James Spann: Alabama dries out, cools off for a few days from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

CALMER DAY: After strong storms that dropped hail across parts of Alabama yesterday, we have a cool, dry, stable airmass in place today. We expect sunshine in full supply with a high close to 60 degrees this afternoon. Tonight will be clear and cold. We will be close to the freezing mark early tomorrow; then, during the day tomorrow, expect blue sky and sunshine with a high in the 56- to 60-degree range.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Saturday morning will feature a freeze; most places will wind up in the upper 20s, but colder valley locations could see a low between 20 and 25 degrees. A classic example of a late-season freeze, and it won’t be the last. The sky will stay mostly sunny Saturday and Sunday with a slow warming trend; the high Saturday will be around 60, followed by upper 60s Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: Monday will be dry and mild with a high around 70; then a cold front will bring a chance of showers and thunderstorms Tuesday and Tuesday night. For now it doesn’t look like a severe weather threat, with the main dynamic support and surface low well to the north. The latter half of the week looks cool and dry; the latest Global Forecast System run hints we could be close to freezing again by Thursday morning of next week.

ROARING IN LIKE A LION: March is one of the wildest weather months of the year in Alabama; we can have 80-degree warmth or single-digit cold (it has been as cold as 2 degrees in Birmingham). It is the beginning of the spring tornado season, and some of the biggest snows in history have happened during the month (like the great Blizzard of ’93). Strap in for a wild ride.

RAIN UPDATE: Birmingham’s rain total for the year so far is 9.79 inches, 0.24 inches above average. One of the wettest cities in the state is Montgomery, where the total for the year is 15.41 inches.

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