National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

• Home
• Site Map
• News
• Organization
• Search for: NWS All NOAA 

000
FXUS64 KBMX 221551
AFDBMX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
1051 AM CDT Mon Apr 22 2024

...New SHORT TERM, AVIATION...

.SHORT TERM...
(This afternoon through Tuesday)
Issued at 1051 AM CDT MON APR 22 2024

A "chilly" day will be on tap across Central Alabama today, at
least for late April standards that is. Surface high pressure
currently resides off to our west and northwest, with northerly to
northeasterly winds prevailing across the region. Very dry air has
settled in across the atmospheric profile, with a whopping PWAT
of 0.25 inches measured on the 12z KBMX sounding. The dry air
aloft has begun to mix down to the surface as we approach midday
with winds measured a bit higher than previously forecast. We`ll
continue to see winds prevail around 10-15mph this morning with a
few gusts up to 20mph before winds begin to subside late this
afternoon as the surface ridge begins to settle directly
overhead. High temperatures this afternoon are expected to be at
least 10 degrees below normal for this time of the year. Calm
winds and clear skies will set the stage for ideal radiational
cooling conditions tonight. Looking back at overnight lows,
Haleyville and Gadsden hit the mid 30s, and we can expect similar
temperatures once again tonight but perhaps a degree or so warmer.
We can`t rule out a few isolated patches of frost in those very
sheltered valley locations, but otherwise lows will be in the 40s
areawide.

Temperatures will begin to modify during the day on Tuesday as the
surface ridge becomes centered to our east. Winds will shift out
of the south to southwest by Tuesday afternoon with surface
dewpoints beginning to slowly rise into the mid to upper 40s.
Under full sunshine and southerly flow, temperatures should be
able to rise into the mid and upper 70s across much of the area.

56/GDG

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Tuesday night through Sunday)
Issued at 357 AM CDT MON APR 22 2024

A weak front will move into the region Wednesday as a 500 mb
shortwave moves from the Great Lakes to the Mid-Atlantic coast.
Other than an increase in clouds, this front should hardly be
noticeable with only a minor temperature gradient from north to
south across our area. To our west, a weak shortwave in Oklahoma
cresting a ridge may kick off convection Wednesday night near a
warm front and moisture gradient. Weak impulses within west-
northwest flow may reach northwestern Alabama on Thursday along
this same moisture/temperature gradient. This could result in a
few showers across our northwestern quadrant.

After Thursday, a 500 mb ridge is expected to take hold over the
Southeast CONUS and Gulf of Mexico. This should deflect any
shortwaves to our north and west, and subsidence should keep
conditions dry through Sunday.

87/Grantham

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1051 AM CDT MON APR 22 2024

VFR conditions will continue through the forecast period.
Northerly to northeasterly surface winds today will prevail
around 10 knots with a few isolated higher gusts between 15 and
20mph. Winds will become calm or variable overnight tonight before
shifting to the south and southwest by Tuesday afternoon.

56/GDG

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

Drier air is in place through most of the week. 20 ft northerly
winds around 6 to 10 mph today, with minimum RH values in the 25
to 35 percent range. 20 ft winds become southerly on Tuesday, at 6
to 10 mph, with minimum RH values in the 28 to 35 percent range.
Rain free conditions continue through the week.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Gadsden     68  36  75  47 /   0   0   0   0
Anniston    68  40  75  50 /   0   0   0   0
Birmingham  68  43  75  52 /   0   0   0   0
Tuscaloosa  69  41  76  52 /   0   0   0   0
Calera      68  42  74  52 /   0   0   0   0
Auburn      68  45  75  52 /   0   0   0   0
Montgomery  69  42  77  51 /   0   0   0   0
Troy        70  43  76  50 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...56/GDG
LONG TERM....87
AVIATION...56/GDG