The Weekend Weather Is Greatly Improved

But Be Ready for Early Next Week; Severe Weather Likely to Return

One last impulse will pass the Valley through Friday morning and as it does it will continue to keep clouds and a few showers in our weather picture but as it pulls away, Friday afternoon, to the east it will take the chill, clouds and showers with it. We will see some lingering clouds on Saturday but as the weekend wears on more and more sunshine will be the rule. Temperatures will also be warming nicely; mid to upper 60s for Saturday and upper 70s to near 80 for Sunday.

Our next storm system will be spinning up across the southern Rockies, Monday. On Monday, we will still be out ahead of the storm system, for the most part, and that will lead to breezy/gusty

southwest winds and that will boost our temperatures into the 80s. Clouds will be on the increase, though, especially later in the day and there will be a slight chance for a few isolated t-storms.

The storm system will roll into the Valley on Tuesday and when it does it will be noticed with a line of strong to possibly severe thunderstorms. It will also usher in a brief shot of chill again for Wednesday.

Due to the threat for severe weather on Tuesday, we strongly encourage you to get Storm Force 31’s Weather Call You can learn more and sign up by visiting here.

Enjoy the weekend and be ready for next week!

Tennessee Valley Day-By-Day Forecast

This Evening

Some spotty clearing west of I-65

Where clearing occurs it will be brief as more clouds return quickly

Rain Showers arriving into NW AL 9pm to 11pm

Temperatures in the 40s Wind: NW 5-10

Tonight

Cloudy with rain and pockets of hail. Chance for rain 80%

Cold

Low: 40 Wind: Light and Variable

Friday

Cloudy with rain ending in the morning (30%)

Low: 40 High: 58 (W-SW 10)

Saturday

Partly Cloudy

Low: 44 High: 65 (NW-W 10-15)

Sunday

Partly Cloudy, Very Breezy and Warmer

Low: 48 High: 78 (SSW 5-15)

Monday

Partly Cloudy, Breezy and Warm

Slight chance for a t-storm late (20%)

Low: 65 High: 82 (SSW 15-20)

Tuesday

Showers and Thunderstorms Likely (80%)

Some Strong to Severe

Low: 65 High: 78 (S-NW 10-20)

Wednesday

Some morning showers (30%) Then Decreasing Cloudiness, Cooler

Low: 50 High 58 (NNW 10-15)

Thursday

Mostly Sunny and Warmer

Low: 44 High 70 (S-SW 5-15)

Friday

Clouds Increase

Low: 50 High 75 (SW 10-15)

Saturday

Chance for Showers and Thunderstorms

Low: 55 High: 70 (W-NW 5-15

Thanks for reading,

“Doppler” Dale

Wet & Chilly Remains the Rule

Wet and chilly times to continue through the end of the work week. The good news is the weekend is looking nice before yet another BIG system will likely bring more storminess Monday/Tuesday. Here is a look at the forecast:

Tennessee Valley Day-By-Day Forecast

Tonight

Waves of Rain and Thunderstorms with occasional heavy rain.

Some storms may contain hail. Chance for rain 100%

Low: 54 Wind: SE 5-10

Wednesday

Morning Rains and Storms (100%), then remaining cloudy to mostly cloudy.

Total rainfall: 0.5” to 1.5”

Temperatures holding nearly steady to slowly falling

Low: 54 High: 52 (N 10)

Thursday

Mostly Cloudy to Cloudy with a few showers possible late in the day (30%)

Low: 42 High 56- (NE-NW 5-10 )

Friday

Remaining Cloudy and Chilly with a few showers (40%)

Low: 45 High: 58 (W 5-15)

Saturday

Partly Cloudy

Low: 44 High: 65 (NW 5-10)

Sunday

Partly Cloudy, Very Breezy and Warmer

Low: 45 High: 78 (SW 15-20)

Monday

Clouds Increasing, Very Breezy and Warm

Late Day Thunderstorms Possible (60%)

Low: 65 High: 82 (SW 15-20)

Tuesday

AM Showers and Thunderstorms (80%)

Turning Colder Again

Low: 50 High: 58 (NW 5-15)

Wednesday

Decreasing Clouds

Low: 40 High 60 (N-NE 5-10)

Thursday

Mostly Sunny and Warmer

Low: 44 High 74 (S-SW 5-15)

Thanks for reading,

“Doppler” Dale

All Aboard The Weather Energy Train!

An Active Week of Weather Lies Ahead

A very active weather week is what we are in store for here in the Tennessee Valley as several waves of energy in the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere traverse through the Southeast. As each of these systems pass by they will bring rounds of rain and a few t-storms.

Our next wave of energy passes through the Valley Sunday evening and early Monday morning. As it does, it will take showers and t-storms from Arkansas and Mississippi and track them to the east-northeast through northern Alabama and southern Tennessee. The good news is that this round of rain should not be all that heavy with rainfall amounts generally under 0.75”.

As the wave passes by and exits to the east, it will begin to take the clouds along with it. The clouds should decrease through the late morning and early afternoon hours and I anticipate we will see partly cloudy sky conditions by late afternoon and through the evening hours, Monday. Make sure you enjoy the sunshine that does appear as it will likely be limited for much of the work week.

Yet another wave of energy will begin heading towards the Tennessee Valley for Tuesday and as it approaches the clouds will quickly return; so will the chances for showers and thunderstorms. By late Tuesday afternoon, the rain chances will begin to increase and rain chances will become likely for Tuesday night into Wednesday. Some heavy rain will be possible with this event, too. At this time, I anticipate the severe weather threat to remain to our south, generally across central and southern Alabama. However, a warm front will be nosing its way to the north and depending on just how far north it makes it will determine on whether or not or severe weather chances increase. The further north the front goes the higher our chances for seeing some severe weather. Right now, I am forecasting the warm front to make it to the Tennessee/Alabama border but some of the model forecasts are indicating it may make it as far north as I-40 in middle Tennessee.

