Bill Murray: Parts of Alabama will see some rain this weekend

ALABAMA YESTERDAY
Friday was a gorgeous day across Alabama with cobalt blue skies and highs in the 60s after a frosty morning. A few small stratocumulus clouds tried to form by late morning, but they quickly evaporated, leaving another afternoon of deep blue skies. Evening readings dropped quickly through the 40s.

ALABAMA THIS MORNING
Fog formed in protected valleys and near rivers and lakes across north and central Alabama early today. Lows were generally in the 30s except across extreme south Alabama. The coldest official reporting station was Gadsden, bottoming out at 32 degrees.

A crisp, picture-perfect autumn morning greeted the state, and our Skywatchers were right there to capture it. From Jetta Dojka’s frosty 31 in Beaver Creek Valley to mid-30s in central Alabama and low 40s in the Wiregrass, the reports told the story of a statewide chill under clear skies. Thanks to everyone who checked in and helped paint another detailed snapshot of Alabama’s weather — one observation at a time.

Join the team! Learn how to become a Spann Skywatcher: https://www.spannskywatchers.com/

ALABAMA 7 DAY FORECAST
A quiet, crisp start to the weekend across Alabama, with cool mornings, sunny afternoons and only modest rain chances returning late Sunday. Temperatures stay a few degrees below average before a gradual warm-up next week.

SUNNY AND SEASONABLY COOL TODAY
Early patchy fog fades quickly this morning. High clouds will stream in from the west during the day, reaching roughly half the state by mid-afternoon. Highs reach the lower to mid-60s in the Tennessee Valley, mid-60s around Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, and upper-60s to near 70 from Montgomery south to the Coast.

NOTE FOR EARLY TODAY
Frost developed in spots across central and northern Alabama at daybreak, with a Frost Advisory in effect early this morning. Protect tender plants again in the usual colder valleys Sunday night as another push of cool air arrives.

COOL NIGHT WITH INCREASING CLOUDS AND A FEW SPRINKLES NORTH
Most areas remain dry, but a few light showers could develop across far north Alabama after midnight. Temperatures fall into the low to mid-40s across north and central Alabama and upper-40s to near 50 along the Coast. Light winds and partial clearing at times could still allow patchy fog in valleys before daybreak.

CLOUDS AND A FEW SHOWERS SUNDAY
An upper trough and front bring increasing clouds, with scattered light showers mainly across north Alabama late morning through the afternoon and a stray shower possible farther south. Highs hold in the upper-50s north, lower-60s central and mid- to upper-60s south. A northerly breeze follows the front by evening.

SUNNY, DRY, AND COOL MONDAY–WEDNESDAY
High pressure builds in to start the week, keeping skies bright and conditions dry. Highs will be in the low to mid-60s Monday, rising to the upper-60s and lower-70s Tuesday and Wednesday. Mornings stay chilly, in the 30s and 40s, moderating by midweek. Rain chances remain near zero.

QUIET AND MILD THURSDAY–FRIDAY
Fair weather holds with pleasant afternoons and cool, comfortable nights. Highs run in the upper-60s to lower-70s and lows in the 40s to near 50, with light winds and no meaningful rain expected.

HALLOWEEN CHILL GRIPS CENTRAL FLORIDA
A Halloween front swept across Florida, replacing the usual warmth with a refreshing autumn cool. Afternoon highs across parts of central and eastern Florida stayed in the upper-60s and low-70s, setting or tying records that have stood for decades. Leesburg led the chill parade with a new record low maximum of 68 degrees, breaking the 2012 mark.

Leesburg — 68° (old record 70° in 2012)
Vero Beach — 70° (tied old record from 1954)
Fort Pierce — 71° (tied old record from 1954)

STRONG FRONT BRINGS STORMS TO TEXAS TODAY
A southward-moving cold front is sparking scattered thunderstorms along the Texas Gulf Coast today. Some storms could briefly turn strong, with isolated supercells capable of producing large hail near the shoreline before drifting offshore tonight.

ATMOSPHERIC RIVER SOAKS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Rain continues to drench western Washington and northwest Oregon today as an atmospheric river remains parked along the coast. Another one to two inches of rain is expected, with locally higher totals in the Cascades and Olympics. Flooding is possible near full rivers, burn scars and saturated slopes.

CHILLY AIR HOLDS OVER THE EAST
Cool high pressure dominates the eastern half of the country behind the Halloween front. Morning lows in the 30s have stretched from the Carolinas into northern Florida, with frost forming in sheltered valleys. Temperatures stay several degrees below average this afternoon before moderating slightly by Sunday.

WESTERN WARMTH BUILDS INTO THE WEEKEND
High pressure over the West keeps conditions sunny and dry today. Highs in the 70s are common across the Intermountain West, while southern California and Arizona climb into the upper-80s to near 90. The warmth expands east toward the Rockies and Dakotas as ridging strengthens through Sunday.

MELISSA NOW EXTRA TROPICAL
Hurricane Melissa became post-tropical Friday morning and is now a powerful extratropical storm racing into the North Atlantic. It poses no threat to land, only to shipping lanes.

NO OTHER ACTIVE SYSTEMS
Elsewhere across the Atlantic, tropical development is not expected over the next seven days.

SUNNY AND COOL FROM MOBILE TO APALACHICOLA
It’s a bright, comfortable day along the Gulf Coast from Dauphin Island and Gulf Shores to Panama City and St. George Island. Sunshine dominates with highs in the upper-60s and gentle north to northeast breezes of 5 to 10 mph. Surf runs around a foot, slightly higher near Gulf County, with water temperatures in the upper-60s to low-70s. Rip current risk is low to moderate, highest near Bay and Gulf counties where red flags flew earlier. Conditions calm further through the weekend, perfect for a walk along the shoreline and a crisp start to November.

AUBURN VS. KENTUCKY (SATURDAY, 6:30 PM)
Tailgaters will enjoy a cool, calm afternoon with increasing clouds but no rain. At kickoff, temperatures hover near 60 degrees, falling into the low-50s by game’s end under mostly cloudy skies — a crisp, comfortable night on The Plains.

ARKANSAS STATE AT TROY (SATURDAY, 7 PM)
High clouds will drift overhead this evening, but the weather stays dry from start to finish. Temperatures start in the low-60s at kickoff and cool through the 50s — perfect football weather under quiet autumn skies.

TODAY IN WEATHER HISTORY
On November 1, 2000, the Northern Plains experienced one of its most paradoxical weather days as tornadoes and blizzard conditions struck at the same time. Near Bismarck, North Dakota, five weak tornadoes moved unusually westward, damaging 42 homes and injuring two people — the latest tornadoes ever recorded in the state. Meanwhile, heavy snow and winds up to 50 mph created whiteout conditions in western North Dakota, closing roads and causing a tour bus crash that injured several passengers. Power outages spread across the region while Lead, South Dakota, recorded 31.9 inches of snow, a one-day November record. Tornado watches and winter storm warnings were in effect simultaneously across the region.

IMAGE OF THE DAY
Bill Murray captured this striking photo Friday morning of a major fire in downtown Birmingham. Fortunately, no one was injured, but 18 residents of an apartment building were displaced, and several historic structures were damaged before the fire was contained. The image below shows a radar capture from BMX meteorologist Drew McCombs revealing the smoke plume from the blaze.

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