Cooler Air Begins To Arrive Today
THURSDAY’S WARMTH: Birmingham’s official high yesterday was 87 degrees; 12 degrees above average, and within three degrees of the record high of 90, set in 1897. Muscle Shoals soared to 91.
But, a cooling trend begins today as Canadian air slips into Alabama from the north. We project high in the mid to upper 70s this afternoon with a fresh north breeze. The air stays dry, and the sky will remain sunny.
COOL WEEKEND: We will be in the 40-43 degree range early tomorrow morning, and colder pockets (mostly valleys and protected areas) will reach the upper 30s with some risk of a little scattered light frost. Sunny weather continues tomorrow and Sunday with highs in the 67 to 70 degree range. And, we should mention Sunday morning will be about as cold as tomorrow morning with potential for some upper 30s in colder places.
NEXT WEEK: The dry, pleasant weather continues. Sunny days, clear nights Monday through at least Thursday with just a slow warming trend; highs mostly in the 70s, and lows rising back into the 50s by Wednesday and Thursday morning.
TROPICAL MISCHIEF IN THE GULF? The weather for Friday October 23 through Sunday October 25 will be determined by a potential tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico. Models are in excellent agreement that this will develop, but placement and timing is all over the board, as you might expect 7-10 days in advance. The latest GFS run (06Z) puts the system on the Texas coast, with the rain shield remaining well to the west of Alabama, while the ECMWF has it south of the Louisiana coast Sunday.
Bottom line is that the weekend of October 24-25 could feature more glorious fall weather, or it could be very wet. Just too early to call; see the Weather Xtreme video for the maps, graphics, and more details.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: For high school games tonight, you will need a jacket; temperatures will fall from the upper 60s at kickoff, into the 50s by the fourth quarter. The sky will be clear with no risk of rain.
Alabama plays at Texas A&M tomorrow (2:30p CT kickoff)… in College Station the sky will be sunny, with about 85 degrees at kickoff. Temperatures will fall into the upper 70s by the final whistle.
AT THE BEACH: Beautiful weather from Gulf Shores over to Panama City Beach through the weekend; sunny days, fair nights. Highs around 80, and lows in the 60s… but the weekend will be cooler with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s. See the complete Gulf Coast 7 Day Planner here. The Gulf Coast Beach Forecast is presented by Gulf Shores Plantation by Mandoki Hospitality Vacation Rentals. Escape to Gulf Shores Plantation where memories last a lifetime.
WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 90 minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40.
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I have a weather program today at Fultondale Elementary… then tonight I will be speaking at Lakeview Methodist Church in Pelham. Look for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon… enjoy the day!
Category: Alabama's Weather
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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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