James Spann: Clearing in Alabama tonight; mostly dry weekend ahead
RADAR CHECK: Most of the really significant rain has moved into Georgia this afternoon, but there is still some patchy drizzle over east Alabama under a cold-core upper trough passing overhead. The sky is mostly cloudy, but the clearing process has started across parts of west and southwest Alabama. The sky will clear statewide tonight.
Some patchy, dense fog will form late tonight and early Saturday morning.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Other than some morning fog, Saturday will be a sunny day across Alabama with a high in the 50s. On Sunday, clouds will increase ahead of an approaching upper trough, but the air will be too dry for any meaningful precipitation over most of the state. Some patchy, light rain is possible over the southern half of the state Sunday, but even there we don’t expect much. The high Sunday will be in the 50s again.
NEXT WEEK: A clipper-type system will bring some clouds to north Alabama Monday, but again the air looks too dry for any precipitation. Otherwise, Monday will be a partly sunny day with a high between 50 and 55. The rest of the week will be dry with sunny days and fair nights. The high will be in the low 50s Tuesday, then close to 60 Wednesday. Low to mid 60s are likely Thursday and Friday.
Models continue to suggest the next rain event will come at some point over the following weekend (Dec. 12-13), but it remains to be seen whether we will have a threat of strong storms or heavy rain.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: Saturday Auburn will host Texas A&M at Jordan-Hare Stadium (11 a.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly sunny with temperatures rising from near 52 at kickoff to near 57 by the final whistle.
Saturday night, Alabama will travel to Baton Rouge to take on LSU (kickoff at 7); the sky will be clear with temperatures falling from 52 at kickoff into the upper 40s by the fourth quarter.
ON THIS DATE IN 1952: December started off with chilly temperatures in London. This cold resulted in Londoners burning more coal to heat their homes. Then on Dec. 5, high pressure settled over the Thames River, causing a dense layer of smog to develop. The smoke-like pollution was so toxic it was even reported to have choked cows to death in the fields. The smog became so thick and dense by Dec. 7 that virtually no sunlight was seen in London. Most conservative estimates place the death toll at 4,000, with some estimating the smog killed as many as 8,000 people.
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