Alabama's soaking rain ends as cooler, drier air arrives Thursday

Cooler, drier air blows in through the day behind the front responsible for our beneficial rain. It could get even colder late next week as a tropical system passes south of Alabama. Check the video forecast for the latest. SEASONABLE FRIDAYThe period from October 21 to November 13 has been the warmest on record by far. We still have not had a widespread frost for the whole state, and it has felt more like September than November lately.Drier, cooler air works its wait into Alabama through the weekend, but another front next week could drop temperatures even further. After Thursday's cold front, cooler, drier air strolls into Alabama from the north. Temperatures will drop to the mid-40s Friday morning. Spots farther north of I-20 could drop to the lower 40s, and communities farther south of I-20 will drop to the upper 40s.The 20-degree drop from Thursday morning's lows is nearly average, but could feel surprising due to recent above-average warmth. The sun's warmth will battle the cooling flow from the north, keeping afternoon highs in the mid-60s. If you're planning to attend the high school football playoff games on Friday night, be sure to bring an extra layer. The second round of playoffs will take place under clear skies and temperatures will fall quickly. Some spots will likely be in the the 40s as games come to an end.WEEKEND FORECASTSaturday morning will usher in the coldest temperatures of this week, with many areas experiencing lows in the low 40s, and typically cooler spots potentially dipping into the upper 30s. Despite feeling colder compared to recent warm mornings, these temperatures are typical for this time of year.Alabama faces Mercer at Bryant-Denny Stadium at 1 p.m., while Auburn plays Louisiana-Monroe at 11:45 a.m. The weather is expected to be excellent in both Tuscaloosa and Auburn, with sunny skies and temperatures ranging from the upper 60s to lower 70s at kickoff.Sunday will feature another chilly start with lows in the 40s. The afternoon will be mainly sunny with highs just above average in the upper 60s to low 70s. The entire weekend will be rain-free.MORE RAIN ON THE WAYLast Thursday, the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport recorded approximately one inch of rainfall. Looking ahead, another round of rain is forecasted to span across Alabama by mid-next week.A tropical system named Sara is predicted to weaken prior to entering the Gulf of Mexico. Despite this weakening, tropical moisture from Sara is expected to penetrate Alabama next week. Scattered showers are anticipated to move across the state from Tuesday into Wednesday. As of now, we do not expect heavy rain or severe storms with that front. EVEN COLDER LATE NEXT WEEK!It would be perfectly normal to expect the worst coming out of a historic warm spell like this, but there is a very good chance that we will move from the hotter to the colder with little risk of significant severe weather.After the cold front sweeps across the state mid-week, temperatures will plummet to mid-upper 30s by Thursday and Friday morning. The last time Birmingham dipped down to the 30s was October 16thBirmingham's latest first freeze on record happened on January 10, 1932. The latest freeze in modern times happened on November 30, 2020. We may be later than usual, but we are not even close to the records yet.For the latest Birmingham weather information and Central Alabama's certified most accurate forecast, watch WVTM 13 News.Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram.