James Spann: Cold, damp October day for Alabama
James Spann forecasts a winter preview for Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
LIKE WINTER TODAY: A deep, cold-core upper low just north of Alabama will bring a winter-like day to the state today — a cloudy sky, some light rain or drizzle at times and temperatures hovering between 49 and 53 degrees all day over the northern half of the state. The average high for Birmingham on Oct. 29 is 71.
Sunshine returns Saturday over south Alabama, but clouds will linger over the northern half of the state with some scattered light rain or drizzle still possible. Temperatures will hold in the 50s over north Alabama, but the southern counties will see a high around 70 degrees. On Sunday, the sky will be sunny statewide with a high between 68 and 72.
NEXT WEEK: The week will be mostly dry with pleasant days and cool nights. Some rain will likely return on Thursday or Friday, but, with limited moisture, amounts should be light. Highs during the week will be mostly in the 60s with lows in the 40s.
TROPICS: Showers and thunderstorms associated with a strong low-pressure system a few hundred miles south-southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland, continue to show some signs of organization. However, the low is still attached to a front and therefore remains non-tropical. The low is expected to move eastward and then southeastward toward slightly warmer warmers during the next few days, and it could lose its associated fronts and acquire some subtropical characteristics over the weekend or early next week while over the central Atlantic.
The rest of the Atlantic basin, including the Gulf of Mexico, is very quiet.
WORLD SERIES: For World Series game 3 tonight 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 tonight, the sky will be cloudy with some light rain or drizzle possible; temperatures will hover around 50 degrees at most stadiums.
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 1948: A historic smog event occurred in the town of Donora, Pennsylvania. The smog killed 20 people and sickened 7,000 more. The 1948 Donora smog was the worst air pollution disaster in U.S. history. It jumpstarted the fields of environmental and public health, drew attention to the need for industrial regulation and launched a national conversation about the effects of pollution.
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