James Spann: Alabama thaws out, should hit 70s by Thursday from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

WARMER DAYS AHEAD: Alabama continues to dig out of the deep freeze; most communities are well above freezing this morning, with temperatures in the 40s and a good south breeze. Clouds will increase today, south winds will average 10-20 mph, gusting higher at times, and the high will be close to 60 degrees this afternoon as the warming trend continues.

We will mention a chance of showers across the northern third of Alabama tonight and tomorrow as a cold front approaches, but the main dynamic support will be lifting well to the north, and rain amounts should be fairly light. The warm-up continues; expect a high in the upper 60s tomorrow.

THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: The front will hang up north of Alabama and stall out, and as an upper ridge builds across the Southeast the weather looks spring-like on these four days. Highs rising into the low 70s each afternoon with very little chance of rain. Days will feature a mix of sun and clouds; nights mostly fair.

NEXT WEEK: The ridge breaks down, and we will forecast rain to return to Alabama Monday night and Tuesday; for now, severe storms are not expected, and rain amounts should be in the half-inch to 1-inch range. No sign of any true Arctic air returning to Alabama for the next 10 days.

LONG RANGE: The Climate Forecast System model does hint at much colder air returning to the Deep South toward the end of January.

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