A threat of severe storms and then severe cold heads for the South

Severe storms and severe cold are part of Alabama's forecast through the weekend and into next week. Check the video forecast for the latest updates.COLD FRONT HITS ON FRIDAYExpect another cold night. Temperatures will drop to the lower and middle 30s by Friday morning in Birmingham, while the normally colder spots will fall to the upper 20s in northeastern Alabama.Friday will be sunny, cool, and dry. The sunshine will warm us up to near 50 degrees by mid-afternoon. A cold front passing through the region will create a breezy afternoon; expect a northwest wind around 15 to 25 miles per hour, with some occasional higher gusts.Saturday will be a little colder as a surge of cold air settles into the area. Morning lows will be in the 20s and 30s, with a daytime high only in the middle 40s, accompanied by some sunshine.IMPACT WEATHER AHEADWe designate days as “Impact Days” when weather significantly affects your daily routine.Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday will be "Impact Days" in North and Central Alabama as a strong Arctic front blasts into the region.SUNDAY:Sunday morning will start out cloudy, calm, and chilly, but the day will end with a risk of a few severe storms, mainly over the far western part of Alabama and westward into Mississippi.TIMING: Rain and thunderstorms will move through Alabama between 6 p.m. Sunday and 3 a.m. Monday.IMPACTS: Alabama’s risk of severe thunderstorms will be very low due to a lack of instability; however, strong wind gusts over 40 to 50 miles per hour are possible ahead of the main wave of rain and storms. Within the line, wind gusts could reach 60 miles per hour in isolated areas.BOTTOM LINE: Prepare for sporadic power outages on Sunday, Sunday night, and Monday as this windy storm system blows through the region. Expect around half an inch to one inch of rainfall by Monday morning.MONDAY AND TUESDAY:The Arctic front will surge through Alabama early Monday morning, and a stiff northwest wind at 15 to 25 miles per hour will drive bitterly cold air into the state.Monday’s highest temperature will occur around sunrise (in the 50s), and it will get progressively colder throughout the day. The wind chill will plunge into the 20s and 10s by Monday afternoon, as air temperatures hover in the 30s.Tuesday will be similar with a stiff northwest wind and a feels like temperature in the 10s and 20s.TIMING: Very cold air will impact us all day Monday through Tuesday.IMPACTS: The wind chill will fall into the 10s and 20s from late Monday morning through the afternoon and evening. It could feel as cold as 10 to 15 degrees on Tuesday morning.BOTTOM LINE: Prepare for much colder weather early next week.STAYING COLD, POSSIBLE SNOW?A severe cold wave sets in for the South next week, lasting into the weekend, and the unusually cold weather could continue through at least the middle of the month.While we may not break any record lows, the duration of the cold will pose challenges for us, including plumbing, farms,agriculture, schools, and planned outdoor activities.The snow question has been debated already for some time, and if you are on social media, you have likely seen models change from nothing to a major storm and back. The only "major" winter storm that we can see with any confidence will run from Kansas to the Appalachians this weekend and early next week.Some wintry weather could be possible in Alabama and neighboring states late next week into the weekend. Let’s be honest: predicting more than 0.10 inches of rain at a specific location next Friday or Saturday (Jan. 10 or 11) is challenging in advance.It takes about 0.1 inches of rain to make an inch of snow. So, the answer to “Will it snow at my house, his, or her house” late next week is “it’s too early to know.” We’ll discuss it as the time approaches.For the latest Birmingham weather information and Central Alabama's certified most accurate forecast, watch WVTM 13 News.Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram.