Rain chances reach 9 p.m. Saturday as Halloween weekend system takes shape

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Dry conditions that held through the workweek will give way to rain beginning Saturday evening across Central Alabama, with forecasters tracking a system that could drop more than an inch of rain in some locations.

Temperatures were already in the 50s at 9 p.m. Monday under a moonlit sky. Overnight lows are expected to range from near 50 degrees to the mid-40s in outlying areas, followed by a Tuesday warmup into the 70s with sunshine and a light east wind.

Through midweek, highs will remain in the 70s with lows in the low 50s, dropping into the 40s in outlying areas. High clouds are expected to build at times through Friday, with winds generally from the east before shifting to the southeast by the weekend.

Showers are expected to develop by Saturday evening. The forecast calls for the highest rain chances between 9 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Early Saturday events, including the Magic City Classic Parade, are expected to remain dry. Trick-or-treating could see a few showers, particularly west of Birmingham.

Forecasters point to ensemble guidance showing high probabilities of at least a half inch of rain this weekend, with 30% to 40% probabilities of exceeding one inch in some areas. Drought conditions are in place across the region, which may slow the atmosphere's ability to generate wet weather.

The weekend system will leave milder air through Monday before a cold front arrives Tuesday with another round of rain and possibly storms. Scattered showers could linger Wednesday and Thursday. The time change to standard time occurs Sunday at 2 a.m.