545  
FXUS64 KHUN 181531  
AFDHUN  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL  
1031 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2026  
   
..NEW NEAR TERM, SHORT TERM
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
UPDATED AT 1030 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2026  
 
- LOW CHANCES (10%-20%) FOR SHOWERS ACROSS NORTHEAST ALABAMA  
TODAY.  
 
- LOW TO MEDIUM CHANCES (20-60%) FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS  
RETURNING LATE TUESDAY, THEN MEDIUM TO HIGH CHANCES (50-90%)  
FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY, FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH  
THE WEEKEND  
 

 
   
NEAR TERM
 
 
(REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT)  
ISSUED AT 1030 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2026  
 
MORNING SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATING MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES WITH  
SCATTERED LOW/MID CLOUD COVER PASSING THROUGH THE TENNESSEE  
VALLEY. TEMPS ARE ALREADY PUSHING 80 DEGREES THIS MORNING WITH DEW  
POINTS IN THE MID/UPPER 60S. HIGHS WILL TOP OUT IN THE UPPER 80S  
TO RIGHT AROUND 90 DEGREES ONCE AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON WITH  
SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 10-15 MPH GUSTING NEAR 20 MPH. AXIS OF SLIGHTLY  
BETTER MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY (SBCAPE ~1000 J/KG) WILL REMAIN  
EAST OF I-65 THIS AFTERNOON WHERE THERE WILL BE A 10-20 PERCENT  
CHANCE PRIMARILY FOR SHOWER ACTIVITY. A RUMBLE OF THUNDER IS NOT  
OUT OF THE QUESTION BUT SHOULD BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.  
TONIGHT...WINDS WILL DROP OFF AFTER SUNSET WITH LOWS REMAINING  
MILD IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM
 
 
(TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)  
ISSUED AT 1030 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2026  
 
MID-LEVEL RIDGE WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE TO OUR EAST FOR SEVERAL  
DAYS WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN OVER THE LOCAL AREA ON TUESDAY AS A  
TROUGH SWINGS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND ASSOCIATED SFC LOW  
TRANSITIONS NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THE SFC  
COLD FRONT WILL PUSH EASTWARD THROUGHOUT THE DAY TUESDAY  
APPROACHING THE LOCAL AREA LATE ON TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. IT WILL  
SLOW AND BECOME NEAR STATIONARY OVER MS/AL/GA ON WEDNESDAY. AS A  
RESULT, CHANCES FOR RAIN/STORMS WILL INCREASE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO  
WEDNESDAY ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WITH CONTINUED  
ROUNDS OF ACTIVITY ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS A SERIES OF  
SHORTWAVES TRANSITION ALONG THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE SUBTROPICAL  
RIDGE OVER THE TN VALLEY AS PLENTY OF MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE  
ALONG THE STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY. MORNING CAMS COMING IN ARE  
BACKING OFF SIGNIFICANTLY IN PRECIP CHANCES WITH THE INITIAL  
PRECIP COMING IN TOMORROW NIGHT WITH THE COLD FRONT. ANY NOTABLE  
PRECIP CHANCE REMAIN WEST OF I-65 UNTIL AFTER SUNRISE ON WEDNESDAY  
BUT THAT STILL MAY BE TOO HIGH IF TRENDS CONTINUE. RAIN CHANCES  
WILL PEAK WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS BETWEEN  
70%-90% BOTH DAYS. SHEAR PROFILES AREN'T IMPRESSIVE AT THIS TIME  
AND THE SEVERE THREAT REMAINS LOW BUT WILL FEEL VERY SUMMER LIKE  
IN TERMS OF CONVECTION WITH SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY, MOISTURE, AND  
LIFT IN PLACE TO FUEL THESE ROUNDS OF ACTIVITY. WE ARE INCLUDED IN  
A "MARGINAL" RISK FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL BY WPC FOR WEDNESDAY AND  
THURSDAY BUT ANY RAINFALL WILL BE BENEFICIAL AT THIS POINT AND  
QPF TOTALS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED TO RESULT IN ANY SORT OF IMPACTFUL  
FLOODING OUTSIDE OF PONDING ON ROADWAYS WHERE LOCALIZED HIGHER  
AMOUNTS ARE SEEN.  
 
HIGH TEMPS WILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL ON TUESDAY BEFORE MODERATING  
MID- WEEK INTO THE LOW/MID 80S UNDER INCREASED CLOUD COVER AND  
WEAKENING RIDGE.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM
 
 
(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY)  
ISSUED AT 1045 PM CDT SUN MAY 17 2026  
 
THIS PATTERN WILL CONTINUE LARGELY UNABATED FROM THURSDAY NIGHT  
INTO THE WEEKEND, WITH A BROAD SUMMER-LIKE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE  
CENTERED NEAR BERMUDA AND DEEP SWRLY FLOW PERSISTING ACROSS THE TN  
VALLEY. A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES ARE EXPECTED TO RIDE ALONG THE  
TROUGH/RIDGE INTERFACE ACROSS THE REGION AND BRING BOUTS OF  
INCREASED SHOWER/STORM ACTIVITY. TIMING THIS IS DIFFICULT, AS THE  
DISTINCT NATURE OF THESE SHORTWAVES IS DIFFICULT TO DISCERN IN THE  
MODEL GUIDANCE. NEVERTHELESS, INCREASED INSTABILITY DURING THE  
DAYTIME WILL CERTAINLY ACT TO REGULATE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS/STORMS  
DURING THE PERIOD. THERMO PROFILES DURING THE THURS-FRIDAY PERIOD  
DO NOT APPEAR TO CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY, WITH GENERALLY MOIST-  
ADIABATIC TYPE PROFILES IN THE INCREASING DEEP/HUMID AIRMASS. PWS  
CLIMBING TO NEAR 1.7 INCHES AND ONLY MODEST CAPES AND WEAK-MODEST  
SHEAR WOULD SUGGEST THE LARGEST THREAT MAY BE DUE TO ANY LOCALIZED  
FLASH FLOODING THAT COULD RESULT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PROSPECT  
FOR SLOW-MOVING TRAINING STORMS. SHEAR MAY INCREASE A LITTLE INTO  
THE WEEKEND, BUT STILL WOULD CHARACTERIZE AS MODEST AT BEST.  
OVERALL, THIS IS REMINISCENT OF A WARM, EARLY SUMMER PATTERN WITH  
HIGHS MOSTLY IN THE 80S AND WARM NIGHTS WITH LOWS IN THE 60S.  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
 
(12Z TAFS)  
ISSUED AT 602 AM CDT MON MAY 18 2026  
 
VFR CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH SOUTHERLY,  
BREEZY CONDITIONS UP TO 18 KTS THIS AFTERNOON.  
 

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

 
 

 
 
NEAR TERM...KG  
SHORT TERM....KG  
LONG TERM....KDW  
AVIATION...HC  
 
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