COLD FRONT GETTING CLOSE: A cold front is near the northwest corner of Alabama this afternoon; behind the front Memphis reports only 63 degrees at 2 p.m. with a chilly northwest wind. But, ahead of the front, temperatures across Alabama are mostly in the 77- to 81-degree range with a partly to mostly sunny sky. The front will pass through in dry fashion tonight.

FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: Friday will be breezy and much cooler; we expect a high between 62 and 66 degrees despite sunshine in full supply. Some places will see the coldest temperatures so far this season by daybreak Saturday; lows will range from 34 to 42 with potential for a little scattered light frost in the colder spots. The weekend will feature fabulous fall weather; the sky will stay sunny with highs around 70 Saturday and in the mid 70s Sunday. Doesn’t get much better.

NEXT WEEK: A surface front will hang up just north of Alabama, and for now the first half of the week looks dry. A few isolated showers could show up Thursday or Friday, but nothing widespread. Highs will be close to 80 most of the week; the next shot of cooler air most likely arrives over the following weekend.

TROPICS: The Atlantic basin is quiet and tropical storm formation is not expected over the next 48 hours. However, the National Hurricane Center will be monitoring areas of interest south of Bermuda and over the southwest Caribbean in the three- to five-day time frame for potential for some slow development in those regions.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: Friday night will be cool and dry for high school football games across Alabama. The sky will be clear, with temperatures falling from the upper 50s at kickoff into the upper 40s by the final whistle.

Saturday, Auburn travels to South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks in Columbia (11 a.m. CT kickoff). The sky will be sunny, with temperatures rising from 62 at kickoff into the mid 60s by the fourth quarter.

UAB will host Western Kentucky at Legion Field Saturday (12:30 p.m. kickoff). Look for sunshine in full supply, with temperatures rising from 66 at kickoff to near 70 by the final whistle.

Alabama hosts Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday (7 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be clear, with temperatures falling from near 65 at kickoff into the mid 50s by the end of the game.

ON THIS DATE IN 1984: The Monday Night Football game in Denver, Colorado, was played in a raging blizzard. Fifteen inches of snow fell, with up to 34 inches reported in the nearby mountains. The Air Force Academy canceled classes for the first time in its recorded history.

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