James Spann: Scattered showers today; cooler, drier air coming for Alabama

RADAR CHECK: We have a few areas of mostly light rain over mainly the northern half of the state early this morning; temperatures are in the low 70s. Expect a high in the mid 80s today with scattered showers; unfortunately the rain won’t be especially widespread or heavy.

A few spotty showers are possible tomorrow, mainly over the southern half of the state, ahead of a cold front. Then, cooler and drier air settles into the state Thursday and Friday. Highs drop into the 70s, lows will be in the 50s over the northern half of the state by early Friday morning.

THE WEEKEND: Expect some delightful autumn weather with sunny pleasant days and clear cool nights. Lows will be mostly in the 50s, but a few cool spots over North Alabama could reach the upper 40s. Highs will be in the 77–82-degree range.

For now it looks like most of next week will rain-free with warmer afternoons; highs will be in the 80s.

TROPICS: Satellite-derived wind data indicate an area of low pressure (Invest 95L) located about 1500 miles east of the Windward Islands is becoming better defined. The associated shower and thunderstorm activity is showing signs of organization, and environmental conditions appear favorable for continued development of this system.

A tropical depression or storm is likely to form in the next day or so while it moves quickly west-northwestward across the central tropical Atlantic. This system is expected to be near or north of the northern Leeward Islands on Thursday and Friday; from there it will turn north into the open Atlantic and is no threat to land. NHC gives it a 90% chance of development … the name will be Jerry.

And, a trough of low pressure located near the Yucatan Peninsula is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms over portions of northern Guatemala, southeastern Mexico, and the adjacent waters of the southwestern Gulf. This system is expected to emerge over the Bay of Campeche later today, and some slow development is possible before it moves inland by the middle of the week.

No tropical storms or hurricanes are expected across the Gulf for at least the next 7-10 days.

RAIN UPDATE: Here are rain totals for the year so far, and the departure from average …

Muscle Shoals 55.76″ (+13.93″)
Mobile 52.92″ (-1.02″)
Anniston 48.76″ (+8.38″)
Birmingham 42.71″ (-2.17″)
Tuscaloosa 42.26″ (+1.19″)
Huntsville 40.47″ (-0.86″)
Montgomery 38.84″ (-1.22″)
Dothan 36.95″ (-6.05″)

FOOTBALL WEATHER: Saturday Alabama will on the road to take on Missouri (11 a.m. kickoff) … the sky will be sunny with temperatures rising from the upper 70s at kickoff into the low 80s by the second half.

North Alabama will host Central Arkansas (3 p.m. kickoff) … the sky will be sunny with temperatures falling from the upper 70s at kickoff to near 70 by the final whistle.

Auburn will host Georgia Saturday evening at Jordan-hare Stadium (6:30 p.m. kickoff) … it will be a very pleasant night with temperatures falling through the 70s, reaching the upper 60s by the fourth quarter. The sky will be clear.

ON THIS DATE IN 2016: Hurricane Matthew was off the northeast coast of Florida. Matthew brought intense rainfall to the Carolinas on the 8th and 9th.

ON THIS DATE IN 2018: Only 8 hours after becoming a depression, the National Hurricane Center upgraded the system to Tropical Storm Michael. Tropical storm force winds and torrential downpours were affecting portions of the coastal east-central Yucatan Peninsula. It would go on to become a category five hurricane with landfall on the Florida Panhandle at Mexico Beach on October 10.

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