Alabama Faces Brief Deep Freeze Before Temperatures Turn Above Average Across the Deep South by Christmas Week

ALABAMA — A sharp but short-lived blast of winter cold is settling across Alabama early this week, with freezing temperatures expected through Tuesday morning. However, forecasters say the cold will not last long, as a notable upper-air pattern shift is expected to bring above-average temperatures across the Deep South during Christmas week.

Weather model guidance shows the coldest conditions occurring early in the week before a steady warm-up begins heading into the holiday period.

Coldest Temperatures Hold Through Tuesday Morning

Much of Alabama, especially northern and central portions of the state, will remain locked in a deep freeze through Tuesday morning. Overnight lows are expected to fall well below freezing, with wind chills making conditions feel even colder in some areas.

This cold air mass is tied to a departing system that has allowed Arctic air to surge southward into the region.

“This is the coldest stretch of the week, but it is brief,” forecasters note.

By Tuesday afternoon, temperatures should begin to rebound as the cold high pressure shifts east and winds begin to turn more southerly.

Upper-Level Pattern Flip Drives Rapid Warm-Up

Forecast models indicate a clear flip in the upper-level weather pattern developing midweek. As ridging builds over the eastern United States, colder air retreats northward, allowing warmer air to spread back into Alabama and the broader Deep South.

Temperature anomaly data for Christmas Day shows Alabama running well above normal, with many areas expected to be 10 to 25 degrees warmer than average.

“The overall signal strongly favors a warmer-than-normal Christmas week,” meteorologists say.

What Christmas Week May Feel Like Across Alabama

While exact temperatures will continue to be refined, the current pattern favors a much milder holiday stretch:

• Highs climbing into the 50s and 60s statewide
• South Alabama potentially reaching the upper 60s to low 70s on Christmas Day
• Overnight lows remaining mostly above freezing after Tuesday

The warmer conditions will be a sharp contrast to the early-week cold, giving much of the state a more spring-like feel during the holiday.

Forecast Confidence Drops After Christmas

Beyond Christmas week, forecast confidence decreases. Long-range models show uncertainty tied to evolving global patterns, which could determine whether warmth holds or colder air returns toward late December or January.

Meteorologists caution that details beyond seven days remain fluid.

“Time will tell how the late-month pattern evolves,” forecasters say.

For now, the message is clear: Alabama’s deep freeze is brief, and a noticeably warmer Christmas week is becoming increasingly likely.

Residents should take precautions against freezing conditions early this week, then prepare for a much different temperature pattern as the holiday approaches.

What are conditions like where you live in Alabama? Share your local temperatures and observations with the WaldronNews.com community.