RAIN FOR EAST ALABAMA TONIGHT: Tropical Storm Nicole will bring breezy, wet weather to the eastern half of Alabama tonight and Friday morning. Most of the rain will be east of I-65, with the heavier amounts (around 1 inch) near the Georgia state line. Showers across west Alabama tonight will be light and spotty.

Winds will increase over the eastern half of the state tonight; a wind advisory is in effect from Heflin, Ashland and Roanoke south to Dothan, Geneva and Andalusia. Winds could gust to 40 mph in spots, but we aren’t expecting any major power outages, and there is no risk of tornadoes.

Rain will end from the south by midday Friday, and the rain will be out of the state by mid-afternoon. Otherwise, Friday will be cloudy and breezy with a high between 66 and 70 degrees.

COLD WEEKEND: The coldest air so far this season will roll into Alabama for the weekend. We will mention a chance of light rain over north Alabama Saturday morning as the cold air arrives; otherwise, the day will be cloudy and breezy with a high in the mid 50s. The sky clears Saturday night, and by daybreak Sunday we project lows between 26 and 32 degrees over the northern half of the state. Sunday will be sunny with a high between 51 and 55 degrees.

NEXT WEEK: After another subfreezing start early Monday, we project a high in the mid 50s by afternoon with a good supply of sunshine. Clouds return Monday night, and a disturbance will bring periods of rain to the state Tuesday. The weather looks unsettled for the rest of the week, with some risk of rain at times Wednesday through Friday. Temperatures will remain below average, with highs in the 50s.TROPICS: Tropical Storm Nicole is about 100 miles north of Tampa this afternoon with winds of 45 mph. Weakening will continue through Friday as the system moves northward through Georgia, and it will dissipate by Friday night over the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia. The rest of the Atlantic basin is quiet.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: The weather will be dry for the high school playoff games across Alabama Friday night, but it will be mostly cloudy and breezy, with temperatures falling into the 50s.

Saturday, Alabama travels to Oxford to take on Ole Miss (2:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly sunny with temperatures in the mid to upper 40s and a brisk, chilly north wind.

UAB will host North Texas at Protective Stadium in downtown Birmingham Saturday (2:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly cloudy with a kickoff temperature around 52 degrees, falling into the 40s by the final whistle. Some rain is likely in Birmingham Saturday morning, but it will be over by the time the game begins.

Auburn hosts Texas A&M Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium (6:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly fair with temperatures falling from near 47 at kickoff into the low 40s by the final whistle.

ON THIS DATE IN 1975: The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Point, at the northeastern tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on Lake Superior. While the sinking cause is unknown, strong winds and high waves likely played a significant role. The crew of 29 members was lost.

ON THIS DATE IN 2002: The second-largest November tornado outbreak on record over the eastern United States occurred during the Veterans Day weekend of Nov. 9-11. Seventy-six tornadoes were reported in 17 states. Almost one out of six was a killer, resulting in 36 fatalities.

In Alabama, 11 tornadoes touched down, including two (both rated EF-3) with a parallel track through Fayette and Walker counties. Twelve people were killed in the state. The Saragossa tornado, which killed eight, was on the ground for 73 miles, making it the fourth-longest path length of any tornado in modern Alabama history at the time. The town of Carbon Hill was dealt a heavy blow. In June 2002, the town’s high school had burned to the ground. On this deadly night, an F3 tornado destroyed the town’s elementary school.

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For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit AlabamaWx.