James Spann: Alabama gets windy and cool, with rain at times
James Spann forecasts a windy, cooler day for Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
HANG ON TO YOUR HAT: It is a very windy morning across Alabama. Gradient winds (not related to thunderstorms) are gusting to 30-40 mph in spots, and a Wind Advisory remains in effect. The wind will die down later today as the gradient relaxes. Showers continue as a deep upper low evolves just northwest of Alabama this morning. A dry slot will likely bring a little sun later this morning, but clouds will wrap back into the state this afternoon. The day will be noticeably cooler, with temperatures holding mostly in the low and mid 60s. The average high for Birmingham on Oct. 28 is 71.
FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: Friday will be even colder as the upper low just to the north brings dynamic cooling to the state. Temperatures will hover between 50 and 54 degrees most of the day over the northern half of the state, with low 60s over south Alabama. Clouds linger with some light rain or drizzle at times across the northern and central counties. It will feel more like January.
For Saturday, we expect a decent amount of sun for the southern half of the state, but clouds will linger over north Alabama with a little light rain or drizzle at times, especially north and east of Birmingham. Again the high will be only in the mid 50s over the northern half of the state, with temperatures around 70 over south Alabama. On Sunday, sunshine returns statewide with a high between 68 and 73.
NEXT WEEK: There could be a little light rain Tuesday night with a cold front, and then again on Thursday as an upper trough approaches, but for now we aren’t expecting any really heavy rain or strong storms. Temperatures will remain below average; on most days highs will be in the 60s and lows in the 40s.
TROPICS: A non-tropical low-pressure system producing storm-force winds is about 350 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Strong winds along portions of the northeastern United States coast are forecast to gradually diminish later today as the low moves eastward away from shore at about 15 mph. The low is expected to turn southeastward toward slightly warmer waters in a few days, and it could acquire some subtropical characteristics over the weekend or early next week while over the central Atlantic. The rest of the Atlantic basin is very quiet.
WORLD SERIES: For World Series game 3 Friday night in Atlanta between the Braves and the Astros, the weather will be cloudy with occasional light rain or drizzle; temperatures will be in the low 50s. For game 4 Saturday night, the sky will be mostly cloudy with only a small risk of a shower; temperatures will be between 48 and 52 degrees. For game 5 Sunday night, the sky will be clear with temperatures falling from the low 60s into the 50s during the game.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: For the high school games Friday night, the sky will be cloudy with some light rain possible; temperatures will hover around 50 degrees at most stadiums.
For the college games Saturday:
WEST ALABAMA AT NORTH GREENVILLE (11 a.m. CT kickoff at Tigerville, South Carolina): The sky will be mostly cloudy with a few passing showers possible during the game; temperatures will be in the 58- to 62-degree range.
SAMFORD AT VMI (12:30 p.m. CT kickoff at Lexington, Virginia): Expect a cloudy sky with a chance of rain at times; temperatures will be in the mid to upper 50s.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS AT JACKSONVILLE STATE (1 p.m. kickoff at Burgess Snow Field): The sky will be mostly cloudy with a little light rain or drizzle possible; temperatures will be in the 55- to 59-degree range during the game.
ALABAMA STATE VS. ALABAMA A&M (2:30 p.m. kickoff at Birmingham’s Legion Field): The sky will be mostly cloudy for the Magic City Classic with a touch of light rain or drizzle at times; temperatures will be in the mid to upper 50s.
BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN AT BERRY COLLEGE (3 p.m. CT kickoff at Mt. Berry, Georgia): A cloudy sky during the game with some light rain possible; temperatures will be in the mid to upper 50s.
ARKANSAS STATE AT SOUTH ALABAMA (4 p.m. kickoff at Hancock Whitney Stadium): The sky will be mostly fair with temperatures falling from near 68 at kickoff into the 50s by the second half.
OLE MISS AT AUBURN (6 p.m. kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium): Mostly fair with temperatures falling from near 54 degrees at kickoff into the upper 40s by the second half.
ON THIS DATE IN 1999: A super typhoon known as Cyclone 05B reached the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane. This storm is the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the North Indian Ocean. Cyclone 05B hit the Indian State of Odisha near the city of Bhubaneswar on Oct. 29. An estimated 10,000 people would die from this cyclone and 1.67 million were left homeless.
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