Today’s high was 74. The record for Dec. 30 is 79, recorded in 1974.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, patchy fog late. Highs in the mid- to upper 60s. Lows in the mid-50s. Chance of rain 5 percent or less.

Tomorrow’s weather column by WKRG’s Alan Sealls:

Looking up

Look up and enjoy the sun and clouds. Sunshine dominates the sky with a few high, thin clouds splashed across at times. Like yesterday, in the ice crystals of cirrus clouds you may find a ring of color around the sun called a “halo”. You might see the bright spots on either side of the sun called “sun dogs” or “mock suns”. The technical name for those is “Parhelia” which means “with the sun”. If we miss out today we’ll have more chances soon.

You’ll also have to look up a little higher in the thermometer to find the temperature. That’s not bad for the kids and folks on vacation. For the next three days we embrace a slow warming trend in an otherwise tranquil pattern. Highs today will be in the lower 60s. Tomorrow we rise into the upper 60s. For the last day of the year highs will top 70 degrees. We’ll start the New Year also around 70 degrees.

Winds will be light and southerly and no rain is in sight into January 1. After that, we’ll cool back down to more typical temperatures for early January.

Today’s low was 33. The record for Dec. 28 is 18, recorded in 1925.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the low to mid-60s. Lows in the mid- to upper 40s. Chance of rain 5 percent or less.

Tomorrow’s weather column by WKRG’s Alan Sealls:

Looking up

Look up and enjoy the sun and clouds. Sunshine dominates the sky with a few high, thin clouds splashed across at times. Like yesterday, in the ice crystals of cirrus clouds you may find a ring of color around the sun called a “halo”. You might see the bright spots on either side of the sun called “sun dogs” or “mock suns”. The technical name for those is “Parhelia” which means “with the sun”. If we miss out today we’ll have more chances soon.

You’ll also have to look up a little higher in the thermometer to find the temperature. That’s not bad for the kids and folks on vacation. For the next three days we embrace a slow warming trend in an otherwise tranquil pattern. Highs today will be in the lower 60s. Tomorrow we rise into the upper 60s. For the last day of the year highs will top 70 degrees. We’ll start the New Year also around 70 degrees.

Winds will be light and southerly and no rain is in sight into January 1. After that, we’ll cool back down to more typical temperatures for early January.

Today’s low was 55. The record for Dec. 26 is 14, recorded in 1983.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 60s. Lows in the upper 30s Chance of rain 10 percent or less.

Tomorrow’s weather column by WKRG’s Alan Sealls:

Dry and seasonable

Last night’s rain may just do it for 2011. See the rain totals below this column. Actual amounts may be higher since the paper goes to print before it all ends. We went through a severe drought in early summer but overall we are okay now. Once the new year starts we reset rain totals. It makes sense to use a one year period since that is an entire growing season. In reality there’s no weather reason why we use January 1 as a starting point. It’s just convenient.

Depending on what month you start in to calculate one year’s worth of rain you’ll always get a different 12 month total. If we had used October, 2010 through September, 2011 as a year then the totals would be several inches higher than what we have. If we had used September, 2010 through August, 2011 the numbers would be a foot lower than what we have!

In the days ahead no major weather systems approach so embrace the sunshine and seasonable afternoon temperatures. We’ll be near 60 today and tomorrow, and in the upper 30s tonight and middle 30s tomorrow night.

Today’s low was 55. The record for Dec. 26 is 14, recorded in 1983.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 60s. Lows in the upper 30s Chance of rain 10 percent or less.

Tomorrow’s weather column by WKRG’s Alan Sealls:

Dry and seasonable

Last night’s rain may just do it for 2011. See the rain totals below this column. Actual amounts may be higher since the paper goes to print before it all ends. We went through a severe drought in early summer but overall we are okay now. Once the new year starts we reset rain totals. It makes sense to use a one year period since that is an entire growing season. In reality there’s no weather reason why we use January 1 as a starting point. It’s just convenient.

Depending on what month you start in to calculate one year’s worth of rain you’ll always get a different 12 month total. If we had used October, 2010 through September, 2011 as a year then the totals would be several inches higher than what we have. If we had used September, 2010 through August, 2011 the numbers would be a foot lower than what we have!

In the days ahead no major weather systems approach so embrace the sunshine and seasonable afternoon temperatures. We’ll be near 60 today and tomorrow, and in the upper 30s tonight and middle 30s tomorrow night.

Today’s high was 57. The record for Dec. 23 is 79, recorded in 1970.

Saturday: Partly cloudy, 40 percent chance of rain Saturday night. Highs in the low 60s. Lows in the low 50s.

Tomorrow’s weather column by WKRG’s Alan Sealls:

Twas the sky before Christmas

Twas the sky before Christmas and along the Gulf coast the temperatures were average, low 60s at most. The chances for rain were tiny and low and that made it easy to travel to and fro. No storms were near but some clouds lingered in wait, if they all could go away that would be great. The light northeast wind had barely a blow, a good sign this season as many of us know.

