Rain: Periods of light rain are going to continue across South Texas, South/Central Louisiana, South Mississippi, South and Central Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle through the remainder of the morning.
By this afternoon, somewhat drier air will begin to filter in, lowering rain chances this afternoon and evening. However, rain chances will go back up slightly overnight and tomorrow as another disturbance slides east. Another dry period is then expected Friday and Saturday.
Temperatures: Temperatures today only max out in the upper 30s to lower 40s (North Alabama and Mississippi) to lower 40s (North-Central Gulf Coast and South and East Texas). Tonight, temperatures will drop into lower 20s to lower 30s (North and Central Mississippi and Alabama) and the upper 30s to lower 40s (North-Central Gulf Coast and South and East Texas).
Similar temperatures can be expected through and Saturday. By Saturday, a much colder air-mass will arrive to kick off the New Year.
New Year’s: There is some uncertainty in regard to the forecast for New Year’s.
It is fairly certain that it is going to get much colder Sunday going into Monday, with potential for a freeze all the way down to North-Central Gulf Coast early next week. Precipitation type and placement is where the uncertainty comes in.
The GFS is advertising a winter storm to impact Central and Northern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and heavy rain for South and East Texas, South Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and the Western Florida Panhandle Sunday into Monday.
The ECMWF is the opposite, forecasting showers and storms (no frozen precipitation) to impact South Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle.
Right now the latter of the two solutions seems most likely. But neither model solution can be ruled out yet, so stay tuned.
Cold through next week: It looks like temperatures will remain on the cold side through the week next week.
There is potential for one or two arctic air-masses to drop south (in addition to the one expected Sunday – Monday). Bitterly cold air and a widespread hard freeze appear possible.
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