Sunday, February 25, 2024
Forecaster: Bill Murray
***No video this morning due to travel***
As we wake up Sunday morning, central Alabama is seeing clear skies after a secondary cold front passed last night. Overnight, we have seen northwesterly to northerly winds, although they are gradually tapering off compared to the gusty conditions felt yesterday. Temperatures have dropped, with some areas in the northeastern part of the region dipping below freezing, while other parts start the day in the mid to upper 30s. Yesterday afternoon we saw the passage of a secondary cold front driven by a shortwave low moving across the Ohio Valley toward the East Coast. Despite the front moving in, no precipitation fell, and we enjoyed plenty of sunshine with slightly warmer than expected temperatures, thanks to the northwesterly flow. High temperatures ranged from the low 60s in the north to the low 70s in the south, although brisk winds made it feel cooler, especially in shaded areas.
FOR SUNDAY: Looking forward to today, hills will become more dominant in our area, resulting in a gradual increase in altitude in the atmosphere. Surface winds will turn more northeasterly as the morning progresses, and we expect clear skies with the passage of some moderate clouds. Temperatures are expected to remain relatively cold during the night, with a gradual rise in temperatures during the day. Highs today will reach the mid 70s in the Southwest and mid 60s in the Northeast.
NEXT WEEK: As we head into next week, expect little temperature changes through midweek, with areas of flow high and mild conditions pushing highs into the mid 70s to lower 80s by Tuesday. By the middle of the week, the weather system is approaching, with the possibility of rain and thunderstorms as a cold front moves over the region. By Wednesday, we expect a cold front to pass through, bringing a band of showers and some thunderstorms. Although severe weather is not expected at this time, we will monitor any developments. Behind the front, cooler air will creep into the area, leading to a more breezy weekend.
Weekend Forecast: Some rain will fall mainly over south Alabama by Friday, and stray showers could affect us on Saturday.
Fire Weather: Fire weather conditions remain a concern, with relative humidity dropping to the 20-25 percent range south of I-20 this afternoon. Humidity levels will gradually increase as we progress through the week, with rain chances returning by mid-week.
Beachcast: For beach lovers in Alabama and Northwest Florida, the remainder of the weekend into the week promises sunny skies with temperatures rising into the upper 60s. Sunday sees a low risk of rip currents and manageable wave heights of 1 to 2 feet, ideal for beach activities. Moving into Monday and Tuesday, expect sunny conditions to continue with temperatures in the upper 60s, but be aware of wave heights increasing to 3 to 5 feet by Tuesday, indicating a higher rip current risk.
Click here to see the Beach Forecast Center page.
NATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: Record warmth is expected across the Plains states early this week. Multiple cities are expected to reach or exceed their record highs on Monday. Some areas in the Southwest may approach the 90 degree mark. The following are the record highs expected for Monday:
Advertise with Us: Communicate your message to a highly engaged audience by advertising on AlabamaWX.com. We have a lot of big plans for this year. do not miss! We can customize a creative, flexible and affordable package to fit your organization's needs. Call me, Bill Murray, at (205) 687-0782 and let's talk.
WEATHERBRAINS: This week, the panel will host one of our most popular guests ever, Tom Grazulis of The Tornado Project. He wrote and maintained the definitive set of records for major hurricanes ever to strike the United States. He will tell his story Monday night at 7 p.m. Watch the show at www.WeatherBrains.com. You can also subscribe on iTunes. You can watch the show live on our new YouTube channel for the show. You'll be able to watch the show on the James Spann Weather Channel 24×7 via cable or live over the air on the dot 2 feed.
On this date in 1934: A major hurricane struck Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. The first Alabama tornado touched down around 4 p.m. in Calera, destroying four nearby homes. It then struck the eastern part of Columbiana, also in Shelby County. One person was killed and 12 others were injured. The next major tornado shot out of the sky in Clay County near Millerville and followed a path 15 miles to 3 miles south of Ashland. Four people died along the way and 40 were injured. The hardest-hit area was Shady Grove. The last major tornado of the day in Alabama occurred around 5 PM in Randolph County. It will cut all the way to Carroll County, Georgia, where it will hit Bowden College. The tornado destroyed the roof of the main campus building and a dormitory, and destroyed a house northeast of Bowden, killing a husband and wife. The storm also threw roofing sheets over treetops, wrapped them around telephone poles, and blew out chimneys. Thirty other people were injured in this tornado. Follow my weather history tweets on Twitter. I'm @wxhistorian at Twitter.com.
category: Weather in Alabama, all posts, severe weather
