textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 420 AM CST Mon Jan 20 2026

- A cold/dry air mass will remain in place through Tuesday.

- Precipitation chances return to the region from Wednesday evening/night (medium to high chances) through Thursday (low chances).

- Monitoring this weekend for the potential for significant accumulating wintry precipitation and winter weather impacts; however, high uncertainty remains with amounts and type of precipitation that will occur.

- Sub-freezing conditions could remain in place into early next week after this precipitation occurs.

NEAR TERM

(Rest of Today and Tonight) Issued at 248 PM CST Tue Jan 20 2026

There have been no changes to near term forecast reasoning since the update earlier this morning, with current temperatures in the u30s-l40s close to max values for the day. As a surface high begins to shift eastward from the southern/central Appalachians tonight, we expect light southerly flow to return to the region which (along with increasing high clouds) will lead to warmer overnight lows ranging from the l20s (E) to u20s (W).

SHORT TERM

(Wednesday through Friday) Issued at 755 AM CST Tue Jan 20 2026

The tail end of an upper trough will be dropping into the OH and TN valley back into OK/TX on Wednesday. This continues to induce a southwesterly low level jet which advects a warm/moist axis into the lower MS and TN valleys generating rain showers. A frontal boundary basically stalls out over southern TN and north AL into MS Wednesday night before sinking south on Thursday. Low rain chances, mostly light rain and perhaps some drizzle will last into Friday. Arctic high pressure will be building south into the Plains and upper Midwest during this time, increasing the pressure gradient into the deep South. This will increase northeast flow and low level cold advection on Friday. However, at this time, temperatures are forecast to remain well above freezing during the day Friday.

LONG TERM

(Friday night through Tuesday) Issued at 1017 PM CST Mon Jan 19 2026

A modified arctic air mass looks to move into the Tennessee Valley Friday night into early Saturday as evidenced temperatures potentially falling well below freezing (low to mid 20s). We are watching the evolution of a developing upper low over Baja California that will shift into the heart of Texas late Friday into Saturday. To the north of the area over the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, a strong area of high pressure will keep this storm system and the associated subtropical jet potentially focused from the lower Mississippi Valley, Mid South, Southern Appalachians, and Carolinas/Mid Atlantic.

Deep moisture advection ahead of this feature would lead to a broad and potentially prolonged period of precipitation across much of the Southeast. Depending on the track and evolution of this storm system and the vertical temperature profile while this precipitation occurs, periods of winter weather may develop across the Tennessee Valley during a broad window from Friday night/ Saturday through Saturday night/Sunday. There are still too many uncertainties in specific details to make specific projections on accumulations and precipitation types for each location. However, there is a fairly notable signal in the ensembles that do support concern for all modes of winter weather -- snow, sleet, freezing rain, and even a cold rain. In the coming days, please monitor the latest forecast information and review your winter weather safety plans earlier this week while the weather is more favorable.

In wake of this system, a ridge of high pressure will build into the region early next week and we'll be favored for below normal temperatures Monday and Tuesday. Should any appreciable winter weather occur, impacts could continue into early next week.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1050 AM CST Tue Jan 20 2026

VFR flight weather conditions are forecast.

CLIMATE

Issued at 1118 PM CST Mon Jan 19 2026

Moderate and/or High Risk for Much Below Normal Temperatures:

The Climate Prediction Center has included the entire Tennessee Valley in a Moderate risk for Much Below Normal Temperatures between January 27-30, 2026. Therefore, there is a 40-60% chance for temperatures below 18-21 degrees F during this period.

More information on the CPC U.S. Hazards Outlook can be found at:

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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