Monday Afternoon Discussion Update 3:39 PM

More cold air is pouring into the state and a strong north wind is adding to the chill. The sky will be partially cloudy through this evening, growing mostly cloudy by sunrise tomorrow morning. Lows tonight will be in the upper 20s and tomorrow our highs will only reach the upper 30s. There will be a moisture starved disturbance dropping in from the northwest tonight and this feature will bring more clouds for the start of the day tomorrow. The chance for seeing snow flurries is quite slim for tonight, although don’t be surprised if you see a stray flurry early tomorrow morning. There have been some snow flurries over north Alabama today.  We will have some clearing by tomorrow afternoon and continuing into tomorrow night. This will set the stage for a cold Tuesday night. In fact, temperatures will be very cold for both tomorrow night and Wednesday night…we will drop into the 20s.

The good thing is that we will enjoy nicer days, with ample sunshine. Highs by Thursday will be near 60 degrees. Clouds will be on the increase Thursday night as a cold front approaches. This feature should squeeze out some showers on Friday and Friday night. The upper air pattern will become more west to southwesterly and this will keep us rather cloudy and unsettled through next Monday. Moisture overriding the state will bring a chance of showers for Sunday and Monday. Have a great evening!

Wes Wyatt
WVUA Chief Meteorologist

Snow Pic…

Lynn Brooks from WVUA is currently in Maryland attending a conference. Lynn writes:  ” More than 70 first responders are here in Emmitsburg, Maryland doing disaster preparedness. It’s been snowing since early this morning .”    – Lynn 
  

Inaugural Weather Forecast & Some History

History will be made tomorrow as President Elect Obama is sworn into office. Several residents from West Alabama have traveled to the nation’s capital for this Inauguration. The forecast calls for a high temperatures of only 32 degrees tomorrow with an ice cold north wind at 10-16 mph. There is a small chance of snow in Washington. The Baltimore/Washington National Weather Service Office in Sterling, VA has put together a great report regarding past weather for the Presidential Inaugurations. Here is a quick fact sheet compiled by the office and for the complete and detailed report click here.

Inaugural Weather Fact Sheet
• 1817 = First outdoor inauguration. President James Monroe was sworn into office.
• 1873 = Coldest March 4th inauguration. Noon temperature was only 16°F with a record low temperature for March of only 4°F. Sunshine was no help as the wind made it bitterly cold. President Ulysses S. Grant was sworn into office for his second term.
• 1909 = Most snow with 9.8 inches. Also very strong winds. President William H. Taft was sworn into office.
• 1913 = Warmest March 4th inauguration. Noon temperature was 55°F.
• 1937 = First inauguration held on January 20th.
• 1937 = Record rainfall. It was President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second inauguration. A total rainfall of 1.77 inches fell that cold day. Between 11 am and 1 pm, 0.69 inches of rain fell with a noon temperature of 33°F.
• 1961 = Eight  inches of fresh snow laid on the ground for President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration.
• 1981 = Warmest January inauguration. Noon temperature was 55°F. It was Ronald Reagan’s first inauguration and would greatly contrast his second inauguration listed below.
• 1985 = Coldest January inauguration (Jan. 21). Noon temperature was only 7°F. The morning low temperature was -4°F and the afternoon high was only 17°F. Wind chill temperatures in the afternoon were in the -10 to -20°F range. It was Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration ceremony.

Posted by: Wes Wyatt