James Spann has the Thanksgiving forecast for Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! After a cold start, with temperatures in the 28- to 35-degree range, we rise into the low 60s this afternoon with a good supply of sunshine. A disturbance will bring a few clouds to south Alabama today, and maybe even a sprinkle or two to Mobile and Baldwin counties, but even there most of the day will be dry.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Clouds will increase Friday, and the day will be cooler, with a high in the mid 50s. Rain returns to the state Friday night; the main window will come from 7 p.m. Friday through 7 a.m. Saturday. The air will be stable, so I doubt if we hear any thunder, and rain amounts of around one-half inch are likely.

For Saturday, the sky becomes partly sunny with a high in the mid 60s; some spots across west Alabama could touch 70 degrees. Sunday will be partly sunny and mild with a high back in the 65- to 70-degree range. A vigorous system will pass north of the state, and the trailing cold front could squeeze out a few showers late Sunday or Sunday night, but there is very little moisture and instability. Rain, if any, should be pretty light with the front.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: For the high school playoff games Friday night, rain is possible with temperatures in the low 50s. There is a chance the rain arrives after the games are over across east Alabama; rain is most likely for games on the western side of the state.

For the Iron Bowl Saturday in Tuscaloosa (Auburn at Alabama, 2:30 p.m. kickoff), the sky will be partly sunny. Temperatures will be in the mid to upper 60s at kickoff, falling into the low 60s by the final whistle. A very comfortable Saturday afternoon for late November.

UAB plays at Middle Tennessee State Saturday (2 p.m. kickoff in Murfreesboro). The sky will be mostly cloudy, but no rain is expected. Temperatures will be in the mid 60s at kickoff, falling into the upper 50s by the second half.

Jacksonville State hosts East Tennessee State Saturday evening at Burgess-Snow Field (6:30 p.m. kickoff); the sky will be mostly fair with temperatures falling from the upper 50s at kickoff into the mid 50s by the fourth quarter.

NEXT WEEK: Monday will be dry and colder; with a partly to mostly sunny sky we will struggle to reach the low 50s. The rest of the week looks dry with below-average temperatures continuing.

BRUTALLY COLD IN THE NORTHEAST U.S. THIS MORNING: Buffalo, New York, officially dropped to 10 degrees at 4:36 a.m. Eastern Time. Although this is not a record low temperature for the date, it is the coldest temperature to ever occur in Buffalo on Thanksgiving. The previous record was 12 degrees. Their records date back to 1871.

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