SUMMARY: Meteorologist Grant Skinner reports a transition to drier air in the News 5 area, with low clouds lingering before a dry cold front arrives late tomorrow. Current temperatures are around 50° by the coast, with inland areas cooler in the 40s. Overnight, temperatures will drop to the upper 30s inland and near 40° along the coast. Tomorrow will be breezy with highs in the mid-60s. A cold snap this weekend will bring lows in the low 30s, remaining below average. By Christmas, a warm front brings temperatures up to 70°, marking a significant change from the weekend cold.

Thanks to stubborn cloud cover, it was hard for many spots to make it out of the 50’s this afternoon. Tonight will be much cooler with even colder air arriving for the weekend. Lows by Friday morning will sit at around 40°, and we will have mostly clear skies. With lots of sunshine, highs will be seasonable by the afternoon in the mid-60’s. A dry cold front will pass through the region late Friday, and this will bring us a blast of cold air for the weekend. Lows into Saturday and Sunday morning will sit in the mid- to upper-20’s inland with low-30’s along I-10 and mid- to upper-30’s close to the coast. Highs will sit in the 50’s, and conditions will stay dry. To start the week of Christmas, we will begin to warm into the 60’s. Moisture will slowly push back into the area ahead of our next system. Late Christmas Eve into Christmas, isolated showers will be possible, and highs will sit at around 70°. A front will stall near the area keeping warm temperatures and clouds for Thursday.

The WKRG News 5 First Alert Storm Team covers part of southeast Mississippi, southwestern Alabama, and northwest Florida. You can also view the full Thursday evening forecast for the Gulf Coast here: https://tinyurl.com/5dp9smer
Follow Meteorologist Grant Skinner on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wkrggrant

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SUMMARY: An active-duty Marine, 20-year-old Willie Ellington, stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, has been charged with the murder of 26-year-old Tay Bennett, whose body was discovered in a ditch in Mobile. Bennett, reported missing from Escambia County, was last seen alive at a Pensacola escort service. Investigators found her body near the intersection of Cardinal and Eagle Drive. Ellington has also been charged with possession of child pornography. The specifics of Bennett’s death have not been disclosed. Details are unfolding as the investigation continues.

An active duty marine was arrested in connection with a body found in a ditch in Mobile on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
FULL STORY: https://trib.al/xjps07A

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SUMMARY: The cost to demolish the Mobile Civic Center has increased by over $1 million, bringing the total to $5.8 million, still under the original $8 million budget. Key factors for the cost hike include the need for soil stabilization, unexpected asbestos discovered in the structure, and the effort to preserve mosaics in the arena. City leaders recognized these expenses as necessary but manageable. The dirt must sit for 90 days before construction starts, with a new contract for the replacement Civic Center expected to be awarded by late February, aiming for a groundbreaking in March.

The cost to tear down the Mobile Civic Center got $1.3 million more expensive due to unforeseen circumstances, but city officials said it was expected.

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