523  
FXUS64 KHUN 302245  
AFDHUN  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL  
545 PM CDT THU JUL 30 2026  
   
..NEW AVIATION
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
UPDATED AT 1050 AM CDT WED JUL 30 2026  
 
- AN UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN BEGINS FRIDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUES  
THROUGH SUNDAY WITH MEDIUM TO HIGH CHANCES (50%-80%) FOR  
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY INTO MID NEXT WEEK.  
 
- THERE IS A LOW CHANCE FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM  
DEVELOPMENT SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT.  
 
- LOW TO MEDIUM SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES REMAIN IN THE  
FORECAST INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK (30-60%). TEMPERATURES SHOULD  
SLOWLY WARM BACK INTO THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S THEN.  
 

 
   
NEAR TERM
 
 
(TONIGHT)  
ISSUED AT 149 PM CDT THU JUL 30 2026  
 
TEMPERATURES HAVE CLIMBED INTO THE 84 TO 86 DEGREE RANGE  
PRIMARILY AT 130 PM. SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND FAR NE ALABAMA  
HAVE SEEN THEIR DEWPOINTS DROP DUE TO MIXING OF DRIER AIR ALOFT  
INTO THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S. ELSEWHERE, NOT AS MUCH MIXING HAS  
OCCURRED WITH DEWPOINTS STILL IN THE MID 60S TO LOWER 70S. STILL,  
MUCH NICER THAN A FEW DAYS AGO REGARDLESS. A SCATTERED CUMULUS  
FIELD HAS DEVELOPED OVER PORTIONS OF NW ALABAMA OVER THE PAST FEW  
HOURS. THIS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH SUNSET BEFORE DISSIPATING  
WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. CURRENTLY, STILL ON TRACK TO  
HIT PRIMARILY THE UPPER 80S TO AROUND 90 DEGREES TODAY.  
 
A PRIMARY CONVERGENCE AXIS THAT IS CREATING SOME SHOWER AND  
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO OUR WEST AND SOUTHWEST STRETCHES FROM  
THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE NW TO NEAR MERIDIAN, MS INTO SOUTHERN  
ARKANSAS. AS THIS BOUNDARY SLOWLY PUSHES TOWARDS THE NE, EXPECT  
SOME PARTLY CLOUDY CONDITIONS TO REDEVELOP OVERNIGHT OVER THE  
AREA. HOWEVER, THIS CLOUD COVER SHOULDN'T IMPACT TEMPERATURES  
MUCH. LOWS SHOULD STILL DROP WITH LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS INTO  
THE LOWER TO MID 60S IN MANY AREAS. THE EXCEPTION TO THIS WILL BE  
NW ALABAMA, WHERE DEWPOINTS WILL LIKELY STAY IN THE UPPER 60S TO  
AROUND 70 DEGREES. NOT EXPECTING ANY FOG FORMATION TONIGHT, BUT IF  
SOME PATCHY FOG WERE TO FORM, NW ALABAMA WOULD SEE ANY.  
   
SHORT TERM
 
 
(FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)  
ISSUED AT 1050 AM CDT THU JUL 30 2026  
 
THIS BOUNDARY KEEPS MOVING NORTHEAST INTO THE DAY ON FRIDAY. AT  
THE SAME TIME A FAIRLY STRONG UPPER LOW PIVOTS SOUTHEAST THROUGH  
THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION. SOME MODELS HINT THAT THE BOUNDARY  
WILL PUSH INTO NW ALABAMA DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS ON  
FRIDAY. SHEAR DOES NOT LOOK VERY GOOD (MAINLY LESS THAN 20-25  
KNOTS). HOWEVER, INSTABILITY IS AMPLE FOR GENERAL THUNDERSTORM  
DEVELOPMENT. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS WOULD BE THE  
MAIN THREATS. LATER IN THE EVENING, STRONGER FORCING AHEAD THE  
APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS CORRELATED WITH THE UPPER LOW  
(THEN OVER THE NORTHERN INDIANA/ILLINOIS AREAS) APPROACHES THE  
CONVERGENCE BOUNDARY ALREADY MOVING EAST THROUGH NORTHERN ALABAMA.  
THIS INCREASE IN FORCING SHOULD INCREASE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM  
COVERAGE OVER NORTHERN ALABAMA TOWARDS DAYBREAK.  
 
