James Spann: Some spots in Alabama could hit 90 degrees in coming days from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
PATTERN CHANGE: The broad circulation over the eastern U.S., formerly known as Hurricane Irma, will be lifting out today, and an upper ridge will build across the region. This means an end of the unseasonably cooler weather of late. In Birmingham we established new record low maximum temperatures Monday and Tuesday, and tied the “record low high” yesterday with a high of 68. Keep in mind it can be very hot in September; for example, today’s record high is 98, set in 1980. Today’s average high is 86.
Today will be partly sunny with a high in the low 80s this afternoon; the chance of any one spot seeing a shower today is so small that we have left it out of the forecast.
TOMORROW THROUGH SUNDAY: It will be very warm and mostly dry — partly to mostly sunny days, fair nights and highs in the mid 80s tomorrow, and upper 80s over the weekend. A few spots could touch 90 degrees Saturday or Sunday afternoon. And we will mention widely scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms on each day. The chance of any one spot getting wet will be about 1 in 5.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: Looking good for high school games Friday night — a small risk of an evening shower, but otherwise mostly fair with temperatures falling from near 79 at kickoff into the low 70s by the fourth quarter.
Auburn hosts Mercer Saturday afternoon (3 p.m. kickoff). We project a party sunny sky with an outside risk of a shower or thunderstorm during the game. Temperatures will be near 87 at kickoff, falling into the upper 70s by the final whistle.
UAB also has an afternoon game, hosting Coastal Carolina (noon kickoff) at Birmingham’s Legion Field. The temperature will be near 83 at kickoff, rising to near 88 by the fourth quarter. It will be partly sunny; a brief shower or thunderstorm is possible, but not likely.
And Alabama hosts the Colorado State Rams at Bryant Denny Stadium Saturday (6 p.m. kickoff). There’s an outside chance of a brief shower or storm during the evening; otherwise, it will be mostly fair with temperatures falling from the mid 80s at kickoff into the 70s by the second half.
NEXT WEEK: The general pattern holds — upper trough in the western states (where snow is likely some days across the northern Rockies), and an eastern trough for the east. Partly sunny, warm days, fair nights and only isolated afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Highs well up in the 80s, and some spots could touch 90 degrees on a day or two.
TROPICS: Hurricane Jose is packing sustained winds of 75 mph, well east of the Bahamas. It is projected to recurve off the U.S. East Coast over the next five days.
We are also watching two tropical waves in the eastern Atlantic moving westward; the lead wave has a medium chance of developing over the next five days. It’s too early to know if they will be a threat to land. We will keep an eye on them.
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