textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 340 AM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

- Rain and thunderstorms will continue this morning, with the primary hazards being hail, locally heavy rainfall, and flash flooding.

- Additional episodes of light rain will be possible across the southern portion of the forecast area Wednesday night and across most of the region Friday afternoon-early Saturday morning.

NEAR TERM

(Today) Issued at 340 AM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

After an eventful overnight period that consisted of an area wide stratiform rain shield with embedded thunderstorms get scoured out from west to east thanks to a wake low. Earlier this morning, gusts associated with the wake low reached 30-40 mph across NW AL and around 20-30 mph just east of the I-65 corridor. Latest obs have not shown much in strong gusts, but the back edge of the precip is quickly moving eastward across NE AL.

However, a new line of thunderstorms has developed across N MS and are slowly moving east into N AL along what appears to be a remnant outflow boundary. These storms have shown some impressive cores aloft with hail being the main concern given these cells appear elevated. Hires CAMs have depicted a west to east line of storms stretching from MS into AL this morning that eventually drifts further to the south. Another thing to watch is for flooding this morning as this line moves across Franklin, Lawrence, and Cullman counties. This area has received 2-4 inches of rainfall over the last 24 hrs and if any training occurs flooding is expected.

Lingering isolated showers should continue until a cold front, currently located west of Memphis swings through the local forecast area. Between cloud cover and the frontal passage afternoon temperatures only rise into the mid to upper 70s.

SHORT TERM

(Wednesday night through Friday night) Issued at 905 PM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

Over the course of the short term period a positive-tilt northern stream trough (initially across Ontario) will deepen into a closed mid/upper-level cyclone that will drift very slowly eastward into western Quebec by Friday night. This configuration will maintain a belt of strong (45-55 knot) westerly flow aloft across much of the southern CONUS, with a subtle disturbance embedded within this flow predicted to result in a broad axis of surface pressure falls from south TX into the Lower MS Valley tomorrow. Anafrontal rain on the cool side of the trough (and convective precipitation to its south) will likely remain focused across the central Gulf Coast on Wednesday night. However, current model guidance suggests that patches of light rain may occur across the southern portion of our forecast area (south of the TN River) from late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, as a deepening layer of NNE flow and cool/dry advection will significantly reduce the risk for measurable precipitation further to the north.

Periods of broken mid and high-level clouds and dry conditions will exist on Thursday and Thursday night as a surface ridge migrates southeastward into the TN Valley from the central Plains, resulting in lighter surface winds. During the period from Friday into Friday night, the remnant vorticity lobe (associated with a cutoff low currently over the eastern North Pacific) will shift east-northeastward from northern Mexico into the Lower MS Valley, forcing the development of a stronger frontal wave across the Lower Rio Grande Valley (that will lift quickly northeastward into the southeastern CONUS by 12Z Saturday). As this occurs, anafrontal precipitation (initially occurring in an upslope flow regime across the southern High Plains) will expand quickly eastward into the Lower MS Valley and central Gulf Coast, perhaps bringing a round of light-moderate stratiform rain to the region Friday afternoon and Friday night. Overnight lows in the l-m 50s on Thursday morning will fall into the m-u 40s by Saturday morning as a stronger/reinforcing high builds into the northern Plains. Highs will fall more notably into the u60s-l70s on Thursday and further into the m-u 60s on Friday as skies become overcast.

LONG TERM

(Saturday through Tuesday) Issued at 905 PM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

Global models suggest that cool rain on the northwestern flank of a surface low (across the southeastern CONUS) will end across the region late Saturday morning, with dry conditions expected for the remainder of the weekend. As a surface high builds southward through the Great Plains, winds will become light/variable Saturday night and this along with clearing skies will promote efficient radiational cooling and lows in the u30s-l40s (followed by sunny skies and pleasantly warm temps in the m60s-l70s later on Sunday). Southwesterly return flow will begin on Sunday night and continue through the end of the extended period, resulting in a warming trend with highs returning to the m-u 70s by Tuesday. Low- level moisture return will initially be limited in this regime, but should increase a bit by Tuesday, warranting very low chances for showers.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1213 AM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

Showers with embedded thunderstorms will continue at the start of the TAF period. These will lower visibility and keep cloud heights below fuel alternate. Thunderstorms will move off to the east over the next few hours leaving in its wake light rain, but the low stratus will remain until after sunrise. NBM guidance is giving a low chance (20-30%) of IFR ceilings during the early morning hours, but confidence is too low to include at this time. The cold front should slide south of the terminals during the morning hours scattering out the MVFR ceilings. Winds will then veer to the NW with gusts as high 15 to 20 kts.

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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