'Significant' cold snap coming for Alabama this week

The National Weather Service said a “significant late-season cold snap” is on its way for Alabama starting on Monday night, and freeze watches have been issued for most of the state through Tuesday morning.

A cold front is expected to move through Alabama later today, according to forecasters, and much cooler (and drier) weather is expected to follow it.

Scattered rain will be possible across the state today, but the good news is that the Storm Prediction Center has removed a Level 1 severe weather risk for extreme south Alabama today. A few thunderstorms could be possible, however.

Here’s the severe weather risk map for Sunday:

Temperatures are expected to be mild today, with highs in the 60s and 70s statewide, but colder air arrives tonight.

Here are the forecast lows for Sunday night into Monday morning:

A big change will be in the air on Monday, and highs will only reach the 50s in north and central Alabama and 60s in south Alabama:

Then the big chill will hit Monday night into Tuesday morning, and that’s when the freeze watches (which will likely be upgraded to warnings by then) will go into effect.

Lows from Monday night into Tuesday morning will fall into the mid- to upper 20s in north and north-central Alabama, the low 30s in the central part of the state, and the low to mid-30s in south Alabama.

That will be cold enough to kill any new spring plants if they are left unprotected, according to forecasters.

Here are the forecast lows for Monday night into Tuesday morning:

Here’s a look at the forecast and the freeze watches that will go into effect Monday night in Alabama:

NORTH ALABAMA

* Freeze watch from late Monday night through Tuesday morning for Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Marshall, Jackson, DeKalb and Cullman counties.

The National Weather Service in Huntsville said temperatures as low as 26 degrees will be possible in those areas by Tuesday morning.

CENTRAL ALABAMA

* Freeze watch from late Monday night through Tuesday morning for Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, Shelby, Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Marengo, Dallas, Autauga, Lowndes, Elmore, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock, Lee, Russell, Pike and Barbour counties.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham said lows from Monday night into Tuesday morning could range from 26 to 32 degrees.

SOUTH ALABAMA

* Freeze watch from Monday night into Tuesday morning for Choctaw, Washington, Clarke, Wilcox, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw, Escambia and Covington counties.

The National Weather Service in Mobile said lows by Tuesday morning to fall to between 30 and 32 degrees in those areas.

* Freeze watch from Monday night into Tuesday morning for Coffee, Dale and Henry counties.

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Fla., said temperatures in those area could fall as low as 30 degrees by Tuesday morning.

The cold temperatures won’t hold out all that long. A warming trend is expected to begin on Tuesday, with highs in the 50s and 60s statewide, and most of the state will make it into the 70s again for highs by Wednesday.

The next chance for rain will not enter the forecast until Thursday, according to the weather service. So far no severe weather is expected.