textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 213 AM CST Mon Dec 1 2025

- Light-moderate rain will continue through early Tuesday morning, with a transition to wintry mixed precipitation possible after sunrise (and mainly across the eastern half of the forecast area).

- Cloudy skies and brisk north-northwest winds will lead to a cold day on Tuesday, with wind chills in the mid 20s. Snow flurries will be possible (especially during the late morning hours). Conditions will be favorable for freezing fog late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning.

- Chances for light precipitation return early Thursday morning and continue through Friday. A brief wintry mix will be possible (especially in southern middle TN) before temperatures increase after sunrise Friday.

NEAR TERM

(Today) Issued at 213 AM CST Tue Dec 2 2025

Two bands of rain were shifting east this morning. The first has moved into east central AL into northeast GA. The second band was along and ahead of a surface boundary extending from middle TN through western AL. Winds have shifted to the northwest behind this boundary with temperatures falling into the middle to upper 30s. Light rain and drizzle will persist in the low clouds behind the front early this morning before ending. Temperatures will remain nearly steady in the 30s today for most areas once the front passes through. Any partial clearing will be limited to far northwest AL late this afternoon.

SHORT TERM

(Tuesday night through Thursday night) Issued at 957 PM CST Mon Dec 1 2025

Short range model data suggests that a rapid transition to zonal flow aloft will begin on Tuesday night, with westerly flow in the mid-levels predicted to strengthen on Wednesday downstream from a positively-tiltd trough drifting southeastward from the Four Corners into the southern Rockies. At the surface, high pressure centered across KY/TN will provide calm winds Tuesday night, and with skies expected to remain clear, efficient radiational cooling will drop temps into the l-m 20s (with an attendant risk for development of freezing fog). As the weakening high shifts eastward on Wednesday, light southerly return flow will contribute to afternoon highs rebounding into the u40s-l50s.

On Wednesday night, the mid-level trough digging across the southern Rockies will begin to sharpen a surface trough lying across the northwest Gulf Coast, with stratiform precipitation expected to redevelop north of this boundary and a rapid increase in elevated clouds across our region. Although the precipitation shield will continue to expand northeastward during the early morning hours Thursday, it may only reach central MS by 12Z Thursday and could largely bypass our forecast area to the south later in the morning. However, the leading edge of a reinforcing arctic airmass (building southeastward through the central Plains) will reach our forecast area prior to sunrise, and elevated warm advection (associated with WSW flow of 15-20 knots at the 850-mb level) could lead to development of light precipitation. Should this occur, forecast soundings suggest that sleet would be the favored precipitation type, with a deepening warm nose in the 800-700 mb layer and high potential for evaporative cooling in the low-levels.

Later in the day Thursday and into Thursday night, the mid-level trough (across the southern Rockies) will dampen and accelerate east-northeastward into the OH Valley in the flow to the east of an amplifying wave over the central High Plains. As this occurs, a second round of light precipitation will expand northeastward from the Lower MS Valley into the southern Appalachians. Although our CWFA may once again be on the northern fringe of this regime, forecast soundings indicate that a light mixture of sleet and perhaps some freezing rain could occur (particularly north of the TN River, where temps are most likely to be in the lower 30s).

LONG TERM

(Friday through Monday) Issued at 957 PM CST Mon Dec 1 2025

Light precipitation may be ongoing across much of the region on Friday morning, but should gradually end from W-to E during the afternoon hours as a decaying trough over the OH Valley advances further northeastward. However, the risk for wintry precipitation will quickly diminish after 12Z as the lower-middle tropospheric column warms and moistens. With little change in the thermodynamic properties of the boundary layer and another amplifying 500-mb trough predicted to drop into the MS Valley by 12Z Saturday, clouds and perhaps some sprinkles of rain may continue for much of the region, but should end throughout the day on Saturday as the trough axis shifts eastward and a drier airmass enters the region.

During the Sunday-Monday timeframe, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the path and speed of an upstream clipper system that will quickly progress from the central Plains into the southeastern U.S. Present indications are that southerly return flow ahead of this system will begin early Sunday morning, with cloudy skies and perhaps some showers possible later in the day. Clouds may continue on Sunday night and perhaps into Monday as northwest flow in the wake of this system draws a colder/drier airmass southeastward into the region once again.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 439 AM CST Tue Dec 2 2025

An area of -RADZ will continue to move east this morning as a cold front passes through. Winds have shifted to the northwest at 8-12kt behind the front with a few gusts of 15-20kt. Ceilings below 010agl (IFR) will slowly lift above 010agl (MVFR), but this remains uncertain and amendments may be needed. Clearing is forecast to slowly arrive tonight from west to east, entering KMSL and KHSV from ~05-06Z. Patchy BR and FZFG is forecast to develop as the wind diminishes late tonight. At this time, have left out of KHSV and KMSL due to low confidence in exact placement.

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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