James Spann: colder tomorrow, warmer Friday, much colder Sunday

DRY DAY: A band of clouds is moving across central Alabama this afternoon, but the rest of the state is mostly sunny with temperatures in the 50s. Tonight will fair and colder; the low tomorrow morning will be in the 27-35 degree range.

We will see a number of temperature swings through the weekend across Alabama and the Deep South. North Alabama communities won’t get out of the 40s tomorrow despite a sunny sky. The rest of the state will see a high in the low to mid 50s.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Dry weather continues. Friday will be the warmest day with a high between 58 and 68; some South Alabama communities might even touch 70 degrees Friday afternoon. Not much change Saturday … with a partly sunny sky highs will be in the upper 50s and 60s.

Then, Arctic air will creep into the state Sunday. Most communities across the northern half of the state won’t get out of the 30s with a chilly north wind; South Alabama will see highs in the low to mid 40s. Sunday night will be very cold; by daybreak Monday temperatures will be in the teens over the northern third of the state … a freeze is likely down to the Gulf Coast.

NEXT WEEK: The weather stays dry Monday and Tuesday with a slow warming trend. Some rain is possible by Thursday, but for now it doesn’t look like a big rain event. See the video briefing for maps, graphics, and more details.

ON THIS DATE IN 2021: A late-season tornado outbreak, the deadliest on record in December, produced catastrophic damage and numerous fatalities across portions of the southern United States and Ohio Valley, in areas northwest of Alabama.

The death toll from the outbreak was 89 (with six additional non-tornadic fatalities), surpassing the tornado outbreak sequence of December 1–6, 1953, which caused 49 fatalities, as the deadliest December tornado event ever recorded in the United States. In Kentucky alone, 74 people were killed by three separate tornadoes.

One of the hardest hit communities was Mayfield, Kentucky, where three large churches were destroyed, and the Graves County courthouse lost much of its roof, its clock tower, and some of its exterior upper-floor walls. The city’s fire station, city hall, and police station were also destroyed, and the water tower was blown over and smashed to pieces. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed, with numerous homes being leveled or swept from their foundations, and cars were thrown and mangled.

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