James Spann forecasts a cool, dry Monday for Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

DRY AIR, SUNNY SKY: Look for sunshine in full supply across Alabama today. Expect a high in the 50s over north Alabama, with 60s for the southern counties of the state. The weather stays dry Tuesday with highs in the 60s statewide. A few showers could show up Wednesday near the coast, but most places will remain rain-free with a mild afternoon; parts of south Alabama will see highs in the 70s.

THURSDAY: An approaching cold front will bring a band of showers and thunderstorms late Wednesday night into Thursday. A linear storm mode will probably be dominant, so damaging winds should be the main severe threat. Low-level flow is forecast to gradually veer to a more west-southwesterly component through the day, which should limit the tornado threat to occasional embedded circulations within the line. The Storm Prediction Center has defined a severe weather threat for much of the state in its outlook for Thursday. Rain amounts of one-half to 1 inch are expected.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: The weather turns sharply colder Friday with a mix of sun and clouds. A few snow flurries are possible during the morning over far north Alabama, but no impact or accumulation is expected. Temperatures won’t get out of the 40s across north Alabama. The weekend will feature sunny, cool days and clear, cold nights; temperatures will be below freezing over the northern half of the state both Saturday and Sunday mornings. Highs will be in the 50s and 60s.

NEXT WEEK: Monday will be another dry day; showers and storms return to the state Tuesday or Wednesday. Highs will be mostly in the 60s through the week.

ON THIS DATE IN 2006: With cold air sweeping in from the Himalayas, New Delhi reported frost for the first time in 70 years with a low temperature of 32.3 degrees. The cold prompted officials to order all schools to close for three days.

ON THIS DATE IN 2011: A winter storm moved into Alabama; snow fell over the northern third of the state, with freezing rain and ice across the central counties. Parts of the Tennessee Valley received 5-10 inches of snow.

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.