Noon Update: Warm Today, Storms Tonight, Cooler Tomorrow

STRONG STORMS TONIGHT: Most of our Tuesday will be calm. Expect another very warm day with highs in the 80s. Our clouds will be increasing through the day and we cannot completely rule out a stray shower or two. For tonight, a cold front will push a line of strong thunderstorms into Alabama late tonight. With any system this time of year, there is the potential for severe weather and the SPC has the standard “slight risk” of severe storms defined for Northwest Alabama, with a “marginal risk” extended to the east for most of the rest of Alabama.

TIMING: This will be a late night event as the line of storms should enter the northwest corner of Alabama around 10:00PM tonight; reaching I-59 after the midnight hour and gradually weakening as it moves down to the Montgomery area during the pre-dawn hours, and continuing towards the Florida Panhandle around sunrise.

THREATS: The main threat with the line of storms will come from strong, possibly damaging straight line winds. An isolated, short lived tornado is possible, mainly over Northwest Alabama in the “enhanced” and “slight risk” zones. A few of the heavier storms could produce some small hail. Rainfall totals should be 1/2 to 3/4″ for most places; no flooding issues are expected, but it will certainly help wash away more of that pesky pollen.

CHILLY MORNINGS AHEAD: The sky becomes mostly sunny Wednesday, but the day will be breezy and much cooler with temps falling through the 60s and into the 50s by late tomorrow afternoon. With a clear sky and light wind Wednesday night/Thursday morning, forecast lows are expected to be in the mid and upper 30s. There is a good chance of frost over the northern half of Alabama, but we are not worrying about that in the southern half of the state. During the day Thursday we warm to the lower 70s with a good supply of sunshine.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Clouds Friday will feature a mainly cloudy sky with a chance of showers, and possibly a thunderstorm as a cold front drops in from the north. Rain and storms should become more widespread Friday night, but severe weather is not expected. The front will stall out over South Alabama, and Saturday for now looks wet at times. Then Sunday, the front lifts northward as a warm front; the day will be warmer with a high close to 70, and showers remain possible. This front lifting north will be in response to our next storm system due in here early next week, and we are going to have to watch it for the threat of severe weather.

Have a great day!
Ryan