CLEARING: The sky has cleared over much of west and south Alabama this afternoon, and the stubborn clouds over the northern and eastern counties should move out this evening. Tonight will be mostly fair and cold, with a low in the 30s.

Thanksgiving Day will be cool and dry with a partly to mostly sunny sky; after a low in the 30s, the high will be between 56 and 64 degrees across the state. Clouds will increase late in the day, and a feature in the northern Gulf of Mexico could bring some scattered light rain to the southern two-thirds of Alabama Thursday night into Friday morning. Rain amounts will be light and spotty with limited moisture. Otherwise, Friday will feature a mix of sun and clouds with highs in the 50s over north Alabama and 60s to the south.

THE WEEKEND AND NEXT WEEK: Cool, dry weather continues Saturday with a good supply of sunshine. A disturbance will bring clouds to the state Sunday, and some scattered rain could break out Sunday afternoon or Sunday night, but amounts will be very light. Afternoon highs will hold between 58 and 65 degrees, not far from average for late November in Alabama.

A new surge of cooler air will arrive Monday, and at this point most of next week looks dry with highs mostly in the 50s and lows in the 30s. A freeze is likely over the northern half of the state during the early morning hours Tuesday through Thursday. Global models suggest some chance of rain could return by Friday, Dec. 1.IRON BOWL: The weather will be just about perfect for Saturday’s Iron Bowl (Alabama at Auburn, 2:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly sunny with a temperature at kickoff near 63 degrees, falling into the 50s by the fourth quarter.

TROPICS: An area of low pressure is expected to develop along a frontal boundary over the central subtropical Atlantic in a day or so. This nontropical low is forecast to move southeastward across the central subtropical Atlantic over warmer sea-surface temperatures during the next couple of days, and environmental conditions are marginally conducive for this system to acquire tropical or subtropical characteristics. A subtropical or tropical storm could form by the latter part of this week or this weekend, as the system turns northeastward by the weekend.

The National Hurricane Center gives it a 50% chance of development; it will remain far from land. Hurricane season ends in eight days.

ON THIS DATE IN 1874: At least four tornadoes touched down in Alabama, killing 16 people. The fatalities happened in Montevallo, Tuscumbia and Rogersville.

ON THIS DATE IN 1992: A total of 45 tornadoes touched down in the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. Alabama had 13 tornadoes touch down ranging in strength from F0 to F2, with no deaths and 53 injuries. The tornado with the most injuries occurred just outside Sardis City, where multiple structures were damaged and 12 people were injured. Tennessee had only one tornado for the day, but it was deadly. An F1 touched down just northwest of Bolivar and stayed on the ground for 16 miles before lifting west of Toone. One person was killed, and three others were injured.

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