MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Republican Party on Sunday dismissed a challenge that questioned U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s eligibility to run for governor.

The Alabama Republican Party Candidate Committee dismissed the challenge filed by Ken McFeeters accusing Tuberville of not meeting the seven-year residency requirement to run for governor. Tuberville’s campaign and McFeeters confirmed the decision on Monday.

“Finally, common sense has prevailed, and this made-up ‘residency’ hoax will be put to bed for good,” Tuberville’s campaign chairman Jordan Doufexis said. The campaign issued a statement saying it provided the party with “definitive proof that Sen. Tuberville has continuously lived in Alabama since 2019.”

McFeeters, who is running against Tuberville for the Republican nomination for governor, filed the challenge last week. He said he believes Tuberville lives in a multimillion-dollar beach home in Florida instead of a smaller home that he has listed as his residence in Auburn, Alabama.

McFeeters said Monday that he is considering filing a lawsuit “to require him to release documentation showing he’s domiciled in Auburn and not his $6 million beach house.”

Property tax records show the former Auburn University football coach has a home in Auburn, Alabama, with an appraised value of $291,780 on which he claims a homestead exemption. He also has a beach home in Walton County, Florida, with an estimated market value of $5.5 million, according to property records. Tuberville’s wife and son initially purchased the home in 2017. The senator’s name was later added to the property.

After weeks of cold mornings and unpredictable winter swings, Alabama residents are asking the same question: when will it finally start to feel like spring?

New outlooks from the National Weather Service and the Old Farmer’s Almanac suggest the answer depends on where you live, but signs point to a warmer-than-normal start to the season for much of the state.

Overall, forecasters expect spring temperatures in Alabama to trend warmer than average. Here’s what to know.

When will it start warming up in Alabama?

February may still deliver a few reminders that winter isn’t finished, NWS forecasters say. While the broader spring outlook favors the warmer-than-normal temperatures across the South, lingering La Niña influences mean winter isn’t quite done.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac spring outlook calls for warmer-than-normal temperatures across the Deep South. April is expected to average about 4 degrees above normal, while May might trend closer to seasonal levels, coming in about 1 degree below average overall.

According to the NWS three-month temperature outlook for February through April, the likelihood of above-average temperatures varies across Alabama:

• Southern Alabama: The strongest signal for warmth, with above-average temperatures most likely. This region is expected to feel spring-like conditions first.
• Central to northeast Alabama: A 40-50% chance of above-average temperatures, indicating a steady warm-up with occasional cool periods.
• Northwest to northern Alabama: A 33-40% chance of above-average temperatures, making the arrival of consistent warmth less sure early in the season.

Will it be a rainy spring in Alabama?

The National Weather Service also predicts below-average precipitation across much of Alabama during the February through April period, signaling a drier-than-normal start to the season. 

The Old Farmer’s Almanac echoes this trend, calling for below-normal rainfall in parts of the Deep South, particularly farther south in the state. 

Combined with warmer temperatures, the drier pattern could help spring conditions settle in more quickly. 

What is the Old Farmer’s Almanac?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac is a long-running publication, first issued in 1792, that predicts seasonal weather trends. It uses historical patterns, climate data and astronomy to provide a general outlook for the months ahead, not day-to-day forecasts. Many people use it as a guide for gardening, travel and planning around the seasonal weather. 

How accurate is the Old Farmer’s Almanac?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac says it predicts seasonal weather trends correctly about 80% of the time.

Unlike daily forecasts, it focuses on broad temperature and precipitation patterns, comparing historical weather, solar activity and long-term average temperatures. 

For the 2024-2025 winter, it reports an 88.9% accuracy rate in predicting whether temperatures in a representative city would be above or below normal.

Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@usatodayco.com.