Going to have to opt out of the video again this morning and substitute just the Blog discussion. My cold is holding tough and the voice is very weak, so it would be torture for you to have to listen to me squeak through a video version. But the cold is showing some improving signs as the sore throat is considerably reduced this morning.
My station in Helena and the Birmingham airport had a common low this morning - 30 degrees. Snow showers developed yesterday afternoon giving some spots a nice dusting of snow - unfortunately none at my house. The radar yesterday afternoon looked a lot like a summer afternoon with scattered showers along and north of Birmingham primarily. And it looks like we might see a repeat of those snow showers this afternoon and evening as another short wave impulse rides down the west side of the deep eastern US trough. Moisture appears to be somewhat lacking, so I don't expect a big event.
Monday the east coast trough moves out into the Atlantic as surface high pressure settles into south Texas. Our thicknesses begin to moderate a bid but Monday is still going to be cold with highs still in the 40s.
Full scale moderation gets underway on Tuesday with the surface high tracking eastward across the Gulf while the 500 millibar pattern goes zonal across the southern states. Afternoon highs should be back close to typical values this time of year - mid and upper 50s.
Moisture returns Wednesday with the surface high off to our east. Zonal flow remains in place at 500 millibars as a high amplitude ridge/trough develop on the west coast of the US. Clouds with some small chance of showers can be expected Wednesday and Thursday with temperatures pushing the lower 60s.
Rain chances increase late Thursday and Friday as a fast moving short wave passes to our north dragging a cold front into central Alabama. This does not look like a particularly cold weather change but enough to drop us back below normal. Showers remain a good possibility on Saturday with the front stalled across the area. Clouds and good rain chances will keep temperatures cool.
The 06Z GFS model run keeps a trough on the west coast through the end of the month with a weak ridge and a near zonal flow across the southeastern US. If that pattern is true, we should stay mild and somewhat wet with frontal zones stalled across the area. Not sure I believe the longer range GFS right now since we've been in such a progressive pattern, so we'll just have to see how it plays out.
Stay warm today. Drink lots of water. And wash your hands a lot so you don't big up any nasty cold germs!!
-Brian-
My station in Helena and the Birmingham airport had a common low this morning - 30 degrees. Snow showers developed yesterday afternoon giving some spots a nice dusting of snow - unfortunately none at my house. The radar yesterday afternoon looked a lot like a summer afternoon with scattered showers along and north of Birmingham primarily. And it looks like we might see a repeat of those snow showers this afternoon and evening as another short wave impulse rides down the west side of the deep eastern US trough. Moisture appears to be somewhat lacking, so I don't expect a big event.
Monday the east coast trough moves out into the Atlantic as surface high pressure settles into south Texas. Our thicknesses begin to moderate a bid but Monday is still going to be cold with highs still in the 40s.
Full scale moderation gets underway on Tuesday with the surface high tracking eastward across the Gulf while the 500 millibar pattern goes zonal across the southern states. Afternoon highs should be back close to typical values this time of year - mid and upper 50s.
Moisture returns Wednesday with the surface high off to our east. Zonal flow remains in place at 500 millibars as a high amplitude ridge/trough develop on the west coast of the US. Clouds with some small chance of showers can be expected Wednesday and Thursday with temperatures pushing the lower 60s.
Rain chances increase late Thursday and Friday as a fast moving short wave passes to our north dragging a cold front into central Alabama. This does not look like a particularly cold weather change but enough to drop us back below normal. Showers remain a good possibility on Saturday with the front stalled across the area. Clouds and good rain chances will keep temperatures cool.
The 06Z GFS model run keeps a trough on the west coast through the end of the month with a weak ridge and a near zonal flow across the southeastern US. If that pattern is true, we should stay mild and somewhat wet with frontal zones stalled across the area. Not sure I believe the longer range GFS right now since we've been in such a progressive pattern, so we'll just have to see how it plays out.
Stay warm today. Drink lots of water. And wash your hands a lot so you don't big up any nasty cold germs!!
-Brian-
It was so beautiful this morning about 2:00. Big flakes and they covered the ground.... I woke everyone up to see 
Think I will have a BIG cup of hot chocolate and build a fire in the fireplace.
on February 12, 2006, 10:27 am
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