Friday Afternoon, May 24, 2013
Chief Meteorologist Jason Simpson

A Late September Feel to Memorial Day Weekend

That clear, blue sky and cool north breeze felt distinctly more like late September or even October than late May today, and as temperatures drop to the forties tonight, it will really feel more like Fall than Memorial Day weekend by Saturday morning! Huntsville and Muscle Shoals both have a record low on May 25th of 45 degrees; it looks like we will come close but probably won’t break the records.

This cool snap will not last long, so breathe in the dry, comfortable air while you can! Heat an humidity return next week as temperatures soar toward 90 degrees again.

Memorial Day Weekend at Home:

Saturday looks nice, comfortable and dry with plenty of sunshine and a high in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees. The wind settles down a lot (ESE 5-10 mph), so if you have plans to be on Lake Guntersville, Tim’s Ford Lake, The Tennessee River, Smith Lake or any other around here, the weather looks great! Lake water is a little chillier than you might expect, so swimming may be out if you’re cold natured.

Sunday will be a little warmer and slightly more humid with a southeast wind around 6 to 12 miles per hour. Expect a high in the lower and middle 80s with a mostly sunny sky.

SEC Baseball Tournament: The weather at the Hoover Met looks great if you’re going to see some Southeastern Conference Baseball this weekend! Expect highs in the low-80s Saturday and mid-80s Sunday with a light breeze and a mostly sunny sky.

The Smokies: Some frost is possible in the Smokies on Saturday morning, and it’s going to be a little cool on Saturday: highs around 73 degrees in Gatlinburg. It warms up to the upper 70s Sunday with partial sunshine, and Monday’s high gets close to 80 with a 20% chance of a few scattered showers and storms.

The Gulf Coast: From Gulf Shores to Panama City and all points in between, the weather won’t be as hot as it has been in years past on Memorial Day weekend. Expect highs around 80 to 85 degrees on the coastline; water temperatures are a little cooler than average, too. Instead of mid-80s, it’s in the upper 70s and lower 80s at places like Pensacola and Dauphin Island.

Next Week: The weather finally starts to catch up with the season next week. Look for hotter days, warmer, more humid nights, and a small chance of a stray shower or storm on Monday and Tuesday. The best chance of rain will be in Middle Tennessee, the Cumberland Plateau and the Smokies Monday, but even then, we’re talking very spotty, hit-or-miss showers. Expect highs near 90 degrees with more humid air in place later in the week.

VALLEYWX.COM HIGHLIGHT: Can dual-pol radar really see tornado debris being tossed out ahead of a severe storm? It’s possible that the National Weather Service in Tusla has documented it: Valleywx.com.

Got a cool picture or a story to share with us? Tweet us using the #valleywx hashtag!

TONIGHT: Clear and chilly. Near a record low. Low: 46. Wind: Light NE.

SATURDAY: Mostly sunny & a little warmer. High: 79. Wind: ESE 5-10.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Cool and dry. Low: 53. Wind: SE 3-7.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny, warm and dry. High: 84. Wind: SE 6-12..

MONDAY (MEMORIAL DAY): Partly cloudy, warm and more humid. A few isolated showers or t’storms possible in the afternoon. High: 86. Wind: SE 6-12. Rain: 10%.

TUESDAY: Partly cloudy, warmer and more humid. An isolated shower possible, but widespread rain is not likely. High: 87. Wind: S 6-12. Rain: 10%.

WEDNESDAY: Passing clouds at times. Feeling hot and humid! High: 88. Wind: S 7-14.