THE MOST PERSISTENT PERIOD OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LOOKS TO  
BE SATURDAY MORNING, AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS ASSOCIATED  
WITH THE UPPER LOW OVER THE NORTHERN INDIANA/ILLINOIS AREAS SWING  
EAST AROUND IT TOWARDS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. THERE SEEMS TO BE  
MORE OF A CONSENSUS THAT THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PUSH MORE  
TO THE SOUTHEAST OF NORTHERN ALABAMA DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON  
HOURS. PWATS CLIMB BACK ABOVE 2.0 INCHES, SO HEAVY RAINFALL MAY BE  
AN ISSUE SATURDAY MORNING GIVEN STRONGER FORCING SHOWN AT 700 MB.  
HOWEVER, SHEAR DOES NOT LOOK VERY IMPRESSIVE IN THE MORNING.  
 
THEN MODELS ARE SHOWING ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS  
DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE LONGWAVE TROUGH AXIS LATER IN THE  
AFTERNOON. THOUGH THE BEST SHEAR (AROUND 35 KNOTS OR HIGHER)  
REMAINS EAST OF THE UPPER LOW (CORRESPONDING TO AN INCREASING LOW  
LEVEL JET), MODELS DO SHOW 25-40 KNOTS POSSIBLY PUSHING SOUTHEAST  
INTO NORTHERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE DURING THE  
LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING HOURS. 1000 TO 2000 J/KG OF CAPE IS  
IN PLACE IN SEVERAL MODELS DURING THIS PERIOD. THUS, OUR MAIN  
ROUND STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS MAY OCCUR WITH THIS SECOND ROUND OF  
ACTIVITY. BETTER HELICITY SHOULD REMAIN MORE IN NORTHERN TENNESSEE  
NORTHWARD CLOSER TO THE UPPER LOW. SO, RIGHT NOW EXPECTING A  
TORNADO THREAT TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE AREA. HOWEVER, GIVEN  
INSTABILITY AND SHEAR, SOME SEVERE STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING  
DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO HAVE TO BE  
WATCHED CLOSELY ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON IF THE SECOND ROUND OF  
RAIN/STORMS MATERIALIZES. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES WITH PWAT  
BETWEEN 2.0 AND 2.2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE. IF WE GET SUNSHINE IN  
THE AFTERNOON, HIGHS COULD REBOUND INTO THE 85 TO 90 DEGREES  
RANGE IN NW AL. FURTHER EAST, LOWER TO MID 80S MAY BE MORE  
PREVALENT. THIS STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY COULD LAST  
PAST MIDNIGHT BEFORE PUSHING SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA WITH ONLY  
LINGERING LIGHT RAIN IS STILL IN PLACE AFTERWARDS.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM
 
 
(FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)  
ISSUED AT 1050 AM CDT THU JUL 30 2026  
 
THIS BOUNDARY KEEPS MOVING NORTHEAST INTO THE DAY ON FRIDAY. AT  
THE SAME TIME A FAIRLY STRONG UPPER LOW PIVOTS SOUTHEAST THROUGH  
THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION. SOME MODELS HINT THAT THE BOUNDARY  
WILL PUSH INTO NW ALABAMA DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS ON  
FRIDAY. SHEAR DOES NOT LOOK VERY GOOD (MAINLY LESS THAN 20-25  
KNOTS). HOWEVER, INSTABILITY IS AMPLE FOR GENERAL THUNDERSTORM  
DEVELOPMENT. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS WOULD BE THE  
MAIN THREATS. LATER IN THE EVENING, STRONGER FORCING AHEAD THE  
APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS CORRELATED WITH THE UPPER LOW  
(THEN OVER THE NORTHERN INDIANA/ILLINOIS AREAS) APPROACHES THE  
CONVERGENCE BOUNDARY ALREADY MOVING EAST THROUGH NORTHERN ALABAMA.  
THIS INCREASE IN FORCING SHOULD INCREASE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM  
COVERAGE OVER NORTHERN ALABAMA TOWARDS DAYBREAK.  
 
THE MOST PERSISTENT PERIOD OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LOOKS TO  
BE SATURDAY MORNING, AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS ASSOCIATED  
WITH THE UPPER LOW OVER THE NORTHERN INDIANA/ILLINOIS AREAS SWING  
EAST AROUND IT TOWARDS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. THERE SEEMS TO BE  
MORE OF A CONSENSUS THAT THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PUSH MORE  
TO THE SOUTHEAST OF NORTHERN ALABAMA DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON  
HOURS. PWATS CLIMB BACK ABOVE 2.0 INCHES, SO HEAVY RAINFALL MAY BE  
AN ISSUE SATURDAY MORNING GIVEN STRONGER FORCING SHOWN AT 700 MB.  
HOWEVER, SHEAR DOES NOT LOOK VERY IMPRESSIVE IN THE MORNING.  
 
