North Alabama to Remain Below Freezing Until Thursday

By Jim Stefkovich, Meteorologist, Alabama Emergency Management Agency

CLANTON – Wednesday 7:15 am, January 17, 2024

At 7:00 am, temperatures range from -1 degrees near Huntsville to 10 at Birmingham to 19 at Gulf Shores.

Temperatures are forecast to remain below freezing north of a Hamilton – Oneonta – Centre line today and only for 2-4 hours southward to a Butler – Clanton – Wedowee line.  A graphic showing the time above freezing is shown above.

High temperatures today will range from the lower 30s north to middle 40s south.  Tonight’s Lows will range from the teens north to middle 20s south with lower 30s on the coast.

Highs on Thursday will range from the upper 30s north to lower 60s at the coast. Lows will be from the middle 20s north to middle 40s south. 

The next system will bring mainly light rain to the state from late Thursday afternoon into pre-dawn Friday morning.  Total precipitation amounts will be 0.2 inch or less. There could be a period of mixed winter precipitation north and east of a Huntsville – Fort Payne line right before the precipitation ends, but confidence is currently low on this occurring.  

However, when the precipitation begins, there is a chance some rain could initially freeze on contact due to still frozen surfaces even though air temperatures are above freezing. This would favor the locations that experienced the most snow/sleet with this past event and locations that are sheltered from the sun north of I-59. Again, this is marginal, but is possible.

In addition, low temperatures Thursday night into Friday morning will drop below freezing north of I-59.  Any standing water could freeze, especially on bridges.

Another arctic blast of cold air will move into the state Friday with high temperatures from the lower 30s north to middle 50s south. Highs on Saturday will range from the lower 20s north to lower 40s south.  Lows both Saturday and Sunday morning will be in the single digits north to middle 20s south.

High temperatures will rise above freezing statewide on Sunday but with well below normal values.   The good news is that we will then go into a warming trend after Sunday.