James Spann: Cool early autumn night ahead for Alabama
SEVERE CLEAR: There’s nothing but sunshine across Alabama this afternoon as a very dry air mass is now parked across the Deep South. Temperatures are mostly in the mid 70s; tonight will be clear and cool, with lows between 44 and 54 degrees. For most places it will be a few degrees cooler than what we experienced this morning.
FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: The weather won’t change much — sunny days with a slow warming trend and clear, pleasant nights. The high will be in the upper 70s Friday, followed by low 80s Saturday and Sunday. Lows will be in the 50s early Saturday and Sunday mornings.
NEXT WEEK: Dry weather continues through the week with warm afternoons and pleasant nights. Highs will be in the low to mid 80s, with lows mostly in the 60s.
TROPICS: Tropical Storm Sam in the central Atlantic has sustained winds of 50 mph this afternoon and is forecast to become a major Category 3 hurricane by early next week. The system will gain latitude, and for now it looks like it will remain east of the U.S. next week. The Gulf of Mexico is quiet and is forecast to stay quiet next week.
THIS MORNING’S CHILL: Here are some lows across Alabama early this morning; it was our coldest morning since last May.
- Rock Run (Cherokee County) — 44
- Heflin — 46
- Black Creek — 46
- Margaret — 46
- Jacksonville — 48
- Oneonta — 48
- Weaver — 48
- Oxford — 48
- Sylacauga — 48
- Arley — 49
- Lay Lake — 49
- Hueytown — 49
- Clanton — 50
FOOTBALL WEATHER: We’ll have perfect weather for the high school games across Alabama tonight and Friday night — clear and cool, with temperatures falling through the 60s.
Here are the forecasts for the college games Saturday.
GEORGIA STATE AT AUBURN (3 p.m. kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium): A clear sky with temperatures falling from near 80 degrees at kickoff into the low 70s by the final whistle.
SOUTHERN MISS AT ALABAMA (6:30 p.m. kickoff at Bryant-Denny Stadium): Clear and very pleasant. Kickoff temperature near 78 degrees, falling into the upper 60s by the fourth quarter.
UAB AT TULANE (7 p.m. kickoff at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans): A clear sky with temperatures falling from 77 degrees at kickoff to near 70 by the final whistle.
UT-MARTIN AT JACKSONVILLE STATE (3 p.m. kickoff at Burgess-Snow Field): A beautiful day; the sky will be clear with temperatures falling from 79 degrees at kickoff to near 70 by the end of the game.
TROY AT LOUISIANA-MONROE (7 p.m. kickoff at Monroe, Louisiana): The sky will be clear with temperatures falling from near 80 at kickoff into the upper 60s by the final whistle.
ON THIS DATE IN 1975: Hurricane Eloise made landfall as a major hurricane about 10 miles east of Fort Walton Beach at 7 a.m. According to the NOAA Assessment, Herbert Saffir estimated winds in excess of 120 mph based on the structural wind damage he observed. Shortly after Eloise made landfall, a peak wind gust of 115 mph was recorded at Eglin Air Force Base (before the instrument failed), with 85 mph gusts at Hurlburt Field. Approximately 85-90% of the buildings between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City on the Gulf side of U.S. 98 were severely damaged or destroyed. At least 150 buildings were destroyed or unrepairable, 75 motel foundations were destroyed and 400 other buildings were damaged in that area.
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