It’s a warm day out there across Central Alabama at the midday hour, with partly cloudy skies across the area. The surface front that will be bringing us a small risk of showers for later tonight through the end of the work week is currently located across Central Arkansas, making a turn up into and across Central Tennessee. By midnight, the front will be over the northern parts of Central Alabama.
Clouds will be on the increase throughout the remainder of the day, and the risk of light scattered showers will start to move in from the north. Areas south of the I-20 corridor will stay dry tonight with mostly cloudy, as the better chances of showers will remain in the northern half of Central Alabama. Rain totals will be light if any rain falls at all. Afternoon highs will be in the mid 60s to the mid 70s across the area. Overnight lows will be in the mid 40s to the lower 50s.
Temperatures Across Central Alabama
At 12:25 PM, temperatures are ranging from the mid 60s to the mid 60s across the area. The warm spot is currently Eufaula at 74 degrees. The cool spot is Cullman at 63 degrees.
Birmingham’s Climatology And Records
The normal high for February 1st is 55, while the normal low is 33. The record high for today was set back in 1950 at 77 degrees. The record low was set back in 1951 at 51 degrees.
A Cooler Thursday With Scattered Light Showers Possible
A few scattered showers will be possible as a surface boundary continues to slowly sag throughout the area. Rain totals will be light if you get rain, less than 1/4 inch. The best chance of rain will be around and along the I-20 corridor from roughly Talladega back to the west through Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, and through Carrollton, Millport, and Reform, where odds will be around 40%. For the rest of the area, the odds for getting rain will be less. Afternoon highs will be in the lower 50s to the upper 50s in the northern locations of Central Alabama, with 60s to the lower 70s in the south. Shower chances will continues during the overnight hours, and lows will drop down into the 40s.
For Those Headed To The Beach
The great week continues on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico from Fort Morgan over to Panama City Beach. Plenty of sunshine in the forecast from today through Tuesday of next week. Only a small risk of a passing shower on Friday night and again on Tuesday. Highs will be in the 60s to lower 70s. Click here to see the Beach Forecast Center page.
National Extremes
The warmest high temperature set for the nation on Tuesday afternoon was 84 degrees, set in Cotulla, Texas. The coldest low temperature for Tuesday night and into this morning was -21 degrees, set in Presque Isle, Maine. The highest precipitation total for the 24 hour period starting at 11AM Tuesday night to 11AM today was only 0.28 inches at Billings, Montana.
On This Day In Weather History: 1951
The greatest ice storm of record in the U.S. produced glaze up to four inches thick from Texas to Pennsylvania causing twenty-five deaths, 500 serious injuries, and 100 million dollars damage. Tennessee was hardest hit by the storm. Communications and utilities were interrupted for a week to ten days.
Forecaster: Scott Martin (Twitter: @scottmartinwx)
Central Alabama Weather 