RADAR CHECK: A strong upper wave is digging through Alabama this afternoon, producing scattered showers and thunderstorms.  Because of the cold air aloft, hail is falling from the heavier showers (mostly small hail). These showers and storms will dissipate once the sun goes down later this evening and the wave moves on to the east.

FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: Dry, pleasant weather is the story. Friday will be partly sunny with a high between 72 and 75; then we are forecasting sunshine in full supply over the weekend. The high Saturday will be in the mid 70s, but Sunday will be a tad cooler, with a high closer to 70. No rain worries for a change.

RACE WEEKEND: For Friday at the Talladega Superspeedway, the sky will be partly sunny with a high close to 70 degrees. Then, the weather could not be any better for the weekend — sunny Saturday and Sunday, with highs in the mid 70s Saturday followed by a maximum temperature close to 70 Sunday for the Geico 500.

MULLET TOSS: The annual event at the Flora-Bama draws huge crowds, and the weekend on the Gulf Coast will be spectacular — sunny days and fair nights Friday through Sunday with highs in the 70s. Water temperatures in the Gulf are running in the mid 70s.

NEXT WEEK: A strong upper ridge will build over the eastern third of the nation, and that will bring the warmest weather so far this year to our state. The weather looks dry at least through Thursday; the high Monday will be in the upper 70s, followed by low 80s Tuesday and Wednesday, and mid 80s Thursday and Friday. You will be hearing of a severe weather threat for the Southern Plains next week, but models show the main energy weakening and passing well north of Alabama late in the week. It could bring a few showers and storms in here late Friday or Friday night, May 4, but for now it looks like we won’t have any severe weather issues in our state.

ON THIS DATE SEVEN YEARS AGO: It was the second day of the “superoutbreak” of tornadoes, which occurred April 25-28, 2011. Numerous tornadoes touched down across several states, including Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. Most of those tornadoes were weak, but a few of them caused considerable damage. A long-tracked wedge tornado caused EF2 damage in rural portions of Texas and Louisiana. An EF3 tornado destroyed multiple structures and caused severe damage at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, as well. A total of 55 tornadoes were confirmed on the 26th, although no fatalities occurred. The peak of the event, however, would come the next day, April 27.

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For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit AlabamaWx.