James Spann forecasts light rain for Alabama today, soaking rain Thursday from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.

THIS MORNING: A cold front bisects Alabama early this morning. Temperatures are in the 30s and 40s north of the front; mild air is south of the front, with 60s across much of southeast Alabama. Some light rain and drizzle continue in the cold air north of the front, and a winter weather advisory remains in effect for Colbert, Lauderdale and Limestone counties. Thankfully, temperatures there are generally a degree or two above freezing, but still watch for patchy bridge ice through midmorning across the northwest corner of the state.

We have potential for some patchy, light rain and drizzle through the day, but the more meaningful precipitation will unfold west of Alabama, where winter storm and ice storm warnings are in effect for much of Texas, Arkansas and west Tennessee. Temperatures today won’t get out of the 40s across north Alabama, but communities near the Gulf Coast will see low 70s.

As the main upper trough lifts out of the southwest U.S., we expect a big soaking for the northern two-thirds of the state Thursday and Thursday night, with rain amounts of 1-2 inches. Amounts will be lighter over the southern quarter of the state, but a few strong storms are possible there during the afternoon and evening; the Storm Prediction Center has defined a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) for areas south of a line from Jackson to Evergreen to Ozark.

Storms across far south Alabama Thursday afternoon and evening could produce gusty winds, and a brief, isolated tornado can’t be ruled out. But for most of Alabama, it will be just rain in a cool, stable air mass.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Dry weather returns. The sky becomes mostly sunny Friday, and the weekend looks dry with a sunny sky Saturday and a partly sunny sky Sunday. The high will be in the 40s and 50s on Friday, followed by 50s and 60s over the weekend.

NEXT WEEK: Monday and Tuesday will be dry and mild, with highs in the 60s over north Alabama and 70s to the south. There will be some risk of rain in the Wednesday-Thursday time frame, followed by another shot of drier air by the end of the week. There’s still no sign of any bitterly cold Arctic air for the Deep South through mid-February.ON THIS DATE IN 1955: Seen first as a “well-defined cone-shaped funnel” over the Mississippi River, an F3 tornado cut a path from Commerce Landing to Clark in northeastern Mississippi. This tornado killed 20 and injured at least 141 people. Most of the deaths were in a plantation school.

ON THIS DATE IN 1996: A period of freezing rain followed by light snow brought traffic to a complete standstill across north Alabama. Ice accumulations up to 1 inch downed numerous trees and caused power outages. A number of chicken houses in the northern part of the state collapsed under the weight of the ice and 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.