Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Birmingham, AL

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151 FXUS64 KBMX 270639 AFDBMX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 139 AM CDT Thu Jun 27 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SHORT TERM...
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(Tonight through Friday) Issued at 835 PM CDT WED JUN 26 2024 Well, a tricky forecast this afternoon and evening. Temperatures were quite hot again with a few places into the low 100s while most others were in the 90s. Thunderstorms did initiate in western Alabama with heating of the day and an approaching upper trough. Outflows from activity in Mississippi also aided in storm development. A few of these storms produced severe wind gusts over 60 mph and blowing trees down. Much drier and more stable air was over eastern Alabama, but the storms held on and many places did get rain and thunderstorms east. No additional severe weather is anticipated overnight, but more showers and storms are possible. A fine line of activity was indicated near Memphis this evening. This was near a surface cold front and a trough aloft. These features will swing into the area overnight and Thursday. Will continue the belief that there is an increased signal that the entire system will be slower to exit. This leads to better rain chances than initially thought. Lows will be near 70 overnight and highs 85 to 95 on Thursday. 75 Previous short-term discussion: (This afternoon through Thursday) Issued at 111 PM CDT WED JUN 26 2024 Contrary to much of the 12Z guidance, a large coverage of showers and thunderstorms have already developed across much of central and eastern Mississippi and into western portions of central Alabama. Once the cu field began developing this morning, it didn`t take long for rain to start falling. This activity is being driven by a large increase in moisture associated with an approaching trough axis and cold front over the Mid-south region. There`s currently a moisture gradient over the area, and there`s still some drier air across the eastern half where dewpoints have once again mixed down into the lower to mid 60s. However, moisture will advect eastward with propagation of the trough, so expect further area-wide development of convection through the afternoon with the highest chance for rain focused generally along and west of I-65. This rain should give us some relief from the heat, but not soon enough as most areas have already reached the mid to upper 90s. Per RAP mesoanalysis, MUCAPE is around 3000-4000 J/kg in our west where dewpoints are in the lower 70s. While shear values are rather weak, some strong downbursts may produce damaging winds, and storms could also produce torrential downpours with PWATs around 2". There`s been an increasing signal of scattered showers and storms continuing overnight and into tomorrow as the cold front and strong PVA move southward into the area. Some hi-res models are even resolving an MCV-like feature over the area early tomorrow morning which would further support additional rain and thunderstorms. So luckily, the odds at receiving beneficial rain seem to be improving for the next 24 hours. The scattered to numerous showers and cloudy skies will keep temperatures in the 80s tomorrow. 86/Martin
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&& .LONG TERM... (Thursday night through next Tuesday) Issued at 211 PM CDT WED JUN 26 2024 Most likely period of greater thunderstorm coverage during the long term will come over the weekend (especially Sunday), as the southern Plains upper ridge retreats just far enough west to allow a shortwave trough to come through our area. This shortwave passage is likely to be accompanied plenty of storms, and likely POPs seem justified. Beyond Sunday, a dry low level airmass briefly builds in before the upper ridge recenters itself over the southeast. This results in more mid/upper 90s degree heat, with a non-zero percent chance at triple digits. /61/ && .AVIATION...
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(06Z TAFS) Issued at 120 AM CDT THU JUN 27 2024 All sites are currently VFR. MVFR cigs will spread across most of C AL from the NW after 9z lasting through midday as a surface low inches SE into the state. There will be chances for SHRA and TSRA across the area at times as the low drags a frontal boundary toward the I20 corridor by sunset and a little further SE toward the I85 corridor tonight/Thu night. Overall winds should be light outside of convection. Some reduced vsbys may occur briefly with heavier convection. 08
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&& .FIRE WEATHER... Moisture and chances for showers and storms increase across West Alabama through tonight, while RH values in East Alabama will still drop into the 25 to 35 percent range. Scattered, mainly afternoon and evening showers and storms are expected Thursday into the weekend, with the highest coverage in the southeast. RH values will stay above 45 percent in most areas. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
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Gadsden 88 69 92 72 / 50 20 50 20 Anniston 89 72 91 74 / 60 20 50 20 Birmingham 89 73 93 75 / 60 20 40 20 Tuscaloosa 88 72 92 75 / 60 20 40 10 Calera 89 73 93 75 / 60 20 50 20 Auburn 89 73 90 74 / 70 40 60 20 Montgomery 90 73 92 74 / 70 40 60 20 Troy 89 71 92 73 / 70 40 70 20
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&& .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...75/86/Martin LONG TERM..../61/ AVIATION...08