textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 813 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

- Gusty winds will be present tonight and linger through the day tomorrow. - An unsettled pattern will develop next weekend bringing additional chances for rain and storms.

NEAR TERM

(Rest of tonight and Sunday) Issued at 813 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

As of around 8 PM, the cold front that prompted rain and storms this afternoon/evening has nearly moved through the entire area. This can be seen by the leading edge of reflectivity moving through DeKalb county and winds shifting to the NW behind this feature. Post frontal clouds and light rain will linger behind the front through late tonight as the base of the parent trough slowly swings east. Early Sunday morning, skies will begin to clear from the NW aided by strong NNW flow both at the surface and aloft. Winds will be gusty at times through the early morning with gusts of 25-30 MPH possible. The strong NNW flow will usher in a much cooler and drier airmass with morning lows dropping into the 40s and dew points dropping into the 30s.

By sunrise, skies should be clear. Through the day strong NNW flow will continue as surface high pressure builds to our west. This will maintain gusty winds and limiting temperatures. Highs will only make it into the mid 60s. The gusty winds and low RH (~30%) would normally spark some concern for fire weather yet with this evenings cold front providing wide spread wetting rains, we don't anticipate wide spread fire concerns.

SHORT TERM

(Sunday night through Tuesday) Issued at 813 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Through the short term, surface high pressure will pass from its current position to our west over to the mid Atlantic. This will keep clear and calm conditions in the forecast through Tuesday. As the surface high shifts, we will see a gradual increase in temps and dew points from Monday to Tuesdays as surface flow shifts to the ESE. Highs will warm from the mid 70s on Monday to the low 80s on Tuesday. Dew points will rise from the mid 30s to high 40s by Tuesday afternoon. The low dew points will keep min RH near 30%, however high pressure will suppress winds through the period, decreasing fire weather concerns.

LONG TERM

(Tuesday night through Saturday) Issued at 813 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

By the middle of the week, sfc high pressure centered across eastern GA and SC will be the main driver of the local weather pattern. As a result, a dry forecast is expected to continue through Thursday. A gradual warming trend is also anticipated as mid level ridging slowly amplifies by the end of next week. Expect afternoon highs in the lower 80s Wednesday and mid 80s on Thursday with morning lows in the mid 50s. On Friday, an upper level trough across the Rockies digs southeast into the Plains. As a sfc low pressure system ejects eastward across the Upper Midwest into the Great Lakes region, a cold front to its south will stretch into the Ohio River Valley. Latest ensemble guidance suggests that the far southern edge of this front will reach the Tennessee Valley during the second half of the day on Friday bring a low to medium (40-60%) chance of showers and thunderstorms. The cold front stalls across the local forecast continuing medium rain chances through Saturday. This far out, severe storms chances appear quite low, but this will be something to keep an eye on as we head through next week.

AVIATION

(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1230 AM CDT Sun Apr 19 2026

A post-frontal band of low clouds (MVFR and VFR ceilings) and SHRA/RA will continue to affect KHSV and KMSL TAF sites early in the period. However, improvements will occur first at KMSL, with RA expected to end by 07Z. Otherwise, VFR conditions are anticipated throughout the period at KMSL with gradually lifting cloud bases. At KHSV, the latest timing of the back edge of the band of precip indicates it moving to the east of KHSV by ~09Z. Current MVFR ceilings should improve to VFR likewise ~09Z.

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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