PLEASANT AFTERNOON: Temperatures are between 66 and 72 degrees over the northern half of Alabama this afternoon. Some spots have reached the mid 70s across south Alabama as the warming trend continues. The sky is partly to mostly sunny, and we will stay dry tonight with a low in the 40s.Thursday will be a mild Thanksgiving Day, with a high around 70 degrees, but clouds will increase, and rain returns to the state Thursday night into Friday morning. The main window will come from about 6 p.m. through noon. Some thunder is possible, but there is no risk of severe thunderstorms. We should be generally dry Friday afternoon and night as the lead wave moves to the east. The high will be in the mid 60s.

THE WEEKEND: Models continue to trend slower with an upper low lifting out of Texas. It now looks like the bulk of the rain over the weekend will come from about 6 p.m. Saturday through 6 a.m. Sunday, although a few scattered showers are possible Saturday afternoon. There will be no severe storms, and probably very little thunder with basically no surface-based instability. The sky becomes partly sunny Sunday afternoon as dry air returns to the state. The highs will be close to 70 Saturday and in the mid to upper 60s Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: Dry, pleasant weather continues Monday and Tuesday, but rain and storms return to the state Wednesday ahead of the next weather system. This will be a fairly dynamic system, and we will monitor parameters for severe thunderstorm potential over the next few days. Dry, cooler air returns for Thursday and Friday with highs in the upper 50s.IRON BOWL UPDATE: Based on the slow movement of the upper low lifting out of Texas, there is a decent chance the most widespread rain arrives after the Iron Bowl Saturday, but a few showers are still possible during the game. Expect a kickoff temperature near 70 degrees, falling back into the mid 60s by the final whistle. On another positive note, Saturday morning now looks dry in Tuscaloosa.

ON THIS DATE IN 1912: The Rouse Simmons was a three-masted schooner famous for sinking during a violent storm on Lake Michigan. The ship was bound for Chicago with a cargo of Christmas trees when it foundered off the coast of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, killing all on board.

ON THIS DATE IN 2004: An EF-1 tornado moved through parts of Lamar and Marion counties, producing considerable damage in a broad zone from near Detroit to Hamilton. More tornadoes would touch down the following morning.

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.