Dreaming of a White Christmas?

The holiday season is upon us and many in the south are wondering if they will be seeing a white Christmas.  Well, the National Weather Service in Birmingham has checked their records and the results are not favorable for those of you who are dreaming of a white Christmas.  In Tuscaloosa, there have only been two trace snowfall events on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 1962 and 1985.  The Weather Service Climatic Data Center has compiled the data and is stating that there is a less than 5% chance of seeing snow in most of the south this Christmas.(National Weather Service)

Cecilia Reeves
WVUA Weather Intern

Holiday Attractions to Check Out

If you are looking for something to do this week to get in the holiday spirit Demopolis is holding its annual Christmas on the River attraction. The event consists of floats that actually float, a reading of the Christmas story in the square, candlelight tours of antebellum homes, and a BBQ cook-off. Christmas on the River is running between November 29 and December 5th. For more information visit: http://http://www.demopolischamber.com/COTR/

Northport is also helping people get into the holiday spirit with Dickens Downtown. This event is the annual Victorian holiday celebration to celebrate the spirit of Christmas. There will be performances by Theatre Tuscaloosa, local choirs, and the 5th Alabama Regimental Band. Dickens Downtown will be held tomorrow, December 1st. For more information visit: http://http://www.cityofnorthport.org/Default.asp?ID=92

Cecilia Reeves
WVUA Weather Intern

Monday Afternoon Weather Discussion-3:22 PM

Good Afternoon! The moderate rain shifted east before lunchtime however, it has remained quite damp and gloomy over West and Central Alabama. A cool northerly flow has taken over in the wake of a cold front that has now shifted to our east. I’m expecting the clouds to slowly break from north to south, although some far southern areas may have clouds all night. Look for a bright start to the day tomorrow, with clouds returning during the late afternoon and evening. Highs will be near 58, with lows in the 40s.

The forecast for the next few days will be rather tricky as model solutions are all over the place. Tomorrow a wave of low pressure will take shape to our south and this feature will head north into Alabama on Wednesday. Clouds will thicken tomorrow night, with a few showers late. Rain will be likely on Wednesday and a thunderstorm may show up over southern sections of the state. The warmer sector of this system will lift into south Alabama and this will bring quite a spread temperature-wise. Highs will be in the mid to upper 60s south of Tuscaloosa. Temperatures will be in the upper 50s to near 60 degrees, along and north of the Interstate. Rain will taper off from west to east late tomorrow night, with lows in the middle 30s.

On Thursday and Friday, temperatures will only reach the 40s during the day as an upper air trough opens the gate to cold air. Lows will be at or below freezing for the entire area by Friday morning. Some upper air energy will swing through the base of the trough late Friday and this will help develop a disturbance to our south according to some model solutions. We will be keeping a close eye on this possible scenario as it could bring the potential for wintry weather to portions of the southeast Friday night. For now I’m mentioning cloudy and cold, with the chance for snow flurries Friday night. Stay tuned as this could waver in the favor of a more significant event, especially since many folks will be hitting the road to Atlanta. At this time the forecast is calling for lingering clouds on Saturday and into Sunday, with more chilly daytime highs. Be sure to join us tonight for more details!

Follow Me on TWITTER!

Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

Sunday Afternoon Weather Discussion – 1:39 PM

The weekend is ending on a nice note, with partly sunny skies and warm temperatures. Most of us are in the middle 60s as of the 1 PM observations. Clouds will gradually increase through the afternoon hours, with skies becoming cloudy tonight. Showers will begin to move in late tonight, with the best chance of rain after midnight and before noon tomorrow. It looks like everyone will receive a dose of rain over the next 24 hours. Rainfall totals will remain below 1 inch during this event. A weak cold front will bring a dry airmass into central Alabama Monday afternoon, which will clear our skies out. The only temperature difference you will notice will occur Monday night, when we reach upper 30s for lows.

