A hint of fall will remain in the air this week as temperatures and humidity are forecasted to remain about 10 degrees under average, according to meteorologist Tim Troutman at the National Weather Service in Huntsville.

Troutman said an upper-level, low-pressure system moved into the Tennessee Valley Monday morning, bringing with it clear skies seen more often in October instead of late July in Limestone County.

“This should be a generally good opportunity to go out and enjoy the outdoors,” he said. “It’s going to be quite a bit cooler than it has been.”

Four county high school football teams took advantage of Troutman’s advice Monday. Players and coaches met on the gridiron of Elkmont High School to kick off the season with the teams’ annual seven-versus-seven scrimmage games.

The good news for Limestone County football teams is that the NWS is predicting near-record low temperatures until sometime next weekend, Troutman said.

Today’s (Tuesday) highs were expected to reach only into the middle to lower 80’s, with the nighttime low expected to be in the middle to upper 50’s, Troutman said. Wednesday and Thursday are forecasted to be about the same.

“The possibility does exist that there could be a record low,” he said.

The weekend will bring a slight chance for rain, Troutman said, but nothing more than 30 percent. Temperatures will also be on the rise, but only marginally.

“We’re still going to be at least five degrees below normal for the upcoming weekend,” Troutman said.

This is the second time this month that temperatures have been noticeably below normal.

“That 10-degree drop can happen,” Troutman said. “We’re just in a cooler than normal trend right now.”

If the upper–level system were to move at all this week, the weather could also warm back up, he said.

While the cooler change might be welcome, Troutman said there’s still at least 45 days of summer left— meaning about a month and half of days with high temperatures in the 90’s.