THEN MODELS ARE SHOWING ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS  
DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE LONGWAVE TROUGH AXIS LATER IN THE  
AFTERNOON. THOUGH THE BEST SHEAR (AROUND 35 KNOTS OR HIGHER)  
REMAINS EAST OF THE UPPER LOW (CORRESPONDING TO AN INCREASING LOW  
LEVEL JET), MODELS DO SHOW 25-40 KNOTS POSSIBLY PUSHING SOUTHEAST  
INTO NORTHERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE DURING THE  
LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING HOURS. 1000 TO 2000 J/KG OF CAPE IS  
IN PLACE IN SEVERAL MODELS DURING THIS PERIOD. THUS, OUR MAIN  
ROUND STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS MAY OCCUR WITH THIS SECOND ROUND OF  
ACTIVITY. BETTER HELICITY SHOULD REMAIN MORE IN NORTHERN TENNESSEE  
NORTHWARD CLOSER TO THE UPPER LOW. SO, RIGHT NOW EXPECTING A  
TORNADO THREAT TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE AREA. HOWEVER, GIVEN  
INSTABILITY AND SHEAR, SOME SEVERE STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING  
DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO HAVE TO BE  
WATCHED CLOSELY ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON IF THE SECOND ROUND OF  
RAIN/STORMS MATERIALIZES. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES WITH PWAT  
BETWEEN 2.0 AND 2.2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE. IF WE GET SUNSHINE IN  
THE AFTERNOON, HIGHS COULD REBOUND INTO THE 85 TO 90 DEGREES  
RANGE IN NW AL. FURTHER EAST, LOWER TO MID 80S MAY BE MORE  
PREVALENT. THIS STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY COULD LAST  
PAST MIDNIGHT BEFORE PUSHING SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA WITH ONLY  
LINGERING LIGHT RAIN IS STILL IN PLACE AFTERWARDS.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM
 
 
(SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)  
ISSUED AT 1050 AM CDT WED JUL 30 2026  
 
ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO SHOW THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS  
LINGERING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY SOUTHWARD INTO NORTHERN ALABAMA  
THROUGH SUNDAY. THIS SHOULD KEEP MEDIUM SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM  
CHANCES IN THE FORECAST THROUGH THEN. THIS SHOULD KEEP HIGHER RAIN  
AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES IN THE FORECAST AND HIGHS MORE PLEASANT  
IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S.  
 
ENSEMBLES BEGIN TO DIVERGE MORE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.  
SOME GUIDANCE DROPS THE UPPER LOW ALL THE WAY SOUTH INTO NORTHERN  
ALABAMA (IF THIS OCCURS, SHEAR COULD BE SIGNIFICANT AND A SEVERE  
THREAT MAY RE-MATERIALIZE). OTHERS KEEP THE UPPER LOW OVER THE  
OHIO VALLEY, BUT SHIFT THE LONGWAVE TROUGH AXIS EAST INTO GEORGIA.  
SO THE FORECAST INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK IS VERY UNCERTAIN. NBM SEEMS  
TO BE TAKING THE MIDDLE ROAD, KEEPING LOW TO MEDIUM CHANCES OF  
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY OF  
NEXT WEEK.  
 
AT THE TAIL END OF THE LONG TERM, AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AND  
SUBSEQUENT HIGH PRESSURE BEGIN TO WORK EASTWARD INTO THE LOWER  
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WHICH SHOULD BEGIN TO DRY OUT THE AREA ALONG  
WITH INCREASING TEMPERATURES YET AGAIN. HIGHS THROUGHOUT THE LONG  
TERM PERIOD ARE FORECAST TO WARM INTO THE 80S WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS  
IN THE UPPER 60S-LOWER 70S.  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
 
(00Z TAFS)  
ISSUED AT 545 PM CDT THU JUL 30 2026  
 
VFR CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO PERSIST THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH  
MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT/VAR WINDS. DRIER AIR NEAR THE SFC  
SHOULD KEEP FOG FORMATION AT BAY TONIGHT.  
 

 
   
HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
AL...NONE.  
TN...NONE.  

 
 

 
 
NEAR TERM...KTW  
SHORT TERM....KTW  
LONG TERM....HC  
AVIATION...25  
 
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