TONS O’ SUN: As expected, this has been another beautiful autumn day across Alabama, with sunshine in full supply and temperatures in the 65- to 70-degree range this afternoon. Tonight will be mostly fair with a low in the 40s, although colder spots will fall into the 30s again. The weather will stay dry Thursday; the sky will be partly to mostly sunny with a high back in the 67- to 70-degree range. Clouds will increase Thursday night.

RAIN RETURNS: Friday will be a cloudy day with a high in the 60s; rain will creep into the Tennessee Valley of far north Alabama during the afternoon ahead of a slow-moving cold front. Rain becomes widespread over the northern half of the state Friday night and is likely statewide by Saturday morning. It will end from northwest to southeast Saturday afternoon.

Rain amounts will be around 1 inch for much of the state, and while some thunder can’t be ruled out, we see no significant threat of severe thunderstorms. The sky will clear Saturday night, and Sunday will be cool and dry with sunshine returning and a high around 60 degrees.

THANKSGIVING WEEK: Monday will be dry with a good supply of sunshine; the high will be in the mid 60s. The day Tuesday looks dry and pleasant, but clouds move in late in the day, and another storm system will bring rain to our state Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. For the moment, it looks like the main window for rain comes from midnight Tuesday night through noon Wednesday, but that can and probably will change as we get closer to the event. There will be little surface-based instability, and severe storms don’t look likely for now. At the moment the weather looks dry Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday with highs in the 60s.

TROPICS: Tropical Storm Sebastien, in the Atlantic northeast of the Leeward Islands, continues to feature sustained winds of 50 mph and is moving northeast. It will stay far from land and should become post-tropical by the weekend. The hurricane season ends Nov. 30.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: Rain is likely Friday night for the high school playoff games in the northern third of the state (north of Birmingham). Temperatures will be in the 60s.

Saturday, Alabama hosts Western Carolina (11 a.m. kickoff) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Rain is possible during the beginning of the game, mainly during the first quarter. Temperatures will rise from near 65 at kickoff into the upper 60s by the final whistle.

Auburn will host Samford Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium (11 a.m. kickoff). Rain is likely with temperatures in the mid 60s.

UAB hosts Louisiana Tech Saturday at Legion Field (2:30 p.m. kickoff). Rain will end about the time the game begins; the sky will be cloudy with a kickoff temperature near 67 degrees, falling back into the low 60s by the fourth quarter.

Jacksonville State will host Eastern Kentucky Saturday (1 p.m. kickoff). Rain is possible if not likely, mainly during the first half. The sky will be cloudy with temperatures in the 60s.

ON THIS DATE IN 1985: Kate intensified to a major Category 3 hurricane as she moved west of Key West, Florida, with top winds of 115 mph and a minimum central pressure of 954 millibars or 28.17 inches of mercury. The next day Kate made landfall between Panama City and Apalachicola. Tides ran 8 to 10 feet above normal. Many power poles and lines were downed. Several roads were washed out.

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