Snow in Alabama next week? Forecasters watch closely as bitter cold makes its way to state

The National Weather Service on Thursday continued to monitor for the possibility of more winter precipitation in Alabama next week.

The days to watch appeared to be Tuesday into Wednesday.

Forecasters on Thursday said the chances for seeing snow — or ice — were in the medium range and not a sure thing by any means.

They also expect to have more clarity and details in the next few days.

The weather service was far more confident about the prospect of very cold temperatures next week, with some parts of the state expected to remain below freezing for several days.

Wind chills in the single digits also look possible.

A weather system is expected to affect the state on Saturday, but it will bring only rain, according to the weather service.

However, a blast of arctic air will follow the front, and temperatures are expected to drop like a rock on Sunday and into Monday.

The air on the way to Alabama will be from none other than Siberia, according to the weather service in Memphis:

By Sunday night expect low temperatures in the low teens in north Alabama, the teens in central Alabama and the low 20s all the way into south Alabama.

Here are the low temperatures expected from Sunday night into Monday morning:

Sunday night lows

Get ready for a big change this weekend with arctic air headed this way. Above are the forecast lows for Sunday night into Monday morning.NWS

Highs on Monday may not crack 30 degrees in north Alabama, and central Alabama will remain in the 30s, with 40s expected in south Alabama.

A north wind will make it feel even colder than that.

Here are Monday’s expected highs:

Monday highs

Monday will be very cold across Alabama. Here are the expected high temperatures.NWS

Tuesday is where things could get more interesting.

The weather service said that confidence of any snow or ice impacts for Alabama remained on the low side because forecast models were offering up varying scenarios.

The weather service will be watching for an are of low pressure to develop to the southwest of Alabama and track eastward Tuesday into Wednesday.

It’s the track of that low that will determine if Alabama gets any winter precipitation.

If it tracks closer to the Gulf Coast, then Alabama could potentially see some snow or ice. But if it tracks farther south then Alabama could see little to no precipitation.

It was unclear which scenario would play out next week.

As of Thursday morning, the weather service in Huntsville was thinking that north Alabama could get some light snow, with the bulk of the precipitation staying south of the region.

The weather service in Birmingham said there was a 30-50 percent chance for winter precipitation from Tuesday into Wednesday.

And the weather service in Mobile said a wintry mix of precipitation would be possible in that same timeframe.

The weather service said forecasters expect to have more clarity in the next few days.