James Spann: Mostly dry Friday, some rain over the weekend for Alabama
COLD NIGHT AHEAD: The sky is mostly sunny across most of Alabama this afternoon, but clouds linger over some southeast counties. Temperatures are only in the 37- to 45-degree range; the average high for Birmingham on Dec. 17 is 55. Tonight will be clear and cold, with a low well down in the 20s.
Friday will be mostly sunny with a high in the mid 50s.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Clouds will increase Saturday, and some rain is likely Saturday night into Sunday morning. Moisture will be very limited with this feature, and rain amounts should be one-quarter inch or less for most places. The high will be in the mid 50s Saturday, followed by upper 50s Sunday.
CHRISTMAS WEEK: The weather will be dry Monday through Wednesday with mostly sunny, pleasant days and fair, cold nights. The high will be between 57 and 60 degrees Monday, followed by low 60s Tuesday and Wednesday. A cold front will bring showers Thursday, followed by sharply colder air for Christmas Day. We project highs in the 40s, with morning lows well down in the 20s. Parts of north Alabama could hold in the 30s all day.
NORTHEAST U.S. SNOW: Here are the highest snow totals by state so far:
- New York — Newark Valley, 44 inches
- Vermont — Ludlow, 44 inches
- Pennsylvania — Alba, 43.3 inches
- New Hampshire — Sanbornton, 40 inches
- Maine — Acton, 25.7 inches
- Massachusetts — Lanesborough, 23 inches
- Connecticut — New Milford, 16.5 inches
- Rhode Island — Chepachet, 12.5 inches
- New Jersey — Stockholm, 12 inches
- Maryland — Sabillasville, 12 inches
- West Virginia — Hambleton, 12 inches
- Virginia — Basye, 11.5 inches
ON THIS DATE IN 1903: On the morning of Dec. 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright took turns piloting and monitoring their flying machine in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Orville piloted the first flight that lasted just 12 seconds and 120 feet. On the fourth and final flight of the day, Wilbur traveled 852 feet, remaining airborne for 59 seconds. That morning, the brothers became the first people to demonstrate sustained flight of a heavier-than-air machine under the complete control of the pilot. Kitty Hawk was selected after writing the U.S. Weather Bureau in Washington, D.C., requesting a list of suitable places on the East Coast where winds were constant.
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