textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 645 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

- Conditions will be favorable for the initiation of brush and wild fires region-wide today.

- Afternoon high temperatures will rise above normal once again from Wednesday-Friday.

- Low chances (10-20%) for light showers on Friday afternoon/evening.

NEAR TERM

(Today) Issued at 358 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

A surface high (initially centered across the Lower Great Lakes) will build southeastward into the central Appalachians by 12Z, with the local pressure gradient remaining sufficiently steep to result in sustained NE winds of 10-15 MPH early this morning. In the mid/upper-levels, a pair of ill-defined vortices (originating across the central High Plains) will continue to travel east- southeastward within prevailing WNW flow aloft between a subtropical high over the southwestern deserts and a trough across eastern Canada and adjacent portions of the northeastern CONUS. A subtle increase in elevated ascent related to these disturbances has led to an uptick in the coverage of cirrostratus early this morning, and latest model guidance suggests that overcast skies will be prevalent through 15Z before partially clearing. Although some patches of virga will also continue to appear in radar reflectivity data, the subcloud layer remains very dry and POPs for a few sprinkles of rain during this timeframe remain ~5% or less. Over the course of the day, winds will veer to ESE and diminish as the surface high to our northeast shifts further southeastward into the Mid-Atlantic states. With more insolation (compared to yesterday) and less thermal advection, highs will be a few degrees warmer (m-u 60s/E and l70s/W).

SHORT TERM

(Tuesday through Thursday night) Issued at 943 PM CDT Mon Mar 23 2026

The shortwave and clouds will pass the area early Tuesday as the high pressure at the surface continues shifting into the eastern U.S. Winds will turn more southerly as a result through the day. Another weak shortwave will be dropping through TX into AR and LA during the afternoon hours, but clouds and spotty light precipitation associated with this will remain well to our southwest. High temperatures are projected to be in the middle to upper 60s followed by lows in the lower 40s east to around 50 west Tuesday Night. A combination of additional northwest flow impulses and weak isentropic ascent will produce increased mid clouds through Wednesday before shifting east on Thursday. By then, a 5h anticyclone will shift into TX with ridging building across the southeast U.S. This produces a strong 8h thermal ridge from the Plains into the OH valley, with southwest low level flow producing stronger warm air advection into the TN Valley. Highs on Wednesday will range from the upper 60s east (due to remaining decreasing clouds) to the middle 70s in northwest AL. Temperatures reach the lower to middle 80s again on Thursday, followed by lows in the upper 50s to around 60 as dew points climb into the 50s.

LONG TERM

(Friday through Monday) Issued at 943 PM CDT Mon Mar 23 2026

Upper level ridging will remain centered in the deep South through the weekend. As sfc high pressure builds into the Plains region, a cold front will likely shift southward from the OH River Valley towards our area. In turn, low rain chances (30% or less) are forecast for areas north of the TN River Friday evening. As the aforementioned sfc high shifts eastward, dry conditions return through the rest of the weekend with seasonal highs in the 60s-70s.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 645 AM CDT Tue Mar 24 2026

There have been no changes to previous aviation forecast reasoning, as VFR conditions will continue, featuring sct-bkn layers of mid and high-level clouds (and some virga at the beginning of the period). Although low-level moisture return may support an increasing risk for fog and stratus development just before the end of the period, these elements have not been included in the TAFs attm. Prevailing sfc flow will remain in the 4-8 kt range, as wind direction progressively veers from NE-to- SE by this evening.

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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