The latest 7-day QPF forecast shows that abundant rain of up to several inches is expected everywhere in the Southeast this week except for the southern tip of Florida. Rain is likely to occur almost every day, leading to a lack of sunshine as clouds cover the region. That will keep daytime temperatures down but nighttime temperatures warmer than normal.
The long-range outlook shows at least two chances for frost by the end of February in areas outside of the coastal plains, including next weekend and then near the end of the month. However, long-range forecasts this year have been varying considerably from one run to the next so don’t put too much trust in them. Alabama is going to see the coldest temperatures as the surge of the chilliest air moves south to the west of the rest of the region, which is somewhat protected by the Appalachian Mountains. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is indicating a return to drier, more La Nina-like conditions later in the month. We’ll see.
