Mild Today, Rain Overnight, Arctic Blast Tomorrow

VERY MILD WEDNESDAY: Today, clouds will increase along with our southerly winds, and though a few showers are possible late in the day over West Alabama, the day should be dry for most of the state. Highs today will climb into the mid and 60s ahead of the approaching Arctic front due in here early on Christmas Eve.

CHRISTMAS EVE FRONT: Rain and some storms will move into the state ahead of the Arctic front and these will continue to push across Alabama during the early morning hours of Christmas Eve. We note the SPC maintains the “marginal risk” (level 1/5) of severe thunderstorms over much of South Alabama for overnight tonight.

Instability will be very limited with this system, but ample windshear will be present so there could be some gusty winds, with the showers and storms, but this is not a very impressive severe weather set-up for the state. In fact, the main issue will likely come from pressure gradient winds and not thunderstorms winds out ahead of the cold front, winds will gust to 30/35 mph late tonight as the rain moves through. The higher winds will come from midnight until 6:00 a.m. Thursday. Rain amounts of 1/2 to 1 inch are likely.

ARCTIC BLAST: As the rain comes to an end early tomorrow morning, much colder air will rush into the state. Temperatures will fall from the 50s at midnight through the 40s into the 30s by afternoon with a cold northwest wind of 15-25 mph, which will make it feel much colder. The main story will be the frigid air as the sky will clear late tomorrow night, and by daybreak Friday we project temperatures in the mid 20s over South/Central Alabama. Then, Christmas Day will be sunny and cold with a high struggling to reach the lower 40s.

WEEKEND WEATHER: Saturday morning will feature another hard freeze lower and mid 20s again, but we begin a warming trend under a mainly sunny sky, temperatures should return to the low 50s Saturday afternoon. Temperatures return to the 50s on Sunday afternoon, but also clouds return Sunday, and some rain is likely late Sunday night ahead of another front, but rain amounts should not amount to much due to limited moisture levels, and totals under one-half inch are expected.

NEXT WEEK: Rain should come to an end on Monday with fairly seasonal temperatures through midweek. Towards the end of the week, yet another system with rain and storms looks to move across Alabama and the Southeast, followed by more cold air just in time for the start of 2021.

Have a whimsical Wednesday!!!
Ryan