For the vision of snow that would surely bring smiles, one must head to the airport and fly hundreds of miles. Soon thickening clouds deliver shades of gray, tonight through tomorrow is how they stay. The only thing to fall from our skies overnight would be raindrops on rooftops but they’d be very light. As little ones sleep with colorful dreams alive, the low temperature tonight shall near 45.

While sunshine this weekend would be what you love, the jet stream decides to bring clouds back above. On a 40% rain chance tomorrow you can bet, that also means a 60% chance you won’t get wet. Merry Christmas to all and to all a cloudy night.

Today’s high was 76. The record for Dec. 22 is 79, recorded in 1884.

Friday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid-60s. Lows in the mid-40s. Chance of rain 10 to 20 percent.

Tomorrow’s weather column by WKRG’s Alan Sealls:

Cool transition

On the second day before Christmas my true love gave to me, much cooler air, mostly cloudy skies, just a few showers, and a decrease in humidity. Yesterday’s muggy heat and storms made it easy to forget it was the second day of winter, based on astronomy. Weather doesn’t follow the calendar the way we do but it will feel more like the season by Sunday. With 40s at night, we’re making that transition from sweating weather to sweater weather.

A northerly wind today and tomorrow keeps highs in the middle 60s. The sky stays mixed with a little more sun this afternoon than tomorrow. Rain chances are tiny but a light shower is still possible. Most of us will stay dry. The hope of a bright Christmas is dimming. It looks like another wave of low pressure arrives Sunday bringing thicker clouds and light rain. Highs on Christmas settle in the upper 50s.

Here are my last minute weather gift suggestions for the closet meteorologist in your life- a weather radio, a home weather station, or weather apps for a smart phone or computer. A nice umbrella is always useful!

Today’s high was 78. The record for Dec. 21 is 79, recorded in 1998.

Thursday: Cloudy, patchy fog early. Rain chances 80 percent, with possible thunderstorms. Highs in the low 70s. Lows in the low to mid-50s.

Tomorrow’s weather column by WKRG’s Alan Sealls:

The rain is back

On the third day before Christmas my true love gave to me, an umbrella. We had a break most of yesterday from the rain but now it’s back. Not only do we get periods of rain with some heavy downpours, we also get some lightning and thunder. Average rainfall today should be around an inch so some spots may pick up just a little while others get a lot.

Be extra careful on the wet roadways with the increased Holiday traffic and some of us in a bit of a hurry to finish our scurry. If you get caught in a downpour with lightning you’re always safer to wait for the danger to pass. If you’ve got a smart phone with weather apps or Internet, watch the radar.

The trend after today is cooler and less wet. I still can’t say for sure whether all of the rain will be gone for Christmas Day. This pattern of waves of low pressure passing over us is just like waiting for traffic to die down before crossing the street. Just when you think it’s done another vehicle comes zooming in from the distance.

Today’s high was 77. The record for Dec. 16 is 81, recorded in 1971.

Saturday: Decreasing clouds, 20 percent chance of rain before noon. Highs in the low to mid-60s. Lows in the upper 30s to low 40s.

Tomorrow’s weather column by WKRG’s Alan Sealls:

In the middle

Well, that was a nice stretch of mild weather. “Was” is the key word. The winds shifted overnight so now we’ve got a fresh north breeze delivering cooler and drier air. Clouds are on the way out. If they haven’t left where you are already, they should exit later in the afternoon. In most areas we’ll see a great sunset today.

Cooler highs this afternoon stick in the lower 60s. Highs tomorrow will be in the same range too. That’s right in the middle of average. Tonight a chill settles in. With clear skies we’ll find ourselves in the upper 30s toward sunrise. Inland communities closer to Highway 84 will be colder, a degree or two either side of freezing, so a light freeze is more likely there.

After a cold, crisp start, Sunday delivers tons of sun. The light northeast wind in the afternoon won’t rob too much of your body heat so it should feel comfortable in the sunshine but cool in the shade. Highs on Monday warm to the upper 60s. Monday looks bright to start with afternoon clouds returning to set us up for Tuesday showers.

Today’s high was 76. The record for Dec. 15 is 79, recorded in 1971.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, 20 percent chance of rain. Highs in the low to mid-70s. Lows in the mid-50s.

Tomorrow’s weather column by WKRG’s Alan Sealls:

Little Rain

Rain today will be little. Chances of getting wet will be low. Where it rains it should be light and I don’t expect the overall rain totals to change. Mobile has 49″ of rain for the year and Pensacola has 41″, which are far from an average amount of 63″ but not really that bad. That’s not to say we don’t need a good soaking. It just won’t happen today. Our next rain chance looks like Tuesday.

Expect a mixture of clouds and sun once again today with light southeast winds slowly shifting out of the north this evening. We’ll break back into the lower 70s but this will be the last mild day for a while. Cooler air filters in tonight giving us highs this weekend in the middle 60s. On Sunday morning you’ll wake to lower 40s. Those are typical temperatures for middle December.

Saturday starts gray but by late afternoon the sky should brighten. Sunday looks like a sunnier day and so does Monday. By late Monday I expect clouds to return in advance of the next little low pressure system so Tuesday gets cloudy with showers.