Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Birmingham, AL
Issued by NWS Birmingham, AL
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234 FXUS64 KBMX 251541 AFDBMX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 941 AM CST Tue Nov 25 2025 ...New MESOSCALE UPDATE... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 854 AM CST TUE NOV 25 2025 - Periods of showers and thunderstorms are expected today through tonight through Tuesday. There is a level 1 to 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms with hazards including isolated damaging winds, quarter size hail, and perhaps a couple of tornadoes. - Clear and colder conditions are forecast for Thanksgiving Day. - The next chance of rain will return Saturday night into Sunday, marking the beginning of a wetter weather pattern. && .MESOSCALE UPDATE FOR SEVERE STORM CHANCES THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... Issued at 938 AM CST TUE NOV 25 2025 Central Alabama is currently in the wake of the line of severe storms that produced widespread wind damage from Walker eastward to Cherokee County. This "first round" of storms was associated with a potent 75-80kt 500mb shortwave that is now lifting off to the northeast. Following the morning round of storms, the question now becomes what the environment will look like for the "second round" of storms expected to fire ahead of the approaching cold front to our west. Showers and storms are continuing to develop along the I-59 corridor at this hour thanks to the previous outflow boundary left over from this morning`s storms. The most recent WPC Mesoscale Precipitation Discussion analyzes the current surface setup very well: A strong low-level southerly jet is advecting tropical moisture northward and lifting parcels up and over the outflow boundary, developing the current activity due to the speed shear and synoptic lift aloft. Storms are moving across similar areas, so we`ll need to watch for the potential of localized flooding. Storm drains may also be clogged from recent falling leaves that could also lead to additional ponding of water on roadways. So the question really is what will happen to this old remnant boundary as we go into the afternoon. CAMs have had a tough time resolving the current mesoscale situation, as dewpoints remain in the upper 50s to lower 60s along the I-20 corridor due to the consistent shower and storm development holding the old "cold pool" in place at the surface. Looking to the south, however, upper 60s to lower 70s dewpoints are not far away across southern Mississippi and southwestern Alabama. Surface wind gusts were observed between 15 and 20 knots in Greenville and Evergreen, along with gusts over 20 knots in Meridian, MS. So there`s no question that the low-level jet remains in place and will attempt to re-supply the tropical and unstable air that was lost due to the morning round of storms. Eventually, the low-level jet is still expected to overtake the old outflow boundary and cause dewpoints to rise into the mid to upper 60s by this afternoon along the I-20 corridor. Farther to the north along the U.S. 278 corridor, severe chances are much lower, as it will be a race against time before the front arrives from the west. With the best upper level forcing now exiting off to the north and east, we`ll need a good amount of destabilization at the surface to support severe updrafts. Visible satellite is showing some sunshine peeking through at times in our far southern and southwest counties, so we`ll need to watch observation trends closely. Surface winds have yet to start veering to the south and west, so supercell-type structures with rotating updrafts will definitely be possible as we go into the early afternoon hours, especially south of the I-20 corridor. The northern extent of the current severe outlook area will remain the biggest question mark as we watch to see if the old outflow can be overtaken by the low- level jet. 56/GDG && .DISCUSSION... (Tuesday through next Monday) Issued at 1149 PM CST MON NOV 24 2025 An band of elevated convection will continue to organize to our west tonight as an upstream shortwave approaches from the Ark- La-Tex region. This activity will move into our northwestern counties between 1 AM and 3 AM, and progress eastward toward the I-59 corridor around 6 AM. As the associated shortwave skirts by to our north, a trailing confluence band will be left in wake of this early morning round of convection. Weak subsidence will allow surface-based CAPE to build in the late morning into the afternoon as mid to upper 60s dewpoints advect northward. Eventually broad/weak cyclonic height curvature and weak height falls, combined with daytime heating, will promote additional convective development around 18z within confluence zones. Due to the weak/subtle nature of the forcing, scattered cellular activity is expected. A lingering low-level jet should slowly weaken through the daylight hours, ranging from 30-40 knots as storms mature. Though hodographs will not be particularly large, 0-3 km SRH of 200-300 m2/s2 will support weak to moderate mesocyclones within the strongest cells, and perhaps a couple of tornadoes during the afternoon and early evening hours. The current remarkable stretch of above normal temperatures will come to an end as a front surges through the region Tuesday night into Wednesday. The establishment of a large trough over the eastern CONUS will result in days of afternoon highs in the 50s and cold nights. As the pattern becomes more progressive over the weekend, zonal 500 mb flow will induce southwesterly flow at 850 mb and low-level isentropic lift, leading to our next chance of rain late Saturday into Sunday and Monday. 87/Grantham && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 605 AM CST TUE NOV 25 2025 We have a combo this morning of anywhere from MVFR to IFR cigs accompanying SHRA/TSRA in the N/IE...TCL/BHM/EET. In the S, VFR to MVFR with SHRA in the VC and SHRA/TSRA expected later today ahead of a cold front. This activity will continue into this evening as the system progresses SEWD across C AL. More low cigs are possible later tonight MVFR-IFR with some wrap around moisture. Cigs shouldn`t last all night at TCL with some drier air moving into the area behind the front from the W toward the end of the TAF forecast. 08 && .FIRE WEATHER... A warm and moist airmass will persist ahead of a front on Tuesday along with high rain chances. Behind the front, a drier airmass will surge into the region. Afternoon RH values are expected to fall to 25-35 percent for Thursday through Saturday. Winds will be near 10 mph with the potential for gusts around 20 mph from the south on Tuesday before shifting to the northwest on Wednesday and Thursday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 73 50 61 32 / 100 80 0 0 Anniston 75 54 62 34 / 100 90 0 0 Birmingham 74 52 61 35 / 100 70 0 0 Tuscaloosa 76 51 61 35 / 100 40 0 0 Calera 75 53 64 36 / 100 80 0 0 Auburn 79 59 67 38 / 70 90 0 0 Montgomery 82 57 67 37 / 80 90 0 0 Troy 82 58 69 38 / 40 90 0 0 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...56/GDG AVIATION...08