textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1021 AM CST Tue Jan 27 2026

- Cold temperatures will continue through the rest of the week, with lows in the upper teens to lower 20s each night.

- We are monitoring another blast of arctic air later this week, along with a low chance of precipitation.

NEAR TERM

(Rest of Today and Tonight) Issued at 146 PM CST Tue Jan 27 2026

There have been no changes to near term forecast reasoning since the update earlier this morning, with gusty WSW winds and abundant sunshine currently allowing temps to climb into the u30s-l40s. It still appears as if a weak cold front (related to a decaying northern stream trough) will drop southeastward through the region early this evening, concurrent with an increase in high- level clouds (related to an amplifying southern stream wave tracking across the southern Plains). With the southern extent of snow flurries (associated with the cold front) expected to be well to our northeast (portions of eastern KY/western VA), we will maintain a dry forecast. However, as atmospheric lift strengthens in advance of the southern stream trough, patches of virga are likely to appear across southern portions of the Gulf Coast states. Forecast soundings continue to indicate that low stratus clouds will fill in behind the frontal wind shift, and should keep the risk for patchy freezing mist/fog confined to sheltered valleys and locations near large bodies of water as temps fall into the upper teens-lower 20s.

Previous Discussion: West-northwest flow of 45-55 knots will persist across the local forecast area through the near term period, as our region will remain beneath a longwave mid/upper-level trough encompassing central/eastern North America. Embedded within this flow, a decaying northern stream wave and weakening area of low pressure will shift eastward across southern ON/QC, as a gradually amplifying southern stream disturbance tracks from the Four Corners east-southeastward to the northwest Gulf Coast. Although neither system will have a significant impact on weather conditions locally, strengthening WSW gradient flow in the low- levels (to the south of the clipper system and to the north of a remnant arctic surface ridge extending from the northwest into the central Gulf Coast) combined with abundant sunshine will allow temps to rise into the m30s (elevated terrain) and u30s-l40s elsewhere.

High-level clouds (related to the southern stream wave) will begin to spread across the region late this afternoon, and should become overcast for much of the night. This, along with a light NNW wind (in the wake of a weakening cold front that will cross the region early this evening) will yield warmer overnight lows in the upper teens-lower 20s. Although some patchy freezing fog may develop in valleys and near large bodies of water, there is a higher likelihood for patches of low stratus clouds in the wake of the front.

SHORT TERM

(Wednesday through Thursday night) Issued at 1021 AM CST Tue Jan 27 2026

At the surface, the center of a ridge (representing a modified Canadian airmass) will spread southeastward from the central Plains into the eastern Gulf Coast states from Wednesday into Thursday. This configuration will maintain light northerly winds tomorrow, that will become calm Wednesday night and return to the south on Thursday. As an amplifying southern stream trough shifts further east-southeastward over the northern Gulf tomorrow, high clouds will clear the region late tomorrow morning, with afternoon insolation supporting highs a few degrees warmer compared to today (u30s-m40s). Cirroform clouds will begin to increase in coverage once again on Wednesday night, as another mid-level shortwave trough travels through an amplified 500-mb ridge over the western CONUS and digs southeastward into the central Plains. Thus, with little fluctuation in dewpoints, we anticipate lows Thursday morning to once again reach the upper teens-lower 20s.

Beginning Thursday night, we will need to monitor the progress of a region of light stratiform precipitation that will originate across parts of KS/OK earlier in the day and expand in coverage as it spreads east-southeastward over the Ozarks and into the Lower MS Valley. This precipitation regime will be occurring within a region of elevated warm advection and moisture transport to the north of a surface low that will track southeastward from the Red River Valley (Thursday morning) into the central Gulf Coast (Friday morning) in conjunction with a secondary mid-level vort max that will dig into northern portions of MS/AL by 12Z Friday. Although precipitation intensity appears light, it would likely come in the form of snow or snow flurries (based on surface temps in the l-m 20s and current forecast low/mid-level thermal profiles). At this point, uncertainty in both timing and placement of the precipitation axis warrants only POPs up to 10%, but these may be increased in future updates.

LONG TERM

(Friday through Monday) Issued at 948 PM CST Mon Jan 26 2026

Winter will hold its grip on the TN Valley through the end of the month. By Friday, an upper level trough that expands across the eastern half of the CONUS, full of more Arctic air, will have a southern stream wave phase with it and then ride along or just south of the Gulf Coast. In return, a sfc low will develop in the northern Gulf. We will be monitoring the evolution of this set up to see if we get another round of wintry weather or if it develops more to our east towards the Mid Atlantic. As it stands, our forecast for Friday has a low chance (10-20%) of showers with higher values brushing the southern portions of the CWA, but Saturday will be dry. Both days will be bitterly cold. Highs on Friday will be in the 30s, and northerly winds will pick up Friday night to tank lows into the single digits and slightly above, with wind chills possibly below zero.

The trough will deepen as it digs southeastward from the Great Lakes into the Southeast on Saturday before it wraps up and slingshots to the Mid Atlantic and off the coast on Sunday. That punch of arctic air on Saturday will make it the coldest day of the long term with highs firmly in the 20s. The gusty winds will persist and keep lows once again the single digits to just above. High pressure will dominate our forecast for Sunday and Monday as the sfc low associated with the upper level trough deepens and rides up the east coast. In return, Sunday's highs will "warm up" to around freezing and Monday will return to the 40s, which is warmer but still 10 degrees below normal.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1152 AM CST Tue Jan 27 2026

VFR/SKC conditions will exist at the MSL/HSV terminals this aftn, with a WSW flow of 10-15 kts (occasionally gusting to 20 kts). Cirroform clouds (related to an upper-lvl disturbance tracking across the southern Plains) will begin to increase around or shortly before 0Z, with coverage becoming overcast by 3Z. A weak cold front will also drop southeastward into the region early this evening, veering winds to NNW with speeds falling to ~5 kts. Forecast soundings suggest that at least a broken coverage of low stratus can be expected in the wake of the front, which may provide MVFR cigs thru 14-16Z. Although the presence of the clouds will reduce concern for development of patchy FZBR/FZFG, some may still occur in sheltered locations and near large bodies of water. Skies are predicted to become clear once again by the end of the TAF period.

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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