James Spann forecasts weekend rain for Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

COLD START: Temperatures are below freezing across colder pockets of north and central Alabama early this morning with a clear sky and light wind. Sunny weather continues across Alabama today with highs in the 50s over north Alabama and 60s to the south. The day Saturday will remain dry; temperatures reach the low to mid 60s with a partly sunny sky. Some south Alabama communities will touch 70 degrees.

Clouds increase late in the day, and an approaching disturbance will bring periods of rain to the state Saturday night into Sunday. There will be no risk of severe storms and probably very little thunder. The heaviest rain will be across the northern third of the state, where more than 1 inch is possible. Amounts will be closer to one-half inch for the rest of the state.

It won’t rain all day Sunday, but if you have something planned outdoors be ready for occasional showers. The day will be cloudy with temperatures in the 50s over north Alabama and 60s for the southern counties. Rain will end from northwest to southwest late in the day Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: Monday will be dry, but a fast-moving wave will bring the chance of some scattered, light rain Tuesday. A more significant system arrives with a good chance of rain and possibly a few thunderstorms either Thursday or Friday (models are not in good agreement concerning the timing). For now it doesn’t look like a severe weather threat. Temperatures will be a little above average through the week, with highs in the 50s and 60s, and we still see no signs of any bitterly cold Arctic air for the next 10 days.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TORNADO SURVEY RESULTS: NWS Birmingham has identified 11 tornado tracks across central Alabama so far from the Jan. 3-4 event. The tally so far: six EF-0, four EF-1 and one EF-2. The tracks were found in Marengo, Hale, Perry, Bibb, Autauga, Elmore, Montgomery, Macon, Clay, Randolph and Chambers counties. The strongest, the EF-2, moved through an area around Lake Jordan and Titus in Elmore County.

ON THIS DATE IN 1886: The “Great Blizzard of 1886” struck the Midwest with high winds, subzero temperatures and heavy snowfall. These conditions caused as many as 100 deaths, and 80% of the cattle in Kansas perished.

ON THIS DATE IN 1996: A severe nor’easter paralyzed the East Coast Jan. 6-8. In Washington, D.C., this storm is also known as the “Great Furlough Storm” because it occurred during the 1996 federal government shutdown. Snowfall amounts from this event include 47 inches in Big Meadows, Virginia; 30.7 inches in Philadelphia; 27.8 inches in Newark; 24.6 inches at the Dulles International Airport; 24.2 inches in Trenton; 24 inches in Providence; 22.5 inches in Baltimore; 18.2 inches in Boston; 17.1 inches in D.C.; and 9.6 inches in Pittsburgh.

ON THIS DATE IN 2017: Much of central Alabama received a mixed bag of wintry weather. This weather ranged from freezing rain to sleet to snow. The heaviest accumulations of sleet and snow occurred mainly near and south of the I-20 corridor. The highest amounts were observed in Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties, where up to 1.5 inches fell.

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.