Dry Through Friday; Rain Returns Over The Weekend

DRY AIR RETURNS: The sky will be partly to mostly sunny across Alabama today as dry air returns to the state; expect a high in the 66-70 degree range this afternoon. The average high for Birmingham on October 26 is 72. Sunny weather continues tomorrow and Friday with highs in the mid 70s.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Clouds will increase late Friday night, and rain will move into the western counties during the day Saturday. A decent part of the day will be dry, however, for the eastern 2/3 of the state. Then, periods of rain are likely statewide Saturday night and Sunday. There will be basically no surface based instability, so there is no risk of severe storms, and we aren’t expecting much thunder. Rain amounts of 1/2″ are likely, with isolated amounts to one inch over the weekend. The high Saturday will be in the low 70s, followed by mid to upper 60s Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: Rain could linger into Monday morning, but for now the weather looks dry for trick or treaters Monday night. The weather looks dry Tuesday through Thursday… then global models hint at some risk of rain by the end of the week on Friday. Highs through the week will be mostly in the 70s… See the daily Weather Briefing video for maps, graphics, and more details.

TROPICS: A trough of low pressure stretching from the central Caribbean northward to the southwestern Atlantic continues to produce a broad area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions appear conducive for some gradual subtropical development of this system over the next few days while it drifts north-northeastward. The system is then forecast to meander over the subtropical western Atlantic to the west or southwest of Bermuda. Upper-level winds are forecast to become less conducive for development by the end of the weekend, and this disturbance is no threat to the U.S.

And, an area of low pressure could form over the eastern Caribbean Sea by early this weekend. Environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for gradual development as the low moves generally westward or west-northwestward into the central Caribbean by the end of the weekend.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: For Friday night’s high school games across Alabama, the sky will be mostly fair with temperatures falling from the low 70s at kickoff, into the 60s by the second half.

Saturday Auburn hosts Arkansas (11:00a CT kickoff) at Jordan-Hare Stadium; the sky will become mostly cloudy during the game, but for now we expect the weather to stay dry. Temperatures will rise from near 68 at kickoff into the low 70s during the second half.

The Magic City Classic (Alabama A&M vs Alabama State) is Saturday at Birmingham’s Legion Field (2:30p CT kickoff)… the sky will be mostly cloudy with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees during the first half, falling into the upper 60s by the final whistle. Some light rain can’t be ruled out during the second half.

UAB is at Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton Saturday night (6:00p CT kickoff)… the sky will be clear with temperatures falling from near 80 degrees at kickoff, into the mid 70s by the final whistle.

ON THIS DATE IN 1952: There have been thousands of weather reconnaissance and research flights into hurricanes in the Atlantic and Pacific since the mid-1940s. There have been several close calls, but only four flights have been lost. A B-29 Super-fortress flight into Super Typhoon Wilma 350 miles east of Leyte in the Philippines disappeared on this date. No trace was ever found of the plane or crew. In the last report, the flight was in the Super typhoon’s strongest winds, which were around 160 mph.

ON THIS DATE IN 1998: Hurricane Mitch, the second deadliest hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean, reached Category 5 strength on this day.

BEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.

Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 3:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!

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