LONG DRY SPELL: October is usually the driest month of the year in Alabama, so it is not unusual that we expect no rain around here for at least the next seven to 10 days. Temperatures today reach the mid 80s, but a dry cold front will bring cooler air into the state tonight. We expect lows in the 50s early Tuesday, making it finally feel like October.

We expect sunny days and fair, cool nights through the weekend. Highs will be in the upper 70s and low 80s, with lows in the 50s. Some of the colder pockets across north Alabama could reach the 40s early Friday morning.

Dry weather continues next week with highs in the 70s and lows mostly in the 50s.

TROPICS: Hurricane Milton this morning is about 750 miles west/southwest of Tampa with winds of 100 mph. It is moving to the east/southeast at 8 mph. Milton is expected to rapidly intensify, with winds of 145 mph by Tuesday over the southern Gulf of Mexico. Landfall is expected near Tampa Bay Wednesday night. Milton will be weakening by then but is still expected to be a major hurricane. A hurricane watch is in effect for the Gulf coast of Florida
from Chokoloskee northward to the mouth of the Suwanee River, including Tampa Bay, and the Dry Tortugas.

Milton will not affect the central Gulf Coast (Gulf Shores to Panama City Beach) in any way other than a high rip-current danger.

Elsewhere, Hurricane Kirk is becoming post-tropical over the North Atlantic, and Hurricane Leslie in the central Atlantic will turn northward and slowly weaken, posing no threat to land. A new wave coming off the African coast has a 30% chance of development, but if anything forms it will also most likely turn north far from land.

ON THIS DATE IN 2016: Hurricane Matthew was off the northeast coast of Florida. Matthew brought intense rainfall to the Carolinas on Oct. 8-9.

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