WAFF Weather

Weekend forecast

 

Warmer than normal temperatures will continue as we begin the month of December.  This weekend highs will be in the upper 60s and lower 70s with just a few clouds.  Morning lows will be in the middle to upper 40s.  The wind will be from the south at 5-10mph.

Early next week  a cold front will move in.  The front will bring a round of rain to the Tennessee Valley late Tuesday into Wednesday.  Temperatures will continue to be above normal ahead of the front.  Temperatures will drop on Wednesday but it will not be too drastic.  Expect highs around 60 for Wednesday and Thursday.

Another cold front that moves in next weekend will likely be the colder of the two.  We are already seeing signs of some rain for next weekend.

Have a great weekend.

Brad Travis
Chief Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team
We Track Storms

 

This Is December?

Well it's certainly not going to feel like December weather this weekend.  Temperatures will be running much above average for this time of year.  And what exactly is an average December?  Let's take a look...

As you might expect, temperatures get colder as we head through December.  Average highs in the upper 50s at the beginning of the month, fall to the low 50s by month's end.  Average lows also drop from the upper 30s on the 1st to freezing by the 31st.  It can still be warm in December with a record high of 81, but it can be brutally cold as well with a record low of -3!

December is our wettest month of the year, averaging nearly 6" of rain.  The wettest December is also our wettest month ever...more than 18" of rain falling in 1990.  

We do get some snow in December also...an average of only .3", but December does hold the record for most snow ever in a month...December of 1963 saw 21.4"!

This weekend will be feeling more like late October than early December.  Here are forecast temperatures from WAFF 48 Pinpoint Predictor tomorrow afternoon.

Sunday and Monday are looking just a little bit warmer with widespread lower 70s in the forecast!

So just where is all the cold air?  Well, it's all locked up into Canada right now.  These are the current temperatures in the Great White North as of 9am Friday.

The jet stream, indicated by the arrows above, generally marks the dividing line between cold air to the north and warm air to the south.  Right now the jet is running pretty much from west to east along the US/Canada border.  It doesn't look like this pattern changes much through the first week of December.  By mid-month however, there are indications that the jet will buckle and that could send this cold air southward.  Stayed tuned for perhaps a cold second half of the month!

 

Jeff Castle

WAFF 48 Storm Team

A cold night with a full moon.

Temperatures will drop into the 30s this evening.  By 9pm many areas will be around 35 degrees.   The moon and Jupiter are putting on a beautiful display.

Jupiter is the bright planet close to the full moon this evening. (image below from earthsky.org)

A view from our Research Park Alfa camera around 5:20 Wednesday evening.

A closer view.

 

The cold is locked up in Canada right now. A warming trend for us.

More sunshine is forecast for the rest of the week along with a nice warming trend.  Highs will be in the lower 60s Thursday and Friday with southerly winds.  A few more clouds this weekend with highs approaching 70 degrees by Sunday afternoon.

The Jet Stream is pretty much running from west to east.  This is keeping the coldest air in Canada.  It's just a matter of time before some arctic air begins to drop south. 

You can see on the image below just how cold the air is up there. 

It could be several days before the overall pattern turns colder for us.  The long range forecast guidance is trying to bring some into the United States around the second weekend of December.  The image below is for Saturday December 8th.

Rain Moves Out, Colder Air Moves In

A few showers will linger behind a cold front early this morning, but most of the rain should wrap up by mid-morning.  WAFF 48 Pinpoint Predictor shows just a shower or 2 near Ft. Payne by 10am.

 

Some late day clearing is possible, particularly across NW Alabama.  Temperatures will remain cool today with afternoon numbers in the low to mid 50s.  There is colder air behind this front with temperatures in the 20s to our northwest at 7am.

 

We'll see this colder air arriving tonight with frost around as well by early tomorrow morning.  Here are the forecast temperatures at 6am Wednesday.

 

Sunshine will be back tomorrow, but temperatures will be running on the cool side through tomorrow afternoon.

 

The cooler air is not here to stay, however.  Temperatures will rebound pretty quickly by the of the week and the first weekend of December is looking very mild with highs well into the 60s!

 

Jeff Castle

WAFF 48 Storm Team

Half and Half this Weekend

If you like cold weather, then today is for you!  Temperatures reach the 40s this afternoon and the wind will be up a little from the north at around 5-15 up until around noon or so.  So the wind chill maybe factor the first half of your Saturday.  As high pressure builds in later today, winds will die down.

As more cold and dry air filters through here tonight, temperatures will head into the mid and upper 20s in the Valley tonight. 

