James Spann: Showers end tonight in Alabama with clearing tomorrow

RADAR CHECK: A deep, cold core upper low is over the Tennessee Valley this afternoon … bands of showers are wrapping around the low over the northern half of the state. Due to the very cold air aloft, heavier showers are producing some small hail. Temperatures are in the 50s over North Alabama, with 60s to the south. Showers will end tonight as the upper low begins to lift out.

Look for a clearing sky tomorrow; most places will see sun by afternoon as dry air rotates in behind the upper low. Then, with a clear sky and light wind many North Alabama communities will see their first frost of the season early Friday morning with lows in the 30s … colder spots will see a light freeze. Friday will be a sunny day with highs in the 60s and low 70s.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: The weather stays dry Saturday; most frost is possible over the northern counties early in the day followed by a high in the 64–72-degree range. An approaching upper trough has potential to bring some rain to the state Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: The upper trough won’t be in a hurry to move, so we will need to mention periods of rain in the forecast Monday and Tuesday. The latter half of the week looks dry with comfortable afternoons; highs will be in the low to mid 70s. See the video briefing for maps, graphics and more details.

TROPICS: This afternoon Hurricane Melissa, with winds of 100 mph, is about 110 miles south of the Central Bahamas … moving northeast at 15 mph. Melissa will move over the Southeast Bahamas tonight as the system begins to accelerate. It will be just west of Bermuda late tomorrow night on the journey to the North Atlantic, where it comes post-tropical over the weekend.

The rest of the Atlantic basin is quiet; no tropical storms or hurricanes are expected across the Gulf for at least the next 10 days.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: Auburn hosts Kentucky Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium (6:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly fair with temperatures falling from near 60 degrees at kickoff into the upper 40s by the final whistle.

Arkansas State visits Troy Saturday night (7 p.m. kickoff) … expect a clear sky with temperatures falling from the low 60s at kickoff through the 50s during the game.

TIME CHANGE: We go back on standard time this weekend. Clocks go back one hour late Saturday night; the sunset Sunday will come around 4:50 p.m. for most of Alabama.

ON THIS DATE IN 1948: An historic smog event occurred in the town of Donora, Pennsylvania. The smog killed 20 people and sickened 7,000 more.

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