textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 1147 AM CDT Wed Apr 30 2026

- Medium to high chances of rain Friday night. Rainfall totals of around 0.5" forecast

- A much cooler air mass will arrive this weekend, with daytime highs in the mid to upper 60s and overnight lows in the 40s.

NEAR TERM

(Tonight) Issued at 139 PM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

Temperatures are in the mid to upper 60s in most locations. Cloud cover as well as cold air advection has kept highs a tad below expected values, but not far off. Winds are starting to drop of a bit with most areas seeing northerly winds between 5 and 15 mph. These should drop off even more, but mid/high cloud cover should become thicker this evening and overnight. This will help to keep lows from dropping below the 45 to 50 degree range, despite lower dewpoints advecting into the region.

SHORT TERM

(Friday through Sunday) Issued at 1047 AM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

During the day on Friday, a strong area of high pressure drops southeast from the northern Plains towards the Tennessee Valley. At the same time, the front over the Gulf coastal states begins to shifts northward as a fairly dry cold front shifts southeast that stretches from SE Canada southwest into the desert southwest. Not expecting any break in cloud cover on Friday. In fact, cloud cover should become thicker and some rain may push back into the area by the late afternoon/early evening hours into northern Alabama. Highs don't really look to rebound much remaining in the upper 60s to lower 70s. Rainfall and thunderstorm activity will be focused over Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida by the cold front approaching from the northwest. The strongest forcing will likely be concentrated over northern Louisiana, central/southern Alabama and Georgia. There is not much instability shown even as far south as southern Alabama, though shear will be strong and forcing looks strong as well.

Thus, expecting mainly some moderate to briefly heavy rainfall could occur near and south of the Tennessee River. Rainfall totals between 0.25 to 0.75 inches are expected before the front pushes east of the area into Georgia just after daybreak on Saturday.

Quite cool air pushes into the area behind this cold front on Saturday. Highs in most guidance only reach the lower to mid 60s in most areas. Morning clouds and strong cold air advection (despite some abundant sunshine by the afternoon hours) seen in guidance make this look reasonable. This will be well below normal for this time of year (Normal highs - the mid to upper 70s).

With a larger and more dominant high pushing into the area Saturday night into Sunday, light/calm winds will allow for good radiational cooling. Lows in the upper 30s to lower 40s are forecast in most guidance right now. However, if dewpoints and temperatures drop a frost threat may materialize Sunday morning.

Abundant sunshine should allow temperatures to climb a tad higher on Sunday. However, cold air advection (via NW flow aloft) will keep highs below normal still in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

LONG TERM

(Sunday night through Thursday) Issued at 1047 AM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

Upper level flow becomes more zonal late Sunday night into Monday. A disturbance over eastern Texas should advect slightly more moist and warmer air into the region ahead of it. Fairly strong warm air advection begins on Monday. With abundant sunshine, highs should climb back to around normal values (mid to upper 70s.)

This warming trend will continue into early next week, as a stronger frontal boundary sinks southeast towards the area. Expect some showers and thunderstorms to push into the area ahead of it Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night. Overall, instability doesn't look very impressive.

However, as the front pushes through the area on Wednesday into Wednesday night, a period of stronger thunderstorm development may occur.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1202 AM CDT Thu Apr 30 2026

VFR conditions are expected throughout the TAF period. Winds should become light and variable this evening through 12Z on Friday. Wind should become more northeasterly around 5 knots after 01/13Z.

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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