textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 943 AM CST Sat Feb 21 2026

- Breezy conditions Sunday into Monday with winds gusting 20-25 mph.

- Very cold Sunday night through Monday night with overnight lows in the upper teens to lower 20s with wind chills as low as 6-12F early Monday morning.

- A warming trend will begin Tuesday, with another chance for showers on Thursday.

NEAR TERM

(Tonight) Issued at 202 PM CST Sat Feb 21 2026

Mostly sunny skies have prevailed through the early afternoon, but satellite imagery shows a stream of high level clouds streaming in from the west in advance of an approaching boundary. This has resulted in temperatures warming up into the mid to upper 60s. Looking out the window, some virga can be seen aloft, but no observations are indicating anything reaching the ground. An airmass change is expected over the next few hours. Current dewpoints across the local forecast area are in the upper 40s to lower 50s with light winds. Just to our north and west, winds are gusting 15-20 mph with dewpoints in the upper 20s to lower 30s. As this airmass advects into the region tonight, temperatures will quickly fall down into the upper 20 to lower 30s.

SHORT TERM

(Sunday through Monday Night) Issued at 943 AM CST Sat Feb 21 2026

The center of the upper level trough axis will shift eastward on Sunday along the Southeast Atlantic Coast. Strong northwesterly flow combined with a few shortwave ripples along the western flank of the trough axis will help reinforce the cold airmass through the short term forecast period. While ample sunshine is forecast for Sunday, CAA and gradient winds gusting 20-25 mph with some locally higher gusts to 30 mph in the higher terrain will keep afternoon temperatures in the low to mid 40s. Expect the breezy conditions to continue through Monday afternoon until the pressure gradient relaxes as the deep low across the Mid-Atlantic rides up into the Northeast.

The coldest air temperatures will be felt Sunday night through Monday night. Lows Sunday drop down into the lower 20s with wind chills between 6F-12F. Make sure to grab your winter coat and wear multiple layers to stay warm as you head out the door Monday morning. Afternoon highs on Monday will struggle to climb much above the mid to upper 30s and with breezy conditions it will feel even colder. Ideal radiational cooling conditions with light winds and clear skies are forecast Monday night allowing for temperatures to drop down into the upper teens. The good news is the winds chills will be near or just slightly below air temperatures due to the light winds.

LONG TERM

(Tuesday through Friday) Issued at 1017 PM CST Fri Feb 20 2026

Latest extended range guidance suggests that broad cyclonic flow aloft will remain intact across central/eastern North America throughout the long term period, with the only feature of interest being a shortwave trough that will travel from the Pacific Northwest into the Canadian Maritime provinces between Tuesday and Friday. As surface high pressure migrates southeastward and away from the region on Tuesday, light SSW return flow will initiate the beginning of a warming trend that will continue until the passage of another cold front (related to the aforementioned shortwave trough) at some point during the day on Thursday. Although low-level moisture return will initially be slow to occur across the southeastern CONUS, a plume of dewpoints in the mid 50s may return northeastward ahead of the cold front, supporting development of a frontal squall line. Instability will likely be limited by preceding clouds and poor lapse rates aloft, but trends in the quality of boundary layer moisture will need to be closely monitored over the coming days as both deep-layer and low- level shear would support organized/severe convection. A slightly cooler/drier airmass will return to the region in the wake of the front to end the work week.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1107 AM CST Sat Feb 21 2026

VFR conditions will continue through the forecast period. Gusty northwest winds will begin to increase later this afternoon/evening and continue through the end of the TAF period. Expect gust 15-20 knots at times. While there is a low chance of an isolated shower between 23z-04z this evening, have opted to leave out of the forecast due to low confidence in any precip reaching the ground.

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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