Tomorrow a southerly wind begins to lift highs back to more reasonable mid 50s under a mostly sunny skies. 

It will be dry all weekend but rain chances return as early as Monday evening.

Brian Fowler
Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team
We Track Storms
256-533-6397

So Long 70s!

We've been tracking the big chill the last few days and it's almost here.  72 yesterday in Huntsville didn't feel very Thanksgiving-like, but that's about to change in a hurry.  A cold front lying just to our west will push through by this afternoon.  Temperatures in the 40s to low 50s ahead of the front quickly drop back into the 20s and 30s behind.  These are the current temperatures at 7am Friday.

 

Some rain is possible ahead of the front this morning, however it doesn't look like we'll see anything more than just a few light showers or sprinkles.  WAFF 48 Pinpoint Predictor for 10am today is not very ambitious generating rain for our area.

 

The big story is going to be the big chill coming behind this front.  After climbing to around 60 this afternoon, temperatures will plummet into the 20s tonight.

 

Even with a good bit of sunshine in the forecast tomorrow afternoon, it's going to be a struggle to warm up.  Temperatures are only expected to reach the mid to upper 40s Saturday afternoon!

 

Make sure you're prepared for the chilly temperatures if you're planning on stringing those outdoor Christmas lights tomorrow!

 

Jeff Castle

WAFF 48 Storm Team

Tracking The Big Chill

First and foremost, Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!

We're tracking a mercury plunging cold front across the Plains.  It's bringing with it a little rain.  Not much.  We'll see a few patchy showers during the first half of our Black Friday but not enough to really affect your holiday shopping schedule. 

The front clears the Valley in the afternoon, but that's also when the cold air plunges south quickly. 

Winds will pick up and the cold air will settle in very fast and stick around through Saturday.

Brian Fowler
Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team
We Track Storms
256-533-6397

Say goodbye to the 70s

More 70 degree weather is on the way for Thanksgiving.  Morning lows will be in the lower 40s under a clear sky with a light wind.  No significant rain is forecast through the weekend.  The big story will be the falling temperatures and the strong north wind.

We are tracking a cold front that will move into North Alabama during the late morning hours on Friday.

A few showers remain possible along and ahead of the front.  Any rain won’t last long as the front will be moving through rather quickly.  Behind the front a strong northwest wind will blow in some cold Canadian air.  Temperatures will drop into the upper 40s by sunset Friday afternoon. 

Saturday morning many areas will wake up to freezing temperatures.  A breezy northwest wind will continue into Saturday afternoon with highs only in the 40s. 


Sunday morning lows will be in the middle to upper 20s.  Sunshine will be back for Sunday afternoon with highs in the 50s.

It will become cloudy Monday with another storm system moving in from the west.  Scattered showers will develop late Monday with rain likely Monday night into Tuesday.  Locally heavy rain and some thunderstorms are forecast for Tuesday.  Colder air will move in behind this storm system late Wednesday.

Have a safe holiday weekend.

 

Brad Travis
Chief Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team
We Track Storms

 

Thanksgiving Weekend and Travel Weather

If you're staying close to home for the long Thanksgiving weekend the weather is looking pretty quiet locally.  Turkey Day should be quite nice with dry weather, sunshine and mild temperatures.

 

The next cold front we're tracking will move in for Black Friday, however moisture will be fairly limited with the front, so at this point it appears only a few showers will move through the area.  It doesn't look likely that you'll have to slop around in much rain as you hit all the after-Thanksgiving sales.  Temperatures will remain warm, hitting the mid 60s ahead of the front.

 

Cooler air will push in behind Friday's front.  Temperatures will drop back into the 50s for highs and 30s for lows as we end the long weekend.  Other than the cool down, the weather will stay quiet with dry weather and sunshine Saturday and Sunday.

 

Travel Weather

Whether you're hitting the road or taking flight for the Thanksgiving Weekend, the weather should not have a huge impact on your holiday travel in most of the country.  WAFF 48 Pinpoint Predictor is very quiet across much of the lower 48 today.  The exception will be across the Pacific Northwest where heavy rain and mountain snow could cause some travel delays.

 

If you're headed out tomorrow morning, the picture is not much different.  The only spots where weather may delay you is again in the northwest part of the country

 

Tomorrow afternoon will be similar...rain and snow in the northwest, a few showers in the southwest, but very quiet weather elsewhere.

 

The long range forecast for the end of the holiday weekend remains rather quiet as well.  Coming back Sunday looks relatively problem free at least from the weather perspective with no major rain or snow storms expected across the nation.

 

I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

 

Jeff Castle

WAFF 48 Storm Team