James Spann: clearing later today; dry through the week
RADAR CHECK: We still have some light rain falling over the southeast corner of Alabama early this morning just before daybreak, but that will end soon, and we expect a dry day statewide with clearing by afternoon. Most communities will see a high in the 50s.
At this point the rest of the week looks dry. The coldest morning will be early tomorrow with lows in the 25-35 degree range … the warmest afternoon will be Wednesday, when most of South Alabama will enjoy a high in the 60s. There will be an increase in clouds late in the week ahead of a cold front, but for now the air looks too dry for any meaningful rain.
COLD WEEKEND: The coldest air so far this season will arrive by the weekend. Highs drop into the 40s, lows in the 20s for most of the state. Communities across the northern third of Alabama have a good chance of seeing lows in the upper teens by Saturday morning. The cold air will be very dry and there is no risk of any “winter mischief” (snow or ice).
And, for now the weather looks dry into at least the first half of next week with a warming trend.
ON THIS DATE IN 1952: This date marked the conclusion of the deadly smog event that plagued London for days. A period of unusually cold weather, combined with an anticyclone and windless conditions, collected airborne pollutants—mostly arising from the use of coal—to form a thick layer of smog over the city. Government medical reports in the weeks following the event estimated that up to 4,000 people had died as a direct result of the smog and 100,000 more were made ill by the smog’s effects on the human respiratory tract. More recent research suggests that the total number of fatalities was considerably greater, with estimates of between 10,000 and 12,000 deaths.
ON THIS DATE IN 1987: An intense Pacific storm system brought winds of 94 mph in Oregon, while Washington saw 60 mph gusts and dime-sized hail, alongside significant snowfall in the Cascades.
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