321 FXUS64 KBMX 170615 AFDBMXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 115 AM CDT Wed Sep 17 2025
...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION...
.SHORT TERM... (Today through Thursday) Issued at 110 AM CDT WED SEP 17 2025
Additional subtle impulses aloft will drift southward atop our region today, guided by a low pressure system over coastal Virginia. In the low levels, a broad pattern of confluence will continue. This setup will support isolated shower and thunderstorm activity at times.
As suggested by models yesterday, we`ve a batch of showers and a few thunderstorms moving south from Tennessee (at 1:10 am Wednesday) along a low-level axis of convergence and outflow propagation. This activity should primarily affect areas northeast and then east of Birmingham through the early-morning hours.
Additional isolated activity is forecast to dot central Alabama this afternoon. Then, high-resolution models again show a southward-moving, low-level axis of lift Wednesday evening/night, with a few CAMs suggesting spotty activity between the 20 and 85 corridors during this time. Overall, afternoon to evening shower and thunderstorm activity won`t be significant due to limited coverage and duration, but certainly welcome where it occurs.
The Mid-Atlatic low pressure system will zip northeastward Wednesday night into Thursday as it is absorbed by a larger trough to its north. This will allow shortwave ridging to overspread our region. While the forecast does not include any shower/thunderstorm chances at this time for Thursday, it`s conceivable that a few cells could develop along an axis of somewhat higher PWAT values draped across part of the Gulf Coast region. A ~10-20% chance may be introduced pending trends.
High temperatures will run between 5-10 degrees above seasonal normals, with upper 80s to lower 90s forecast for today and more- so in the lower 90s for Thursday.
89^GSatterwhite
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.LONG TERM... (Thursday night through next Tuesday) Issued at 110 AM CDT WED SEP 17 2025
Above-normal warmth, by a margin of between 5-10 degrees, continues through late this week, along with nil to very limited shower/thunderstorm chances. A pattern of troughing is then progged to develop next week, which should allow us to shave a few degrees off temperatures with a chance for diurnally driven showers and thunderstorms, though chances are low at this time (~20 percent).
89^GSatterwhite
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.AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 110 AM CDT WED SEP 17 2025
The only interruption to VFR conditions through the TAF period will come from isolated showers and thunderstorms. The first instance could affect ANB through 12z this morning. The second chance comes this afternoon and evening as isolated activity develops across central Alabama, focused between 18z-03z. There isn`t a formal mention in the TAFs, and may come down to satellite/radar trends given the spotty and brief nature of activity. Winds will be calm overnight then variable around 5 knots during the day.
89^GSatterwhite
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.FIRE WEATHER...
D0 to D1 drought conditions are most prevalent across the western half of Alabama, though locations elsewhere are trending in this direction. Through the weekend, afternoon RHs as low as the lower to middle 30s are forecast, along with minimal shower and thunderstorm chances, and light winds (
NWS BMX Office Area Forecast Discussion