Dry Through Sunday With Warm Afternoons
ANOTHER DRY, DUSTY DAY: With a mostly sunny sky, temperatures are in the 77-83 degree range across Alabama this afternoon. The sky remain mostly fair tonight with a low in the 50s.
FIRE ALERT: The Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) re-issued a Fire Alert for all 67 counties in the state yesterday. In the 32 northern counties (roughly north of Interstate 20), no burn permits will be issued. In the 35 southern counties (south of Interstate 20), certified prescribed burn managers will have the option to obtain a one-day burn permit. There will be no exceptions to this rule. Anyone who burns a field, grassland, or woodland without a burn permit may be subject to prosecution for committing a Class B misdemeanor.
During the past seven days, AFC wildland firefighters have responded to 111 wildfires that scorched more than 1,881 acres of forestland in Alabama. Drought conditions are expected to worsen as no rain is forecast for the next week, and October is historically the state’s driest month. This extremely dry weather creates a greater-than-average potential for outdoor fires to escape easily and spread rapidly, taking longer – and more firefighting resources – to contain and ultimately control.
NEXT WEEK: A cold front will move through Alabama Monday, and we expect a big temperature contrast. North Alabama will likely be in the 50s all day with a chilly north wind, while the southern counties reach the low to mid 80s again. Some scattered light rain is possible over the northwest counties of the state, but nothing really beneficial.
Then, all of the state will be in colder air Tuesday with highs in the 50s and 60s. Lows drop into the 30s over the northern half of the state by Wednesday and Thursday morning, and a number of communities will see their first freeze of the season. Unfortunately at this point it looks like most of the week will be dry with just some scattered light rain around. See the video briefing for maps, graphics, and more details.
TROPICS: Hurricane Otis slammed into Acapulco, Mexico last night as a category five storm with sustained winds of 165 mph. This likely produced catastrophic damage; it is continues to weaken rapidly this afternoon.
In the Atlantic, Hurricane Tammy now has sustained winds of 105 mph, and is about 515 miles south/southeast of Bermuda this afternoon. It will be a post-tropical cyclone tomorrow as it gains latitude, and is forecast to be east of Bermuda over the weekend.
No tropical systems will be near the Gulf of Mexico through the weekend.
FOOTBALL WEATHER: The sky will be clear for the high school games across Alabama Friday night with temperatures falling from the mid 70s at kickoff into the upper 60s by the quarter.
For Saturday’s Magic City Classic in Birmingham (Alabama State vs Alabama A&M, 2:30p CT kickoff at Legion Field)… the sky will be partly to mostly sunny with temperatures in the low to mid 80s. It will be a warm October afternoon.
Auburn hosts Mississippi State (2:30p CT kickoff) at Jordan Hare Stadium… dry and warm weather is the story with temperatures in the 80-83 degree for most of the game. The sky will be mostly sunny.
ON THIS DATE IN 1921: A devastating category 3 hurricane struck near Tarpon Springs, Florida. The storm caused 8 fatalities and is the latest in the calendar year a category 3 hurricane or stronger made landfall in the U.S.
ON THIS DATE IN 2017: The high temperatures in Denver, Colorado was 84 degrees. By the morning hours on the 27th, the temperature fell to 13 degrees, a 71-degree change.
Look for the next video briefing here by 6:00 a.m. tomorrow…
Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Weather Xtreme Videos
About the Author (Author Profile)
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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