Bill Murray: No major rain expected for Alabama for the next 7-10 days

ALABAMA WEATHER FORECAST

A BEAUTIFUL SEPTEMBER SATURDAY:  Clear skies and dry air set the stage for a nice day across Alabama, but it will be a hot one. Highs this afternoon will top out in the upper 80s to lower 90s, with slightly warmer readings in the west. Humidity stays tolerable with dewpoints in the 50s and 60s. Tonight, lows will settle into the lower and middle 60s statewide, with a few cooler pockets in northeast Alabama. 

SUNDAY STILL SUNNY AND DRY:  The dry, quiet weather continues into Sunday. Expect highs again in the upper 80s to low 90s under abundant sunshine. Winds will be light, and overnight lows will remain in the 60s. No rain is expected anywhere in the state. 

EARLY NEXT WEEK OUTLOOK:  Monday and Tuesday bring more of the same — hot afternoons and comfortable mornings with no rain in sight. The dominant ridge will keep highs steady in the upper 80s to low 90s. A cutoff low over the Carolinas may try to push a bit of moisture toward eastern Alabama by midweek, but chances of showers remain very slim. 

LATE WEEK TREND:  By Thursday and Friday, the ridge is expected to weaken as a trough digs into the central U.S. This may allow a front to sag southeast, finally bringing a chance of showers back into Alabama. Until then, the state enjoys a warm and dry stretch of mid-September weather.

FOOTBALL 

Tailgate Forecast:  It’s a hot and sunny game day across Alabama. Morning tailgaters in Tuscaloosa and Auburn will enjoy plenty of sunshine with temps quickly rising through the 80s by kickoff. By the afternoon in Birmingham ahead of UAB’s evening matchup, expect full sun and temps peaking in the low 90s before easing into the 80s around sunset. Stay hydrated and pack the sunscreen. 

Alabama kicks off against Wisconsin at Bryant-Denny Stadium at 11 a.m. under mostly sunny skies. Temperatures climb from the upper 80s at kickoff into the low 90s by the second half, making for a hot afternoon. 

Auburn hosts South Alabama at Jordan-Hare Stadium at 11:45 a.m. Expect another hot and dry game day with plenty of sun and temps rising into the low 90s. 

Tonight in Birmingham, UAB faces Akron at Protective Stadium with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Clear skies in place, with temps falling through the 70s during the game. 

DANCING WITH THE STATS

Friday was a day of records from Alaska to Nebraska. King Salmon, Alaska, dipped to 29°, tying its 1959 record low. Out West, Safford, Arizona, logged 0.54″ of rain, matching the daily mark set in 2008. And in the Plains, Broken Bow, Nebraska, soared to 95°, tying a century-old record from 1908. 

NATIONAL FORECAST

STORMS & FLOODING:  Thunderstorms fire again today from the Southern Rockies into the High Plains as an upper trough pushes east. Some storms may bring hail and damaging winds, while heavy rainfall raises a Slight Risk for flash flooding in eastern New Mexico into far West Texas and across western North Dakota. Local totals of 1–4 inches are possible. Scattered storms in the Midwest and South Florida could also spark isolated severe weather and urban flooding. 

HEAT & COOLDOWN:  The weather pattern splits sharply across the nation. Highs in the Intermountain West run 10–15° below normal this weekend, while the central U.S. into the Northeast bakes with afternoon readings in the mid-90s. Experimental HeatRisk guidance suggests the hot conditions may impact vulnerable groups through Sunday. 

WESTERN FRONT MOVING IN:  Another Pacific front arrives Sunday, spreading rain across Washington and Oregon before reaching Idaho and Montana by Monday. This next system keeps the Northwest unsettled into early next week. 

EXTREMES 

The nation’s high temperatures on Friday reached 103° at both Rio Grande Village, Texas, and Gila Bend, Arizona. The coldest reading came in at 22° from a site 14 miles west-southwest of Mackay, Idaho. 

TROPICS 

NO GULF OR CARIBBEAN THREATS:  A tropical wave between the west coast of Africa and the Cabo Verde Islands is producing limited shower activity this morning. Dry air should keep it in check for the next couple of days, but the National Hurricane Center gives it a 40% chance of development over the next week as it moves west-northwest across the central Atlantic. 

BEACH 

It’s a beautiful Saturday along the Alabama and Florida Panhandle beaches. The rip current risk is low, though dangerous currents can still occur near piers, jetties, and reefs, so always heed local flags and patrol guidance. Surf runs around 1 foot with water temperatures in the lower 80s. Skies stay sunny with highs in the upper 80s. Winds are out of the northeast near 10 mph, turning southeast along the Alabama coast in the afternoon. The very high UV Index means extra sun protection is a must.

WEATHER HISTORY

September 13, 2007: Humberto Arrives in Texas

Hurricane Humberto made an unexpected and rapid intensification before making landfall in southeastern Texas as a Category 1 storm with sustained winds exceeding 80 mph. The storm came ashore near High Island during the early morning hours, producing over 10 inches of rainfall, scattered wind damage, and minor coastal flooding. One person was killed, and property damage was estimated at $50 million. Humberto was the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Wilma struck South Florida in October 2005 and the first hurricane to make landfall along the Texas coast since Rita struck the Texas-Louisiana area in September 2005. 

Despite its relatively modest intensity, Humberto’s rains brought welcome relief to parts of the drought-stricken Southeast. After crossing into southwestern Louisiana, the storm’s remnants tracked into Alabama, where it dropped between 2 and 5 inches of rain. The precipitation was a brief reprieve in what would remain a severe and long-lasting drought. 

By year’s end, 90% of Central Alabama was still classified under exceptional drought, and Humberto’s impact, while helpful, was not nearly enough to reverse the dire water shortages across the region. The storm remains notable for both its rapid strengthening and the isolated but beneficial rains it delivered inland. 

For more weather news and information from Bill Murray and the rest of the James Spann team, visit the Alabama Weather Network.