The placement of the warm front will also impact our temperatures. For now, I am forecasting that we stay in the upper 50s to near 60 for highs Monday through Thursday. It is possible, that the warm front goes far enough to the north Tuesday into early Wednesday that our temperatures may rise into the middle and upper 60s before a cold front cuts through the Valley dropping temperatures sharply on Wednesday. I will watch this closely over the next couple of days.

The weather should begin to quiet down by late in the work week and the weekend is currently shaping up to be rather nice. I am currently forecasting partly cloudy sky conditions and temperatures warming into the 70s on Saturday and 80s on Sunday! Be aware, though, those temperatures will likely not last for long as the pattern stays active and it’s back to the 60s by early next week.

Tennessee Valley Day-By-Day Forecast

Monday

Rain ending around Sunrise

Clouds decreasing and becoming Partly Cloudy by afternoon

Low: 41 High: 59 (NE 5-10)

Tuesday

Becoming Cloudy

Showers and Storms Return in the afternoon/evening hours (70%)

Some heavy rainfall possible

Low: 45 High: 58- (E-SE10-15)

Wednesday

Rain and Storms Likely (90%)

Some heavy rainfall possible.

Temperatures may fall through the day.

Low: 55 High: 58 (W-NW 5-10)

Thursday

A few peaks of sunshine.

Otherwise, mainly cloudy with a few scattered showers possible (30%)

Low: 40 High 58 (N-SW 5 )

Friday

Variably Cloudy

Low: 42 High: 60 (NW 5-15)

Saturday

Partly Cloudy and Warmer

Low: 45 High: 72 (W 10-15)

Sunday

Partly Cloudy

Low: 51 High: 81 (SW 10-15)

Monday

Variably Cloudy

Chance for Showers and T-Storms (60%)

Low: 55 High: 78 (SW 10-15)

Tuesday

Morning Rains

Clouds Gradually Decrease and Turning Colder

Low: 48 High: 60 (NW 5-15)

Thanks for reading,

“Doppler” Dale

A "Super Moon" Could Be Looking Down at You

As the Moon Passes Closest to Earth this Year

This Saturday evening, March 19, 2011, you will have the chance to look into the sky and notice something is a bit different than normal. Saturday will provide us with a “Super Moon” or as NASA calls it, a perigee-syzygy moon. The last occurrence of such an event occurred in March 1993.

NASA/Rick Baldridge

The moon’s orbit around the Earth is an ellipse and one side of the orbit is 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other and is known as the perigee. The other side is known as an apogee.

Each month the moon reaches both apogee and perigee. On March 6th, the moon reached is apogee at a distance of 252, 639 miles from Earth. When the moon passes by, Saturday, it will be at a distance of only 221,575 miles. The moon also has a closest pass to Earth each year and that will occur with Saturday’s perigee. The reason this perigee is known as a perigee-syzygy or super moon is that it not only will be at its closet pass to Earth this year but also will be reaching full phase within an hour of perigee.

This will be the moon’s closest full moon perigee since December 12, 2008 and the moon won’t come this close again until November 14, 2016.

During perigee, the most noticeable affect on Earth is an increase in the world’s tides by an average of about 1 inch. In some locations due to enhanced geographic affects the tidal increase could rise to 6 inches. Additional rises of these heights have minimal overall impact. NASA scientists also state that unlike what you may read or hear elsewhere, a super-syzygy, Super Moon, doesn’t enhance the likelihood of earthquakes, volcanic activity or other natural disasters.

So what will you notice Saturday night? You will likely notice a much larger appearing moon that is brighter, too, as the moon passes about 17,000 miles closer to Earth . During perigee the moon typically appears about 14% larger and about 30% brighter. NASA scientists recommend the best viewing of the “Super Moon” during the evening as the moon rises in the east. For Huntsville, the moon is set to rise at 7:16 pm. For additional locations you can find the time of moon rise by visiting the US Naval Observatory website.

So will the weather provide for viewing of this rare sighting? Well, unfortunately, we will have a cold front in the vicinity of the Tennessee Valley and that will likely present us with some clouds. The hope is that the cloud deck will be at worst broken and at best scattered as the moon rises in the evening sky. Across the nation, some of the best viewing will take place along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas and across portions of the Ohio Valley.

(Information for this post obtained from NASA. For additional information please visit the Science@NASA website.)

Tennessee Valley Day-By-Day Forecast

Friday

Mostly Sunny with just occasional passing high clouds. Warm

Low: 52 High: 80 (SW 5-10)

Saturday

Variably Cloudy

Low: 55 High: 76 (NW-N 5-10)

Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Low: 54 High: 78 (SE 5)

Monday

Mostly Sunny

Low: 53 High: 81(SW 10-15)

Tuesday

Clouds Increase

Low: 55 High: 79 (SW 10-15)

Wednesday

Mostly Cloudy, Chance for Showers and Thunderstorms (30%)

Low: 59 High: 75 (SW 10-15)

Thursday

Showers and Thunderstorms Possible (40%)

Low: 55 High: 65 (NW 10-15)

Friday

Partly Cloudy and Much Colder

Low: 38 High: 58 (NE 5-10)

Saturday

Partly Cloudy

Low: 40 High: 60 (SE-S 5-10)

Thanks for reading,

“Doppler” Dale