James Spann: Cold front arrives in Alabama late tonight; much cooler weekend ahead
James Spann forecasts a big change in Alabama weather this weekend from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
ONE MORE WARM DAY: We are forecasting a partly sunny sky for Alabama today with a high in the mid 80s, but the long-awaited cold front is getting close. Most communities will be dry during the day, but a few showers are possible over the Tennessee Valley, especially the northwest corner of the state.
A band of showers and storms will push into northwest Alabama tonight. The Storm Prediction Center has far northwest Alabama in a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms, but the storms will be weakening rapidly as they arrive.
A narrow band of showers will continue to advance southward ahead of the front late tonight; for most communities the window for rain will come from about 10 tonight through 4 a.m. Saturday. Amounts will be generally less than a quarter-inch, and most of the showers will dissipate before reaching south Alabama early Saturday.
COOL CHANGE: Saturday will be mostly sunny, breezy and much cooler. The high will be between 66 and 71 degrees with a stiff north breeze of 10-20 mph, gusting to 25 mph at times. Temperatures will drop well down in the 40s by daybreak Sunday with a clear sky and diminishing wind; some colder spots could actually reach the upper 30s for the first time this season. Sunday will be a picture-perfect autumn day with sunshine in full supply and a high around 70 degrees.
NEXT WEEK: The weather will remain dry Monday through Thursday with sunny, pleasant days and fair, cool nights. Highs will be in the 70s, with lows in the 40s and 50s. Clouds increase Thursday night, and showers return to the state Friday (one week from today) with another approaching cold front.
TROPICS: The Atlantic basin, including the Gulf of Mexico, remains very quiet, and tropical storm formation is not expected through next week.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: For the high school games tonight, it now looks like most stadiums will be dry; the best chance of showers will come after 10 p.m. The sky will be mostly cloudy with temperatures in the 70s.
For the college games Saturday:
AUBURN AT ARKANSAS (11 a.m. CT kickoff in Fayetteville): A beautiful fall day in Arkansas, with sunshine in full supply and temperatures rising from 62 at kickoff into the mid 60s by the second half.
SAMFORD AT WOFFORD: (2:30 p.m. CT kickoff in Spartanburg, South Carolina): Expect a partly sunny sky; a shower is possible late in the game. Temperatures will be in the 70s.
JACKSONVILLE STATE AT SAM HOUSTON STATE: (2 p.m. CT kickoff in Huntsville, Texas): A sunny day with temperatures falling from near 75 at kickoff into the upper 60s by the final whistle.
TROY AT TEXAS STATE: (2 p.m. CT kickoff in San Marcos, Texas): A cloudless sky; lots of sunshine with temperatures in the 70s.
UAB AT SOUTHERN MISS: (2:30 p.m. kickoff in Hattiesburg): It will be a sun-filled day; the temperature at kickoff will be near 73 degrees, falling into the upper 60s by the fourth quarter.
ALABAMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE (6 p.m. kickoff in Starkville): Perfect football weather. A clear sky with temperatures falling from near 67 at kickoff into the 50s by the second half.
ON THIS DATE IN 1954: By 11 p.m., Hurricane Hazel had reached and crossed the waters of Lake Ontario, still sporting sustained winds as high as 60 mph. Hazel took direct aim at the heart of Toronto as it roared past at 49 mph. Toronto saw heavy rainfall before Hazel on Oct. 14. The previous storm in combination with the hurricane resulted in significant flooding.
ON THIS DATE IN 1984: The Monday Night Football game in Denver, Colorado, was played in a raging blizzard. Fifteen inches of snow fell, with up to 34 inches reported in the nearby mountains. The Air Force Academy canceled classes for the first time in its recorded history.
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