textproduct: Huntsville

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 952 PM CDT Fri May 1, 2026

- A much cooler air mass will arrive this weekend, with daytime highs in the mid to upper 60s and overnight lows in the upper 30s/40s.

- There is the potential for isolated patchy frost in some cooler spots on Sunday morning as radiational cooling prevails and lows primarily dipping into the upper 30s - low 40s.

- There is a low risk for stronger to severe storms on Wednesday.

NEAR TERM

(Today) Issued at 252 AM CDT Sat May 2 2026

Low pressure over the Gulf Coast will continue to eject northeastward as high pressure enforces a dry and cool airmass over the area. Northwesterly winds will become breezy at times today, especially during the afternoon hours when gusts could reach 20-25mph. An early morning look at satellite shows cloud cover will soon begin to clear from west to east and the sun will return area wide by the afternoon. Highs today will top out in the mid 60s to low 70s.

SHORT TERM

(Tonight through Monday) Issued at 952 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026

A long wave trough moves through the day on Saturday, which will pick up the surface low over the Northern Gulf coast. With that synoptically influenced subsidence behind the trough axis will dominate the forecast for the rest of the period through Monday. This combination will allow for CAA along with much drier to filter in from the NW on Saturday into Sunday. Radiational cooling will allow lows to drop into the upper 30s (higher terrain) to low 40s (TN Valley) into Sunday morning as you head out the door, well bellow normal for this time of the year. We may need to watch the possibility for frost to occur in the coolest spots as dewpoints may drop into the mid - upper 30s, though not a widespread concern at this time.

High pressure will tell the tale, especially on Sunday as winds calm and highs stay below normal once again, with few clouds. However, the surface high should move to our east and allow for subtle return flow from the south by the afternoon, this will start the process for WAA and moisture to return from the Gulf, upper-level flow also begins to become less amplified and more zonal. This subtle change will allow lows to be a little warmer on Sunday night (into the upper 40s to near 50 in most locations).

On Monday, with the return of more moisture and warmer temperatures, expect some more clouds, as air parcels may be able to more easily condense after some daytime mixing, allowing for partly cloudy skies with ample sunshine. Highs will be closer to the mid to upper 70s, more seasonal.

LONG TERM

(Monday night through Friday) Issued at 952 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026

An anomalous cold pattern should continue across much of the North American domain, courtesy of a rather deep upper low situated over southern Ontario and Quebec. The presence of this vortex has created lower heights across the eastern CONUS, with resultant cooler than normal temperatures. By the time we get into later Monday, lower than normal mean upper heights should be situated over southern Ontario. Another upper level system developing west of Vancouver will slowly deepen as it moves southward across the central California coast on Monday. It will eventually become part of a synoptic scale through that should move eastward across the Lower-48 in the next work week.

This next system could produce higher terrain snow in the Rockies early next week, as a surface low develops over the Front Range and adjacent High Plains. As it traverses more to the east, this storm system will tap more moisture from the Gulf region. Closer to this region, surface high pressure will move east of the Tennessee Valley on Monday, inducing a southerly flow and also bringing deeper moisture from the Gulf. An associated cold front nearing from the west will bring an increase in clouds, along with chances of showers and thunderstorms. General model output this far out was suggesting that some storms during Wednesday afternoon and night-time could become strong to severe in intensity, along with locally heavy rain. The upper trough as it sweeps across the Ohio/Tennessee Valley region also become neutrally tilted, which can help enhance overall storm intensity.

A cold front with this next system should move across the area on Thursday. Given the presence of the upper level vortex hanging tough over the Hudson Bay, producing inherently lower heights, and a NW-N surface flow as Canadian high pressure builds over the region, will bring more unseasonably cool conditions to close out the latter work week.

For the extended period, daily temperatures for the start of a new workweek should be a tad milder, with lows Sunday night from the lower 40s east to lower 50s west. High temperatures in the Tuesday through Wednesday period should risen into the mid/upper 70s, a little cooler than seasonable norms of around 80. After the front passes Thursday, highs that day should only rise into the lower 70s, and in the low/mid 70s next Friday.

AVIATION

(12Z TAFS) Issued at 616 AM CDT Sat May 2 2026

VFR conditions will prevail through the TAF periods with northerly winds backing to the northwest today and gusting near 30kts at times this afternoon. High clouds should clear the area from west to east this morning.

HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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