama today from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
COLD, WET DECEMBER DAY: A storm system moving through the Gulf of Mexico will keep Alabama’s weather cloudy and cold today, with periods of light rain. Rain amounts will be less than one-quarter inch for the most of the state, and temperatures will hold in the 40s all day. The average high for Birmingham on Dec. 21 is 56. Rain will end from west to east this afternoon, and the sky will clear tonight.
REST OF THE WEEK: Wednesday will be a brighter day. With a sunny sky, we project a high in the low 50s after starting the day between 32 and 35 degrees. Sunny weather continues Thursday with a high in the low 60s. The warm-up continues Friday; the sky will be partly sunny with a high in the mid to upper 60s.
CHRISTMAS WEEKEND: Christmas Day will be dry and spring-like. Expect a mix of sun and clouds with a high between 68 and 72 degrees — about 15 degrees above average, but not a record. The record high for Dec. 25 is 78, set in 2016. Sunday will be pretty much the same, dry and mild with a high not too far from 70 degrees.
NEXT WEEK: An upper high over the Gulf will continue to dominate our weather. The week looks dry with above-average temperatures, highs in the 60s and low 70s for most places.
RAIN UPDATE: Here are rain totals for the year so far, and the departure from average:
- Mobile — 82.92 inches (17.99 inches above average)
- Birmingham — 68.54 (13.7 above average)
- Tuscaloosa — 66.53 (14.92 above average)
- Huntsville — 62.53 (10.21 above average)
- Dothan — 60.64 (8.53 above average)
- Muscle Shoals — 59.99 (7.49 above average)
- Montgomery — 55.35 (6.07 above average)
- Anniston — 46.34 (4.13 below average)
ON THIS DATE IN 1967: An F4 tornado traveled 33 miles across Iron and Washington counties in Missouri during an unusual time of day, 12:45 to 1:20 a.m. The tornado killed three and injured 52 others. Most of the intense damage occurred in the town of Potosi, about 55 miles southwest of St. Louis. The tornado swept through the business district, destroying City Hall, the library, a large supermarket and a shopping center complex. Northeast of town, two people were killed when their home was swept from its foundation.
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