Birmingham, AL – Rain is expected to return to central Alabama later this week, followed by a noticeable warmup heading into Christmas, according to the National Weather Service.
According to the National Weather Service in Birmingham, rain chances increase sharply on Thursday, with forecasters placing the probability of rain at around 80% during the day and continuing into Thursday night. The system is expected to bring widespread rainfall, though severe weather is not anticipated at this time.
Most areas across Jefferson County and surrounding counties are forecast to receive between 0.25 inches and 1 inch of rain. Forecasters note that the highest chances for totals near or above 1 inch are across northern portions of central Alabama. Thunderstorm chances remain low, generally in the 20% to 30% range, and any storms that develop are expected to remain below severe limits.
Rain chances taper off late Thursday night into early Friday as the system moves east. Behind it, a brief cooldown is expected on Friday before warmer air builds back into the region over the weekend.
Looking ahead, the Climate Prediction Center’s 6- to 10-day outlook shows an 80% probability of above-normal temperatures across Alabama during the week of Christmas. High temperatures are forecast to climb into the 60s and potentially the lower 70s starting Sunday, with overnight lows settling into the 40s and 50s.
On Monday morning, temperatures across the Birmingham metro were already running above normal, with readings in the low 50s reported from Birmingham, Hoover, Homewood, and surrounding communities.
Forecasters say the combination of beneficial rainfall and warmer temperatures could be welcome news for holiday travel and outdoor plans but urge residents to monitor updates as timing and rainfall totals may still shift.
