Dry Through The Weekend; Mild Afternoons Through Saturday
CLOUDLESS SKY: Temperatures are in the 61-66 degree range across Alabama this afternoon with a cloudless sky. Tonight will be clear with lows in the 32-42 degree range for most places.
Spring-like afternoons will continue tomorrow and Friday… with a good supply of sunshine both days we project highs in the mid to upper 60s. A few spots might touch 70 degrees Friday afternoon.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Saturday will feature a partly sunny sky with a high between 57 and 62 degrees. Clouds will increase Sunday night as a cold front pushes into the state… the front might squeeze out a sprinkle or flurry in spots, but the low levels will be dry, and most places won’t see any precipitation. Then, on Sunday, the day will be sharply colder following the frontal passage. The sky becomes partly to mostly sunny, and the high will be in the mid 40s with a brisk north wind.
NEXT WEEK: The weather will stay dry Monday through Wednesday with a warming trend. We will be back in the 50s Monday, followed by low 60s Tuesday, and mid 60s Wednesday. A weather system will bring a signifiant rain event to the state Thursday… See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.
ON THIS DATE IN 1899: One of the most significant cold outbreaks to ever impact the United States occurred early to mid-February. From the 8th-11th, the statewide average temperature across Iowa was 14.6 degrees below zero, making it the coldest four-day stretch on record in the state. On the 8th, Sioux City experienced its coldest day on record, with a daily average temperature of 24 degrees below zero. Then on the 11th, they reached their second-coldest temperature on record with a low of minus 31. Overall the coldest readings were obtained on the morning of the 9th when reported low temperatures included -21 at Keokuk, -23 at Des Moines, -33 at New Hampton, -35 at Le Mars, -38 at Estherville, and -40 at Sibley. The cold across the middle of the country was so extreme and persistent that ice floes down the Mississippi River into the deep south, emerging into the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans on February 17th. This has happened only one other time: February 13, 1784.
The temperature at Birmingham would drop to -10F on February 13, 1899… still the coldest temperature on record for the city.
ON THIS DATE IN 1973: One of the greatest snowstorms in Southeastern United States history occurred February 9-11, 1973. This storm dropped one to two feet of snow across a region that typically sees only an inch or two of snow per year. New all-time snowfall records were established in a number of locations including Rimini, SC with 24 inches; 18 inches in Darlington, SC; and 16.5 inches in Macon, GA.
In Alabama, only the southern half of the state was snow covered. Cities like Eufaula and Union Springs had over one foot of snow… North Alabama had nothing.
ON THIS DATE IN 1994: A devastating ice storm struck Mississippi, Louisiana, and extreme northwest Alabama. Freezing rain began falling over northern Mississippi during the early morning hours and continued until midday on the 10th. Ice accumulated 3 to 6 inches thick on exposed objects in the affected area. Due to the weight of the ice, power lines, trees, and tree limbs were down. Nearly one million people were without power after the storm, some for a month. In Alabama, seven counties over the northwest part of the state were devastated. Trees blocked roads, which were already impassable because of the ice glaze. Three to five inch rainfall amounts occurred, resulting in a heavy glaze over the Northwest and even causing flooding elsewhere.
ON THIS DATE IN 2011: Up to four inches of snow fell across parts of North and West Alabama; heavier snow was northwest of our state in Arkansas, where some places saw over one foot.
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About the Author (Author Profile)
James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.Subscribe
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