BELOW FREEZING TEMPS FRIDAY A.M.; RAIN RETURNS SATURDAY NIGHT… Bundle up today and tonight as highs on this Thursday will only be in the low-50s. Clouds will gradually clear out today, giving way to clear skies tonight. We quickly plunge into the 30s a few hours after sunset. Most spots will be in the upper-20s by daybreak on Friday! Highs will moderate into the upper-50s on Friday ahead of a rain chance that will set up on Saturday evening. Rain will be possible from Saturday night into Sunday and then again from Wednesday into Christmas Eve Thursday. Your full Thursday morning forecast details are below.

COLD NIGHT AHEAD… Temperatures will be below the freezing mark in many communities across south Alabama and northwest Florida on Friday morning. Inland communities will likely have overnight lows in the upper-20s. Closer to the immediate beach zones, near freezing (32°) temperatures are expected. I would encourage everyone (regardless of if you are near the beaches or inland) to take full freeze precautions. You know the drill: Bring in the plants, the pets, and make sure exposed outside pipes are protected. Also, make sure you check on folks who may not have adequate heating sources in their homes. Many of us are fortunate to have good heating units, but there are more than we know who do not have this blessing.

TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE 50s TOMORROW… After our cold start, I expect high temperatures on Friday to rebound into the mid- to upper-50s. Sunshine will prevail throughout the day on Friday.

DRY SATURDAY; RAIN RETURNS SATURDAY NIGHT… The daytime hours of Saturday will feature increasingly cloudy skies. The rain, however, should hold off until after sunset. I can’t completely rule out the chance of a shower or two before sunset, but I think most areas will be dry until at least 6PM. Highs on Saturday will rise into the low- to mid-60s. Heavy rain may be possible at times on Saturday night into the very early morning hours of Sunday. For now, severe weather parameters remain very low.

SHOWERS POSSIBLE SUNDAY… Lingering showers may be possible on Sunday, but temperatures will again be in the 60s in the afternoon hours. Rain chances will progressively decrease throughout the day on Sunday.

MAINLY SUNNY MONDAY & TUESDAY… The beginning of Christmas week looks quiet, sunny, and cool. Highs will be in the 60s with low temperatures near 40.

ANOTHER CHANCE OF RAIN WEDNESDAY INTO CHRISTMAS EVE… Our forecast looks pretty consistent as we go into the middle part of next week. We’re in this pattern where we have rain every 2-3 days and that looks to be the case again by the middle of the week on Wednesday into Christmas Eve. We note that all model guidance points to rain locally and across Alabama and NOT snow or mixed precipitation.

COOLER TEMPS POSSIBLE FOR CHRISTMAS DAY… Since it is 8 days out, a lot can and will change with the forecast for Christmas Day on Friday of the upcoming week. For now, we will suggest cooler temperatures throughout the day with clearing skies. We will likely start the day in the 30s and peak in the afternoon in the low-50s. We will keep refining the Christmas forecast and bring you the latest over the next few days.

APP… If you haven’t already, be sure to download the free RedZone Weather app to keep up with all the latest information on the world of weather in south Alabama and northwest Florida. redzoneweather.com/app is the link for the free download. Once you have the app downloaded to your iOS or Android device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab (lower right corner) and tap the large, yellow Alert Settings button to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.

See all the details in your Thursday #rzw forecast video. Have a great day!