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I'm not as musically inclined as James Spann, so I won't start with some rainy day song like "Rain drops keep falling on my head..." But it sure looks like that is what we can expect for the day as radar shows rain extending all the way back into West Texas at this writing.
As JB noted, yesterday was a beautiful February day with temperatures in the middle 60s across central Alabama. My wife and I along with our dog, Dakota, enjoyed a wonderful outing to Ruffner Mountain where we took in the nature center and a hike along a couple of the trails. Dakota, being the brave dog that she is, always has to take the point and lead the way. But we felt so secure and indeed never saw any ferocious animals to jeopardize our safety!! Dogs give so much to life!
Looks like rainfall amounts across Central Alabama could reach the one to one and a half inch range. I'd already recorded 8 tenths of an inch when I started the map discussion. Some spots may see as much as 2 inches in the heavier bands as the QPF forecast suggests this morning.
The upper air pattern will sharpen up on Sunday as we get out of this zonal pattern. As the pattern sharpens, the front will finally come through the Southeast and bring an end to the rain tonight with drier, colder air for Sunday and Monday. Freezing temperatures will be possible on Sunday morning and Monday morning.
But in fairly classic Southeast US fashion, our temperatures will rebound into the 60s Tuesday and may push 70 on Wednesday. Weak impulses along with a weak front but not much moisture will bring changes for rain into the picture by Friday and Saturday. It does not look like we'll see the kind of wet weekend next weekend like we are seeing now.
Long range GFS forecasts are suggesting a less potent system around March 6 for us. But the storm system does develop along the east coast and may present a signficant storm system for the middle Atlantic states and New England. By March 11, the GFS is bringing a strong trough out of the Rockies that suggests a severe weather episode for the lower and middle Mississippi River Valley - we'll watch the trends on that one.
Stay dry today. Don't forget the last Storm Alert show will be this coming Tuesday (not Thursday) at the Civic Center in Northport. Hope to see you there.
-Brian-