James Spann forecasts two more dry days for Alabama before rain returns from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

ANOTHER COLD START: Here are some temperatures across Alabama just before sunrise:

• Oneonta — 34
• Scottsboro — 37
• Gadsden — 38
• Meridianville — 38
• Cullman — 39
• Decatur — 39
• Pell City — 39
• Talladega — 40
• Cottondale — 40
• Anniston — 42
• Birmingham — 45
• Montgomery — 46
• Tuscaloosa — 47
• Dothan — 53
• Mobile — 57

Look for a big warm-up across Alabama today with a high between 77 and 80 degrees; the sky will stay sunny. Afternoon temperatures will reach the low 80s Tuesday with a partly to mostly sunny sky.

RAIN RETURNS: Clouds return Wednesday, and we will forecast a good chance of showers and a few thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night. For now, it looks like the main window for rain will come from about 3 p.m. Wednesday to 3 a.m. Thursday. Amounts of one-half to 1 inch are expected for most of the state. There is a low-end “marginal risk” of severe thunderstorms Wednesday evening for the Tennessee Valley.

Storms there could produce gusty winds and maybe some small hail, but this is not a major severe weather threat.

For most of Alabama, this will be the first rain since Sept. 25 (the rain total that day in Birmingham was only three hundredths of an inch) and the first really meaningful rain event since Sept. 4, when Birmingham measured 1.55 inches.

THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: The sky becomes mostly sunny Thursday as dry air returns; the high will be in the mid 70s. Sunny weather continues on Friday and Saturday; the high will be in the low 70s Friday, followed by upper 70s Saturday. Then, a cold front will bring a chance of showers to the state late Sunday and Sunday night. For now, it looks like moisture will be limited and rain amounts will be light. The high Sunday will be between 74 and 77 degrees with a partly sunny sky.

NEXT WEEK: For now, most of the week looks cool and dry, with highs in the 60s and 70s and lows mostly in the 40s.

TROPICS: Tropical Storm Julia is expected to dissipate tonight over Guatemala. The Atlantic basin is now very quiet, and tropical storm formation is not expected for at least the next five days. Hurricane season ends Nov. 30.

ON THIS DATE IN 1846: A major hurricane, likely a Category 5, moved through the Caribbean Sea. This Great Havana Hurricane struck western Cuba on Oct. 10. It hit the Florida Keys on Oct. 11, destroying the old Key West Lighthouse and Fort Zachary Taylor.

ON THIS DATE IN 2009: Nome, Alaska, experienced its first-ever October thunderstorm, with five lightning strikes between 8 and 9 p.m. ADT.

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

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