James Spann has the Friday forecast for Alabama and a look at the weekend ahead from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

CLOUDY, COOL DAY: We will mention scattered light rain in the forecast today, but, like the system on Wednesday, many Alabama communities won’t have enough rain to measure because of limited moisture. Otherwise, today will be mostly cloudy and cool, with a high between 50 and 55 degrees.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: An upper trough will swing through the state Saturday; the day begins with a cloudy sky and a risk of isolated showers. Partial clearing begins by afternoon as drier air works in from the west. The high will be in the mid to upper 50s. Sunday promises to be a delightful day, with ample sunshine and a high in the low 60s.

NEXT WEEK: Look for a spring preview Monday; the sky will be partly to mostly sunny with a high between 65 and 70 degrees. Clouds increase Monday night, and we will bring in a chance of showers Tuesday as moisture levels rise. The weather stays mild, with a high in the upper 60s.

The Storm Prediction Center has defined a severe weather risk for much of Alabama Wednesday and Wednesday night.

Models have trended toward higher surface-based instability values by Wednesday, and with a storm system approaching with strong wind fields, that will set the stage for some risk of strong or severe thunderstorms. It is way too early to resolve specific details of this event, including the timing and magnitude of the threat. Just something to watch for now.

Rain amounts Tuesday and Wednesday will be in the 1- to 2-inch range; then cooler, drier air returns to the state Thursday and Friday.

There’s still no sign of any bitterly cold, Arctic air for Alabama for the next seven to 10 days as the Arctic Oscillation remains strongly positive.

RAIN UPDATE: Birmingham’s rain total for January as of early this morning is 7.82 inches, 3.15 inches above average. South Alabama has been much drier, however; Mobile’s total is 4.43 inches, 1.03 inches below average.

ON THIS DATE IN 1989: The barometric pressure at Norway, Alaska, reached 31.85 inches (1078.4 mb) establishing an all-time record for the North American continent. The temperature at the time of the record was about 46 degrees below zero. Severe arctic cold began to invade the north central U.S. The temperature at Grand Fall, Montana, plunged 85 degrees in 36 hours. Valentine, Nebraska, plummeted from a record high of 70 degrees to zero in just nine hours. Northwest winds gusted to 86 mph at Lander, Wyoming, and wind chill readings of 80 degrees below zero were reported in Montana. Sixty-four cities in the central U.S. reported record highs for the date as readings reached the 60s in Michigan and the 80s in Kansas.

STORM SPOTTER TRAINING: Our annual storm spotter training is Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Hoover Met. It begins at 9:30 and there is no cost. We will offer both the basic and advanced training sessions; we expect to wrap up by 2:30. No need to register; just show up with a curious mind. We need more trained storm spotters. Help us make the warning process better.

BEACH FORECAST: Click here to see the AlabamaWx Beach Forecast Center page.

WEATHER BRAINS: You can listen to our weekly 90-minute show any time on your favorite podcast app. This is the show all about weather featuring many familiar voices, including the meteorologists at ABC 33/40.

CONNECT: You can find me on the major social networks:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Snapchat: spannwx

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