The Thursday afternoon map discussion video is on the server:

http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb

Our ongoing forecast looks pretty good, but we will need to bring in rain on Sunday as the front stalls out.

Clouds increase tomorrow, and a few showers arrive late tomorrow night and Saturday with the front. No severe weather or really heavy rain with the best upper support well to the north. Showers remain possible on Sunday as the front runs out of gas over us.

Then, a wave moves on the front which should bring more rain in here late Sunday night and Monday. That last round of rain should be the heaviest, but still we don't expect any flooding or severe weather. Rainfall amounts for the three day period (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday) should be from one to two inches in most North Alabama communities.

Drier and cooler air slips in here for the middle part of next week.

LONG RANGE: The 12Z GFS is advertising wet weather systems here in the January 26-27 and February 1-2 time frame. No doubt the most interesting development is the NAO negative trend shown on the GFS as we get into February, which should mean much colder weather for much of the nation.

Busy busy days getting ready for the Storm Alert 2006 tour that kicks off February 2 in Hamilton. I will not be working the TV shift tomorrow, but I will have the morning map discussion video on time by 7:00 a.m. The one and only JOHN OLDSHUE will be covering for me tomorrow evening on ABC 33/40...

Big difference in low temperatures across Alabama this morning.

And, no fronts were involved.

The high pressure area has moved east of Alabama and now centered over South Carolina and Georgia. This allowed southerly winds to start up over West and North Alabama during the night. This mixed the air and did not allow as much radiational cooling.

Note these differences:

38 at Birmingham Airport between 6 and 7 am
30 at Anniston Airport
27 at Gadsden Airport
26 at Munford with moderate frost
28 at Fort Payne Airport
30 at Desoto State Park and Evergreen
37 in Cullman
38 in Huntsville
40 in Muscle Shoals and Decatur
30 in Pinson

Other notes that you may or may not be interested in:

* Lower 48 USA low this morning 15 below, Flag Island, Minn.
* Lowest in Alaska, 38 below at Arctic Village and Eagle
* 22 below at Vostok, Antarctia (where it is mid-summer)
* 64 below at Batamaj, Russia
* 79 at Wink, Texas, yesterday's USA high
* Good ole Deadhorse, Alaska reporting -20, blowing snow, wind chill -47.
* How would you like to live in Deadhorse?
* Latest storm system produced a wind gust o 92 mph at Milton, Mass.
* High winds over much of New England and the Northeast during that storm
* Great visibility and bright blue sky across Alabama today. Model winter day
* I wish I was on the board-walk atop Mt. Cheaha headed toward the overlook
* After a lunch in the restaurant, of course, with the best view in Alabama
* Gotta get back to work, enough day dreaming and playing.

The Thursday morning map discussion video is on the server:

http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb

Guess we can call it a draw this morning. MOS has lows in the upper 30s; we had lows closer to 30 degrees in our forecast. The actual observations are all over the map... Gadsden shows 28, while Muscle Shoals reports 44. South winds have kicked in west of I-65, while the eastern side is calm and very cold.

Everyone warms up nicely today, with temperatures reaching the 60s this afternoon statewide. Some cirrus clouds will spill in here later today, but we expect lots of sunshine.

Clouds will increase tomorrow, and wet weather will return at times over the weekend.

We will continue to mention showers on Saturday, but I don't expect really heavy rain or severe weather. And, it won't rain all day. The main upper impulse will pass north of the state as a surface front settles in here from the north. For the moment, our forecast over on the seven day page does not mention showers on Sunday, but most likely we will probably have to bring that in later today as the front will be stalled over us, and the 06Z run of the GFS is showing a band of showers around here on Sunday.

Then, a nice wave forms on the front to the west, and that should bring a nice rain area in here Monday of next week along with a thunderstorm or two. Sure looks like that will be the wettest day, with rainfall amounts on Monday near one inch statewide.

Cooler air filters in for the middle of next week, with temperatures near normal for mid-January in Alabama.

LONG RANGE: The GFS continues to show the NAO going negative as we begin February. That, combined with a negative AO, could set up a pretty cold month for much of the nation, including the deep south. Of course, we can't resolve details, but you have to plan on higher energy costs and all of the fun and games that go along with Arctic outbreaks. Stay tuned!

Our news department sure did a great job with the coverage of the train accident and fire over in Lincoln last night... those guys are amazing. That is the same kind of support we get during severe weather. I am thankful for their passion to cover breaking news like that.

I will have the next map discussion video posted by 3:30 this afternoon...