A RATHER NICE WEEKEND: High pressure will rule the weather over the Southeast on Saturday, which will give up maximum sunshine and afternoon highs reaching the upper 40s to the lower 50s. Increasing high pressure moves to our east a little on Sunday, which will change our weather only by making afternoon highs much warmer. We’ll make it into the mid to upper 50s.

A QUIET START TO THE WEEK: A weak cold front will move across the state Monday, bringing clouds, but at this point the models are keeping moisture out of the mix, and we’ll stay dry throughout the day. Highs will be in the lower 50s to the mid-60s from north to south.

The cold front makes it into south Alabama on Tuesday, but there will not be much change in the weather. Skies will stay mostly cloudy and afternoon highs will be in the lower 50s to the lower 60s.

A SOAKER MOVES IN: A strong low will move across the Great Lakes region and into Canada Wednesday, dragging another cold front into and across Alabama. This time there will be plenty of moisture associated with the front and just enough instability for some thunder. It’s a little early to call the potential of severe storms, but with the better dynamics being so far away, that potential looks very, very small. Activity looks to move in starting in the late afternoon and continue for the remainder of the day. Highs before the front moves in will be in the upper 50s to the mid-60s.

Rain and storms will continue through the morning and into the early afternoon Thursday, but they will begin to move out by the mid to late afternoon through the evening. Cold air will move back in behind the front and rain, but temperatures will not be as cold as we saw on Christmas night. We could see a few flurries on the back side of the system, but they will probably end up being less than we saw on Christmas Eve. Highs will be in the mid-40s to the upper 50s.

The 48-hour rainfall totals that are being projected from the Weather Prediction Center show a good soaker for Alabama, with the potential of 2-3 inches of rain Wednesday and Thursday.

NEW YEAR’S DAY: Clouds will continue to decrease on Friday, with skies becoming mostly sunny early on. Temperatures will start off in the upper 20s to the mid-30s but will eventually climb into the mid-40s to the lower 50s for afternoon highs.

ON THIS DATE IN 1776: George Washington crossed the ice-clogged Delaware River. He marched on Trenton in the midst of snow and sleet, surprising and capturing many of the British garrison.

ON THIS DATE IN 1778: The “Hessian Storm,” a severe blizzard, blasted the Northeast from Pennsylvania to New England. Snow drifts were reported as high as 16 feet in Rhode Island. The storm was named for troops occupying Rhode Island during the Revolutionary War.

BEACH FORECAST CENTER: Get the latest weather and rip current forecasts for the beaches from Dauphin Island to Panama City Beach, Florida, on our Beach Forecast Center page. There, you can select the forecast of the region you are interested in.

For more weather news and information from James Spann, Scott Martin and other members of the James Spann team, visit AlabamaWx.