James Spann: Freezing temperatures for Alabama tonight; dry through next week
COLD NIGHT AHEAD: Despite a sunny sky, temperatures are only in the mid to upper 40s across much of north and central Alabama this afternoon. Tonight will be clear and cold with subfreezing temperatures statewide; most locations will drop somewhere into the 22- to 32-degree range with a clear sky and diminishing wind.
Saturday will be a sunny day to start the weekend with a high between 57 and 60 degrees. A disturbance will bring some clouds into south Alabama, but the chance of rain there is low. For the rest of the state, Sunday will be partly to mostly sunny with a high around 60 degrees.
NEXT WEEK: The weather remains very quiet. Expect mostly sunny days and fair nights through the week; the high will be in the upper 50s Monday, followed by 60s during the rest of the week.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: For the high school playoff games tonight, the weather will be clear and cold, with temperatures falling from the mid-40s at kickoff into the 30s by the second half.
College games on Saturday:
BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN AT MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR (noon CT kickoff in Belton, Texas): The sky will be mostly cloudy with rain likely during the game. Temperatures will be in the low 50s.
TROY AT GEORGIA STATE (1 p.m. CT kickoff in Atlanta): The sky will be sunny with temperatures hovering between 55 and 60 degrees during the game.
ALABAMA AT AUBURN (2:30 p.m. kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium): The sky will be sunny with a kickoff temperature near 60 degrees, falling through the 50s during the second half. It will be a perfect day for the biggest football game of the year in Alabama.
ON THIS DATE IN 2007: Lightning and heavy rain delayed the start of the Monday Night Football game at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field between the Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers by 25 minutes. The muddy field conditions contributed to one of the lowest-scoring NFL games, won by the Steelers 3-0. The teams combined 375 yards, and the winning field goal occurred with 17 seconds left in the game.
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