James Spann: Alabama stays dry through Thursday; warmer afternoons ahead

COLD START: Here are some temperatures just before sunrise across Alabama this morning … variations are due to wind and cloud cover (colder temperatures are reported where the wind is calm and the sky is clear)

Cottondale 29
Haleyville 30
Jasper 30
Ashville 30
Morris 31
Pell City 32
Talladega 32
Anniston 33
Hueytown 33
Selma 34
Chelsea 34
Tuscaloosa 35
Birmingham 35
Troy 35
Greenville 38
Bay Minette 39
Gadsden 40
Decatur 41
Albertville 41
Mobile 44
Fort Payne 44

Clouds over Northeast Alabama will move out this morning; the sky will be sunny today with a high in the 60s. Dry weather continues through Thursday with a warming trend; after today highs will be in the 70s.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Moisture levels will rise, and we will mention the chance of a few isolated showers Friday and Saturday. Nothing heavy, nothing widespread; afternoon highs remain in the 70s. Then, a cold front will bring a batch of organized showers into the state after midnight Saturday night into Sunday morning. Rain amounts should be generally under 1/2 inch; the high Sunday will be in the 66–74-degree range.

The coldest air so far this season will drop into the Deep South early week; a widespread freeze seems likely for the northern half of the state by Tuesday morning (November 11).

TROPICS: The Atlantic basin is quiet and tropical storm formation is not expected for at least the next seven days. Hurricane season ends at the end of the month.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: Saturday Auburn plays Vanderbilt in Nashville (3 p.m. kickoff) … at this point the weather looks dry. With a partly sunny sky temperatures will fall from the mid 60s at kickoff into the upper 50s by the final whistle. Rain is possible in Nashville Saturday night after the game.

Alabama will host LSU Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium/Saban Field (6:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly cloudy, and a few spotty showers are possible, but nothing heavy or widespread. Temperatures will fall from around 67 degrees at kickoff into the upper 50s during the second half.

ON THIS DATE IN 1966: An early season winter storm on November 2, 1966, was winding down. It whitened the ground from Alabama to Michigan. Mobile had their earliest snowflakes on record. Louisville, Kentucky measured 13.1 inches, Nashville reported 7.2 inches, and Huntsville had 4 inches of snow.

For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit the Alabama Weather Network.