West Alabama Monday Briefing
It is Monday, October 9, 2023, and the crisp cool air this morning put a little extra bounce in everyone's step as we headed out the door. Overnight lows in parts of North Alabama Dipped into the upper 30s. In our area the low was 47 but had rebound to middle 50s by 8am in route to a high near 80 today.
The crisp clear air is contributing to perfect conditions for wildfires. More than 50 burned this morning across the state according to the Alabama Forestry Commission. One each in northern Bibb, one in northwest Lamar and two in Walker County. All four are under control.
The Red Flag Warning has been cancelled but don't be surprised if it is not reissued as the area is expected to remain dry though Wednesday. West Alabama continues under Moderate Drought and the precipitation outlook for the next couple of weeks doesn't show any improvement.
Prolonged and worsening drought conditions is not good news for farmers already beleaguered by dry soil.
The Forecast:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 79. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. South wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 83. West wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind around 5 mph.
Remainder of the Work Week: Small chances of rain each day and evening as daytime highs warm into the upper 70s and lower 80s. Overnight will be cloudy with chances of light rain and lows in the upper 40s to mid 50s.
High School Football/UA Homecoming Pep Rally Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.
UA Homecoming Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 72.
Topping the News:
Among the couple of hundred Alabamians attempting to find a way out of embattled Israel today is a group from Tuscaloosa. During a phone call from Jerusalem to the Steve and DC Show on 95.3 The Bear this morning, Tuscaloosa businessman Poogie Poole described what they witnessed during one of the Hamas attacks, "We were at the Wailing Wall when we came under missile attack. It hit south of Jerusalem."
The weekend's death toll is more than1,000 in Israel with thousands wounded and casualties are also mounting in Gaza as Israeli forces strike back. More than 100 have been taken hostage by the Hamas terrorist, including Americans.
U-S airlines have suspended service to the Holy Land so Poole and his group may have to secure passage home through another country.
It is homecoming week at the University of Alabama and that means a whole week of activity each day including the traditional Friday night pep rally and bonfire on the Quad. But this will not be a normal homecoming Saturday. The parade will step off at 7am and the game against Arkansas will be an 11am kickoff due to being televised by the SEC Network.
There will also be a partial eclipse of the sun during the game and UA officials are warning fans not to look directly into the sun. The eclipse will take place during the second quarter of the game.
Girl Scout cookie sale begin in January and the organization is attempting to dispel a social media rumor – the popular Thin Mints cookie is not being discontinued. It is the Raspberry Rally that is being dropped from the lineup. The Girl Scouts will have the usual Do-Si-Dos, Samoas, Peanut Butter Tagalongs, Trefoils and of course – the Thin Mints available.
Alabama Junior U-S Senator Katie Britt told Fox News Sunday that the waves of immigrants crossing the U-S border is now more than a crisis, it is an invasion. Britt says the Biden Administration has no idea who many of them are and that thousands of them are on the terrorist watch list have been caught.
Britt pointed to the Obama Administration's admission that 1,000 immigrant encounters per day were recorded when he was in office. That number is now up to 10,000 per day.
A toxic chemical linked to cancer is on the way from Wisconsin to West Alabama. The forever chemicals called PFAs are being shipped to the Chemical Waste Management hazardous waste facility in the tiny Sumter County Town of Emelle.
More than 38,000 gallons are being trucked to West Alabama to the facility near Livingston. Questions are being raised about the shipments to the majority poor, black community.
In Sports:
Alabama's nail-biting win over Texas A&M in College Station did nothing to move the Crimson Tide up in the Associated Press Top 25. Bama remains ranked 11th.
The USA Today Coaches Poll is a little more favorable to the Tide, pushing them up one spot to 10th this week.
Georgia remains #1 in both polls.
Oddsmakers apparently believe Alabama's homecoming game with Arkansas this weekend will be like most homecoming games, a blowout. They have established the Crimson Tide as a 20.5-point favorite to dispatch the Razorbacks.
The over/under for the 11:00am contest at Bryant-Denny Stadium is 48.5.
Have a great week!!
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