Tuesday will be an in-between day, where we see a warm-up and nice weather. Highs will be in the lower 60s Tuesday afternoon. Clouds will increase late in the day on Tuesday, and we can expect rain to move in late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. Rain will become heavy at times during the day on Wednesday. We could pick up over 2 inches locally. I wouldn’t be surprised to see rainfall totals upwards of 4 inches south of Highway 80. An area of low pressure will develop in the western Gulf and move into south Alabama on Wednesday. The big question then concerns the exact track of the low. Some data brings it into central Alabama, which would allow for parts of our area to get in the warm sector. If this is the case, we will have to keep an eye on a few severe storms over our southern counties. If the track of the low stays along the coast, we’ll just see a steady rain. As of now, I’m forecasting a high in the upper 50s. Keep in mind, areas along and south of Highway 80 will likely reach into the middle 60s, while areas north of Fayette will struggle to reach 50 degrees.

Some of the coldest air this season moves into Central Alabama on Thursday, with highs staying in the upper 40s. Lows at night will dip down into the upper 20s Friday morning. We will gradually warm up into the middle 50s on Saturday and lower 60s on Sunday, with sunny skies returning. Be sure to tune in tonight at 10 PM on WVUA-TV for the latest on your weather.

Follow Me on TWITTER!
Have a great day!
Richard Scott

Saturday Evening Weather Update – 9:01 PM

A good Saturday to you! After lots of morning sunshine, high level clouds moved in quickly after the noon-time hour. We’ll gradually see a decrease in clouds tonight, with lows in the lower 40s. Sunday will be a rather nice day for us, as temperatures warm into the middle and upper 60s. Clouds will be on an increase through the day tomorrow. As a cold front moves in on Monday, we can expect a good coverage of showers and light rain. Rain totals will be rather light, with many locations staying under the half inch mark. Temperatures will only top out in the middle to upper 50s on Monday.

Tuesday will be an in-between day, as we’ll see drier weather return. Highs will reach the upper 50s, with a mix of sun and clouds. A surface low is going to develop in the Gulf of Mexico and will spread rain in here Tuesday night. Expect periods of moderate and even heavy rain at times on Wednesday. We could pick up over 2 inches of rain by Wednesday night. Temperatures will remain chilly, as highs on Wednesday reach the lower 50s. A strong cold front will drop our highs back into the 40s on Thursday and Friday; we can also expect a brisk northwest wind on Thursday.

The weekend is looking cold, with temperatures remaining at or just below 50 degrees during the afternoon. Low at night will hover in the upper 20 to lower 30 degree range. Be sure to join me tonight at 10 PM for the latest on your forecast.

Follow Me on TWITTER!
Have a great day!
Richard Scott

Friday Afternoon Weather Discussion – 2:02 PM

A good Friday to you! After a cold start to the day, temperatures have modified nicely this afternoon. Many of us are in the upper 50s, with sunny skies. We’ll deal with another cold night, as lows approach freezing. With an area of high pressure right over us and clear skies, we can expect widespread frost after midnight. Saturday will be a bit warmer, with highs in the middle 60s. Sunny weather is expected for Saturday, but a few higher level clouds will move in late in the afternoon hours.

Sunday will be a transition day, as clouds increase and our winds change around to the south. Temperature will modify into the upper 60s. A cold front moves into the area Monday night and Tuesday, which will bring a good chance of rain into central Alabama. Showers will increase from the west late Sunday night and Monday morning. Rain can be expected all day on Monday. Rain will temporarily end Monday night and Tuesday morning as the cold front moves through. As low pressure develops in the northern Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night, we will see more rain move into central Alabama. Light to moderate rain will move in Tuesday night and all day on Wednesday. Since we will be on the north side of the low, we can expect a cold rain on Wednesday. Highs will struggle to reach the lower 50s.

