textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1041 AM CDT Tue Apr 21 2026

- An unsettled pattern arrives Friday, with shower and storm chances persisting through the beginning of next week.

- We are monitoring for the potential of severe weather this weekend; however, no severe weather is currently forecast.

- There is a medium chance of severe weather next Monday.

NEAR TERM

(Rest of Today and Tonight) Issued at 1041 AM CDT Tue Apr 21 2026

Surface high pressure that brought cooler conditions to the area the last couple of days has shifted more to east, now centered over the Mid Atlantic region. A SE flow rounding the western half of the high will return across the area. An upper trough moving further off of the east coast will result in an almost zonal upper level flow pattern across the eastern CONUS for the upcoming mid week. An upper level upper level disturbance currently over NE Texas will head to the ESE over the next few days. Scattered to at times numerous showers/thunderstorms were in progress over the eastern third of Texas. An area of high altitude clouds preceding the system were beginning to overspread this region.

With rising height/thickness values and generally strong solar insolation; this should produce even warmer conditions across the Tennessee Valley today. High temperatures should rise to around 80 (upper 70s east to lower 80s west), with SE winds of 5-15 mph. Skies should become partly cloudy as we go into the afternoon and evening as the upper system nears from the west. Under partly to at times mostly cloudy skies, a somewhat milder night is expected, with lows falling into the low/mid 50s with light winds.

SHORT TERM

(Wednesday through Thursday) Issued at 1041 AM CDT Tue Apr 21 2026

The system over Texas should head towards coastal AL/FL towards Thursday. Shower activity with this system should remain well to our south and west. Thus dry weather should continue Wednesday and on Thursday, with high temperatures both days into the lower 80s. Lows Wednesday night in the low/mid 50s. Deep southerly flow will gradually bring higher amounts of moisture from the Gulf to the area.

LONG TERM

(Thursday night through Monday) Issued at 859 PM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026

An active period of weather is forecast during the long term period bringing the potential for some much needed rainfall to the Tennessee Valley. Thursday night into Friday, the upper level ridge breaks down leaving a more zonal flow pattern heading into the weekend. As a sfc low across the Dakotas slowly moves off to the northeast, an attendant cold front draped across the Upper Midwest down south into the Mississippi River Valley swings east Friday. This will bring a medium/high chance (50-70%) of showers and storms to the local forecast area starting Friday night and continuing into Saturday. A few shortwaves riding along the upper level jet from Texas towards the Tennessee Valley will ripple through the area this weekend keeping medium chances (40-60%) of showers and storms through Sunday. Confidence in timing remains quite low with these weekend systems, but the main threat is locally heavy rainfall. Something that is much needed given the abnormally dry Spring. There is at least low probabilities of some strong storms, mainly on Saturday as that is when the good shear overlaps with modest instability.

As we head into Monday a more pronounced upper level trough digs down across the Desert Southwest. Sfc cyclogenesis is forecast to develop across OK/TX and then the low will eject northeastward into the Plains. The cold front to its south is forecast to swing through Monday bringing medium chances (40-60%) of showers and thunderstorms. Once again there are signs of strong to maybe severe storms coinciding with this system given the ensemble means have 40-50 knots of deep layer shear combined with 500-750 J/kg of CAPE. A lot can change between now and the upcoming weekend, but trends continue to show an active pattern.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 542 AM CDT Tue Apr 21 2026

VFR conditions are forecast to continue through tonight and into early Wednesday morning. Southwesterly winds are expected to remain below 10 knots today, then become calm once again this evening. Clouds will gradually increase through the day as well.

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

AL...None. TN...None.