Alabama Weather Update: The coldest air so far is making its way through Alabama, starting in the northwest corner. A sharp cold front is pushing through the state, dropping temperatures in the northern half. While the northern third hovers in the 40s, South Alabama remains close to 80.
There might be a touch of light rain this morning in North Alabama as the cold air arrives, but it won’t be enough to break the drought. Tomorrow and Wednesday, the entire state will be in the cold air, with northern and central counties experiencing highs in the 50s, and the south in the low 60s. A freeze warning is in place for the northern half on Wednesday morning, with lows ranging from 25-34 degrees.
Thursday afternoon signals a warming trend, and by Friday, highs will reach the 60s in North Alabama and the low to mid-70s in the southern counties.
Aside from a chance of light rain in the north today, the week will be dry. Clouds will clear out tomorrow morning, leading to sunny days and fair nights.
Looking ahead to the Alabama weekend, expect dry and mostly sunny days with pleasant temperatures in the 70s and cool nights in the 40s and 50s.
Unfortunately, the chances of beneficial rain remain slim next week as the dry spell persists. A new surge of cool air arrives by mid-week.
READ MORE: Alabama Weather: Drought Deepens, Cold Front Showdown, and Friday Night Lights Under Clear Skies
A fire weather watch has been issued for much of Alabama on Wednesday. The combination of a dry air mass and windy conditions will result in critical fire weather conditions. Outdoor burning is not advised.
In the tropics, a low-pressure system (Invest 96L) near the central Bahamas is producing gale-force winds but lacks organization. Its chances of becoming a tropical storm are decreasing as it encounters strong upper-level winds and dry air. Another disturbance in the eastern Caribbean Sea could develop into a tropical depression late this week, moving westward. However, no tropical systems are expected near the U.S. or the Gulf of Mexico in the next seven days.
On this date in 1991, the Perfect Storm, also known as the No-Name Storm, reached maximum strength with a low pressure of 972 mb and sustained winds of 69 mph. The storm caused over $200 million in damage and resulted in thirteen deaths, including the sinking of the Andrea Gail, inspiring the book and movie, The Perfect Storm.