James Spann: Another cold Alabama night followed by warmer afternoons

CLOUDLESS SKY: We have a cobalt blue sky over Alabama this early November afternoon with temperatures generally in the 60s. Tonight will be clear and cold again; most North/Central Alabama communities will drop into the 30s with frost again early tomorrow.

Dry weather continues through Thursday with a warming trend; after today highs will be in the 70s.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: We are getting better clarity on the weekend weather situation this afternoon. A cold front will bring rain into the state late Friday and Friday night, followed by another shot of dry air Saturday. Another front will pass through Sunday, but for now it looks like moisture will be very limited and the front will pretty much pass through in dry fashion.

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) … See the video briefing for maps, graphics and more details.

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 to mostly sunny sky temperatures will fall from the mid 60s at kickoff into the upper 50s by the final whistle.

Alabama will host LSU Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium/Saban Field (6:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly fair; expect about 68 degrees at kickoff, falling to near 60 degrees by the final whistle.

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.