James Spann: Dry weather, warm afternoons for Alabama through early next week
DRY PATTERN DEVELOPING: An upper ridge will cover Alabama and the Deep South for the next five to seven days, meaning a dry, quiet weather pattern. Look for sunny, warm days and fair, pleasant nights over the weekend with highs in the mid 80s. Lows will be well down in the 60s, and cooler spots will wind up in the mid to upper 50s early Saturday and Sunday mornings.
The weather won’t change much next week; the active weather will remain west of Alabama as the ridge holds. The week will be mostly dry with highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s; a few showers could show up toward the end of the week, but for now it looks like nothing heavy or widespread. Models continue to advertise cooler air slipping into the state in seven to 10 days with highs dropping back into the 70s and lows in the 50s.
TROPICS: Satellite images and surface observations indicate that the low-pressure system a couple of hundred miles east of the coast of South Carolina is gradually becoming better defined. Although the associated shower and thunderstorm activity is currently disorganized, environmental conditions could briefly become marginally conducive for the low to acquire subtropical characteristics by Saturday night and early Sunday. By early next week, the low is expected to interact with a frontal boundary, which should end the opportunity for any subtropical or tropical formation. The low is forecast to meander offshore the Carolinas today and then slowly move back toward the west-northwest and northwest on Saturday, bringing the system closer to the coast of North Carolina. Interests along the coast of North and South Carolina should monitor the progress of this system. Regardless of development, intermittent periods of locally heavy rains and gusty winds will affect eastern portions of the Carolinas through the weekend. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is scheduled to investigate the system Saturday afternoon, if necessary.
The rest of the Atlantic basin, including the Gulf of Mexico, is very quiet.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: Look for a clear sky for the high school games Friday night with temperatures falling through the 70s.
For the college games Saturday:
GEORGIA AT AUBURN (2:30 p.m. kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium): It will be a sunny, warm afternoon in east Alabama; expect a kickoff temperature near 84 degrees, falling into the upper 70s by the fourth quarter.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT UAB (2:30 p.m. kickoff at Protective Stadium in Birmingham): Sunny and warm; 84 degrees at kickoff, falling to about 76 by the final whistle.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN AT JACKSONVILLE STATE (3 p.m. kickoff at Burgess-Snow Field): Sunny and warm with 84 degrees at kickoff, falling into the mid 70s by the fourth quarter.
SOUTH ALABAMA AT TEXAS STATE (6 p.m. CT kickoff in San Marcos, Texas): The sky will be clear; temperatures fall from about 88 at kickoff to near 76 by the final whistle.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT TROY (6 p.m. kickoff at Veterans Memorial Stadium): The sky will be clear with temperatures falling from 80 degrees at kickoff into the low 70s by the fourth quarter.
ALABAMA AT TEXAS A&M (7 p.m. CT kickoff at Kyle Field in College Station): Expect a clear sky with temperatures falling from 85 at kickoff into the mid 70s by the final whistle.
ON THIS DATE IN 1871: The Great Chicago Fire burned much of the city to the ground, fanned by strong southwest winds. An estimated 250 were killed. On the same night, forest fires swept through Peshtigo, Wisconsin. An estimated 1,500 to possibly as many as 2,500 died as gale-force winds pushed flames across town. Severe drought was blamed for tinder-dry conditions.
ON THIS DATE IN 1946: A minimal Category 1 hurricane made landfall over Bradenton, Florida, before tracking north-northeast across Tampa Bay. The storm was the last hurricane to make direct landfall in the Tampa Bay area.
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