We dry out on Thursday and Friday, and some cold temperatures move in. Highs could stay in the 40s all day on Thursday, with a cold north wind. Temperatures remain cold through Friday. Be sure to join me tonight at 6 and 10 for the latest on your forecast on WVUA-TV.

Follow Me on TWITTER!
Have a great day!
Richard Scott

Latest Webcast

Forecast Discussion Update 11/26 9:54 PM

Happy Thanksgiving! The weather turned out perfect for the holiday, with lots of sun and cool temperatures. It is quite cold out there tonight and lows will be near freezing for many locations. Tomorrow is going to be a very similar day, with highs only reaching the 50s. As I sit in the weather center typing this discussion and with a full stomach, I’m noticing a very stable setup over the southeast. The weather should remain tranquil through the remainder of the holiday weekend. Highs will be in the 60s, with lots of sunshine.

A storm system impacting the west coast will be a player in our weather next week. Moisture will start lifting into Alabama late Sunday and this will bring some high clouds to the state. We will have a mostly cloudy sky on Monday, with showers late. The wet weather should taper off on Tuesday. However, the main upper support with this system will swing into the region, with rain returning late Tuesday and into the day on Wednesday. This system will bring some colder weather, with highs by midweek in the low to mid 50s. Remember that our special holiday schedule continues tomorrow, with the news returning at six and ten. Of-course we will continue to bring you updates on the weather blog and at wvuatv.com. Have a wonderful evening!

Follow Me On TWITTER!

Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

Forecast Discussion Update 11/25 3:52 PM

Good afternoon and an early Happy Thanksgiving to you! It has been a beautiful Wednesday across West Alabama. The sky will remain clear through tonight, with lows in the 30s. Another surge of cold and dry air will arrive late tomorrow. It is going to be a sunny Thanksgiving Day, but rather cool, with an increasing northwest wind in the afternoon. Temperatures will top out in the 50s tomorrow, with lows near freezing tomorrow night. Friday is going to be another bright day, with highs in the 50s. If you’re heading down to Auburn for the Iron Bowl on Friday, you can expect chilly temperatures. The kickoff temperature will be near 50 degrees. On Saturday the sun will return, with milder temperatures. Highs over the remainder of the holiday weekend will be in the 60s.

A strong low pressure system will deepen over the region on Monday. Clouds will be increasing late on Sunday, with a shower possible late Sunday night. I’m expecting a good chance of rain on Monday, with a sharp drop off in temperatures Monday night as a cold front moves through. Highs will only reach the 40s on Tuesday and Wednesday as trailing upper air energy passes to our north. This will keep our sky cloudy, with a few lingering showers possible. Enjoy you holiday period and be sure to check in with WVUA for the latest local weather forecast.

Follow Me On TWITTER!

Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist

Forecast Discussion Update 11/24 5:30 PM

A cold front is moving our way and this feature will bring more clouds and the chance for a stray shower tonight. Winds will become northwesterly, with another surge of dry air arriving. Most areas will remain dry tonight and tomorrow will also be a very dry day. Highs will reach the 60s, with a mostly sunny sky returning. If you have big travel plans for tomorrow, precipitation will be a factor in Florida, along portions of the east coast, and in the upper Midwest to Great Lakes Region. Other than chilly temperatures, we will enjoy a bright sky on Thanksgiving.

Another front will bring some cold air on Thanksgiving, with highs in the 50s. The core of the very cold air will pass to our north and this will keep us from having a widespread freeze. However, some spots may briefly hit the freezing point Friday morning. Highs on Friday will only reach the low to mid 50s. Temperatures will make a slight recovery through the rest of the holiday weekend. Highs will be in the 60s, with a mostly sunny sky on Saturday and Sunday.

A strong area of low pressure will move into the state late Monday and this will bring a good chance of rain. The rainy weather will linger into Tuesday, with another blast of cold air arriving by Wednesday of next week. Be sure to join us tonight for more details!

Follow Me on TWITTER!

Wes Wyatt
Chief Meteorologist