James Spann: Dry weather continues to end the week with rain and storms coming this weekend in Alabama
CLEAR: Again today we have a cloudless sky across Alabama with temperatures in the 80s. Tonight will be clear and pleasant with lows in the 50s and 60s.
Alabama’s weather won’t change much through the rest of the week with sunny warm days and fair pleasant nights. Highs remain in the 80s, lows mostly in the 50s and low 60s.
RAIN RETURNS: Most of the day Saturday will be dry, although a small, isolated shower can’t be totally ruled out. An approaching cold front will bring an organized batch of showers to Alabama late Saturday night into Sunday … for now it looks like the main window for rain will come from about midnight Saturday night through 3 p.m. Sunday.
While SPC has defined a risk of severe thunderstorms west of Alabama Saturday/Saturday night, the chance of severe storms here looks rather low Sunday with only modest instability and less than impressive dynamic support. The new batch of computer models unfortunately is showing lower rain amounts for the state, 1/4 to 1/2 inch for most places.
Temperatures rise into the 80s again Saturday, but Sunday’s high will be in the 70s with clouds and showers.
NEXT WEEK: Forecast confidence is not high concerning next week’s weather; the latest global model data is now suggesting some risk of showers at mid-week on Wednesday, otherwise the week is looking dry with pleasant days and cool nights. See the video briefing for maps, graphics and more details.
TROPICS: Tropical Storm Lorenzo is in the Atlantic about 1365 miles west/northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands and is in the process of dissipating.
The rest of the Atlantic basin remains quiet; no tropical storms or hurricanes are expected across the Gulf for at least the next 7-10 days.
RACE WEEKEND: The weather will be warm and dry in Talladega on Friday and Saturday with high in the 80s. Showers are likely Sunday, however. Models suggest the highest risk of rain Sunday will be during the morning and early afternoon hours, so there is a decent chance they get the big race in Sunday afternoon. And, models have backed off on the amount of rain expected; generally 1/4 inch or less for East Alabama. The high Sunday will be in the mid 70s.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: Jacksonville State will host Delaware this evening (6 p.m. kickoff) … the sky will be clear with temperatures falling from the upper 70s at kickoff into the 60s by the fourth quarter.
UAB will host Memphis Saturday afternoon at Protective Stadium in downtown Birmingham (3 p.m. kickoff) … expect a partly sunny sky with temperatures in the mid 80s at kickoff … falling into the 70s by the fourth quarter.
Alabama hosts Tennessee Saturday night (6:30 p.m. kickoff) … the sky becomes mostly cloudy during the game, but for now it looks like the rain will hold off in Tuscaloosa until after 11 p.m. Temperatures will fall through the 70s.
Auburn hosts Missouri (6:45 p.m. kickoff) … the sky becomes mostly cloudy, but we are not expecting any rain during the game. Temperatures fall through the 70s.
ON THIS DATE IN 1954: Hazel made landfall near the border between North and South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane. After causing 95 fatalities in the U.S., Hazel struck Canada as an extratropical storm, which raised the death toll by 81 people, mostly in Toronto. The effects of Hazel were particularly unprecedented in Toronto because of a combination of heavy rainfall during the preceding weeks, a lack of experience in dealing with hurricanes and the storm’s unexpected retention of power despite traveling 680 miles over land.
Prior to landfall in the U.S., the storm killed at least 469 people in Haiti. Most of the casualties drowned when the water flowed in a flood down the mountains, some of which were as high as 8,000 feet.
For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit the Alabama Weather Network.