West Alabama Thursday Briefing
It is Thursday, November 2, 2023, and another cold start to the day with overnight lows in the upper 20s across West Alabama. That Freeze Warning ended at 9:00 this morning and it should be the last of the freezing, frosty temperatures for a while.
A warming trend into next week will take us back to more seasonable weather. It couldn't happen at a more opportune time as Tuscaloosa hosts ESPN's COLLEGE GAMEDAY Saturday morning and the LSU Tigers at Bryant-Denny Saturday night. This is gameday's second appearance in Tuscaloosa this season.
Weather for the high school games tomorrow night and Bama on Saturday should be about perfect for football. Daytime highs will be in the lower to mid 70s with sunny skies. Lows will be in the upper to mid 40s with clear skies.
Let's use a perfect Saturday night under the lights of Bryant-Denny to make life miserable for LSU. Everybody should wear Crimson and constantly make as much noise as possible to show the Bengal Tigers what a true home field advantage is. We are just returning the favor from last year.
By the way, the hope for even a little rainfall has been taken out of the forecast. National Weather Service Birmingham meteorologists has predicted a 20% chance of rain Monday and Monday night but that is now out of the forecast. So, that means the drought will continue to worsen.
The new U.S. Drought Monitor is now showing the entire Tennessee Valley and all of Southwest Alabama in Extreme Drought. From Marion County southward to Greene and Hale and eastward, Severe Drought conditions continue to spread. Central sections of the state are in Moderate Drought.
The Forecast:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 63. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Widespread frost, mainly after 5am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 32. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Widespread frost, mainly before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 70. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
High School Football Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75.
Crimson Tide Football Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48
Topping the News:
For the first time in 20 years the infant mortality rate has risen in the U-S and continues its rise in West Alabama. Combined with the closure of several Alabama hospital maternity units, health officials are concerned that the rate will continue to rise in our state. Dr. Leah Torres with the West Alabama Women’s Center tells news partner ABC 3340 there is no excuse for that in a nation as prosperous as ours. Alabama ranks 13th nationally in infant mortality.
Attacks on Jewish facilities statewide have increased 4-fold this year over the last three years combined, according to the Jewish Federation in Birmingham. The attacks have been mostly vandalism, but officials are concerned about the potential for more serious anti-sematic activity in the state due to the Israeli/Hamas War.
Drought infused wildfires continue to burn across the state. More than 50 of them are considered contained. One fire is just off Highway 69 north of the Hulls Community in Tuscaloosa County. Another small one is just west of Sipsey Valley High School in Fosters. A third small blaze is on Bib County Road 83, west of Brent. A fifth four-acre wildfire is just off Piney Grove Road in east central Lamar County. Yet another small fire on Lee Hull Road South in Fayette County is under control.
Alabama U-S Senator Tommy Tuberville is at war, with his own party over his blockage of more than 300 high ranking military promotions. Tuberville is using the block in an attempt to force the Pentagon to change its abortion policy. But a growing number of GOP senators are concerned Tuberville is putting domestic policy over national security. The senior Alabama senator claims his hold on promotions is not harming military readiness.
The GOP senators attempt to promote just 60 officers yesterday were blocked by Tuberville. He says he will approve each promotion individually if that is what Democrats want.
A year after hosting its first ever Veteran’s Day parade, the City of Northport has cancelled this year’s event, blaming low attendance. Veteran’s Day will be celebrated a week from tomorrow.
A Veteran’s Town Hall is set for November 16th at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center. The 11am until 1pm event will be in the Building 137 Atrium. Representatives from the Veteran’s Health Administration and the Veteran’s Benefit Association will be on-hand to meet with vets and their families.
A family clinic in Northport is joining West Alabama's best-known network of healthcare providers, which will expand the range of services they can offer at their office on Mitt Lary Road.
A spokesperson for the group said Dr. Ramesh Peramsetty and his team will add the Allegra Family Clinic in Northport to their Crimson Care Network, which includes primary and urgent care clinics, the Crimson Village senior living community, FirstKids Urgent Care and FirstPT Physical Therapy, Tuscaloosa MedSpa, a men's clinic, the Tuscaloosa Weight Loss Center and more.
In Sports:
The Texas Rangers are World Series Champions for the first time in franchise history after a 5-zip win at Arizona last night. They take the series four games to one.
One of the winningest and most controversial college basketball coaches in history has died. Former Indiana head coach Bob Knight was 83.
On tonight's high school football schedule for area teams: Gordo hosts Hale County, Marengo is at Flomaton, Cordova visits Carver-Birmingham, Lamar County travels to Winfield, Jasper is on the road to Homewood, Linden travels to Hayneville-Central, and Pickens County will be hosted by Marion County.
Have a thrilling Thursday because Friday is just ahead!!
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