Big Cool Down By Friday
RECORDS GALORE: Yesterday’s official high at Birmingham was 87 degrees; that tied the record for October 31… last time it was that warm on Halloween was in 1984. New records were set yesterday at Anniston with 87 (the old record was 86 in 1961), Tuscaloosa with 88 (old record was 87 in 1961) and Montgomery with 89 (old record was 88 in 1984).
We have just wrapped up the warmest October on record; we will have the final stats later today.
We should also mention there was no measurable rain for Birmingham during the entire month; we had just a trace of rain on October 16. It is the third time on record for no rain in October…. it also happened in 1924 and 1901.
Today will be the 44rd consecutive day without rain for Birmingham; the record streak is 52 days set in 1924.
Also, for many Alabama communities today will be the warmest November day on record as the new month begins. We project a high between 86 and 89 today… Birmingham’s record high today is 85 set in 2000.
The warmth is a product of a persistent upper ridge, and the absolute lack of soil moisture. The sun doesn’t have to work on evaporating soil moisture; all of the energy goes to heating the ground, which in turn heats the air. Droughts and heat waves go together like peanut butter and jelly. We could be well above 100 degrees if this was happening in July or August.
After today, temperatures back off slowly through mid week; we expect a high in the mid 80s tomorrow, and low 80s Thursday.
BIG COOL DOWN LATER THIS WEEK: A surface front will pass through Alabama Thursday night; we will mention a few widely scattered showers along the front, mainly for the Tennessee Valley of far North Alabama. Nothing really meaningful, and places to the south like Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, and Gadsden probably won’t get a drop.
But, expect a big change to cool weather Friday. We won’t get past the mid 60s despite sunshine in full force, and a cool northeast wind of 10-20 mph will make it feel cooler.
THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Perfect fall weather. Sunny pleasant days, clear chilly nights. Expect upper 60s Saturday, and low 70s Sunday. Colder pockets will drop into the 30s early Saturday and Sunday morning with potential for frost.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: For round one of the high school playoff games Friday night, the weather will be clear and very cool with temperatures falling through the 50s; some stadiums could be in the 40s by the fourth quarter. You will need a jacket.
Auburn will host Vanderbilt Saturday (11a CT kickoff)… it will be a perfect day for football with a sunny sky… temperatures will climb from 64 at kickoff, to near 70 by the fourth quarter.
Alabama will be on the road; they play LSU Saturday night (7p CT kickoff)… the sky will be clear with temperatures falling through the 60s. A great night for football.
NEXT WEEK: The first half of the week looks dry with highs in the 70s and lows in the 40s; the latest GFS run shows a good rain event at the end of the week, but the European (ECMWF) shows nothing. Just too early to know. See the Weather Xtreme video for maps, graphics, and more details.
LONG RANGE: Signs of a pattern flip remain strong at mid-month, with the upper ridge fading away, opening the door for frequent rain producing systems. The European ensemble guidance still suggests potential for over 5 inches of rain from mid-November through mid-December. Let’s hope that verifies.
AT THE BEACH: Sunny days, fair nights on the coast from Panama City Beach to Gulf Shores through early next week; highs in the low 80s through Thursday, then dropping into the 70s Friday and over the weekend. See a very detailed Gulf Coast forecast here.
TROPICS: The Atlantic basin remains quiet, and tropical storm formation is not expected this week. The season ends at the end of this month.
WEATHER BRAINS: Don’t forget you can listen to our weekly 90 minute netcast anytime on the web, or on iTunes. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including our meteorologists here at ABC 33/40. We will produce this week’s show tonight at 8:30 CT… you can watch it live here.
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I have a weather program today at Brookwood Elementary School in Tuscaloosa County… be looking for the next Weather Xtreme video here by 4:00 this afternoon. Enjoy the day!
Category: Alabama's Weather
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James Spann is one of the most recognized and trusted television meteorologists in the industry. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. He is a past winner of the Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year from both professional organizations.Subscribe
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