James Spann: A few showers for Alabama Saturday, widespread rain Sunday night
CLOUDS MOVING IN: We have seen a steady increase in mid- and high-level clouds across Alabama this afternoon, but the low levels remain dry and there is no rain on radar. Temperatures are mostly in the mid to upper 60s, about 10 degrees above average for mid-December in Alabama. Tonight will be mostly cloudy, and a few showers could reach the northwest corner of the state by daybreak.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: A cold front will push a weakening band of showers into the state Saturday morning. For north and west Alabama, the best chance of some rain will come during the morning, and by afternoon the showers will be south and east of Birmingham. It certainly won’t rain all day; there is no risk of severe storms and probably no thunder. Rain amounts will be one-quarter inch or less for most places; otherwise, Saturday will be cloudy with a high in the mid 60s.
The front will become stationary over south Alabama, where a few showers could linger Saturday night into Sunday, but the rest of the state will be dry. Then a wave of low pressure forms on the front and will bring widespread rain to the state late Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. There’s no risk of severe storms and no thunder. Rain amounts around 1 inch are likely before it stops early Monday morning. Sunday will remain relatively mild, with a high in the 60s.
NEXT WEEK: The sky becomes partly sunny Monday and the high will drop back into the mid to upper 50s. The next disturbance could bring a little scattered light rain Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, but, with limited moisture, rain amounts, if any, should be very light. Wednesday will be sharply colder over north Alabama, with temperatures holding in the 40s most of the day. Thursday and Friday will be mostly sunny with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s. The next chance of rain will come at some point the following weekend (Dec. 19-20).
FOOTBALL WEATHER: Saturday, Alabama will take on Arkansas in Fayetteville (11 a.m. kickoff). The weather looks dry but cold. The sky will be cloudy with temperatures rising from 40 degrees at kickoff into the mid 40s during the second half.
UAB plays Rice in Houston Saturday (11 a.m kickoff). The sky will be sunny with temperatures rising from 66 at kickoff to near 70 by the second half.
Saturday evening, Auburn travels to Starkville to take on Mississippi State (kickoff at 6:30). The sky will be mostly fair with temperatures falling from the low 50s at kickoff into the mid 40s by the final whistle.
ON THIS DATE IN 1961: It was the middle day of a three-day severe weather event for the Deep South that included 13 tornadoes. An F-3 tornado tore through Jacksonville in Calhoun County, causing significant damage to the campus of Jacksonville State University. The tornado was down for about three miles; there were no fatalities.
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