THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: A ridge of high pressure will be set up over the Southeast today that will bring a beautiful start to the weekend, with warmer temperatures than we saw Friday. Skies will be sunny through the daylight hours, but some clouds will begin to move in late. Highs will be in the lower 50s to the lower 60s.

High pressure will have moved off to our east on Sunday, which will allow a more humid, warmer flow to start across the state. We’ll have a mix of sun and clouds with highs in the upper 50s to the upper 60s, maybe touching 70 in a few locations in the south.

THE WORK WEEK AHEAD: The flow becomes more zonal on Monday. A shortwave will head in our direction and a warm front will stall out to our north. That will allow for a chance of a few showers in northern Alabama during the evening and late night. Highs will be in the mid 60s to the upper 70s.

That shortwave will move north of Alabama on Tuesday as upper-level ridging over the Caribbean pushes more warm, moist air into the state. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy and there may be a few scattered showers. Highs will be in the lower 70s to the lower 80s.

Another surface low will try to move into the state Wednesday afternoon, but the ridging will push much of its energy to the north of us. Rain will begin to move in late, but it looks to mostly affect locations north of I-59. No severe weather is expected, and highs will be in the upper 70s to the mid 80s.

The activity will move out early Thursday morning, leading to a mix of sun and clouds and the warmest temperatures we have seen so far in 2023. However, a weak cold front will move through the state during the night that may bring a chance of a few showers. Highs will be in the lower to mid 80s.

On Friday, temperatures will be slightly cooler as skies begin to gradually clear out. We may have a leftover shower before dawn, but dry weather is expected for the remainder of the day. Highs will be in the mid 60s to the lower 80s.

ON THIS DATE IN 1988: Thunderstorms soaked the central Gulf Coast region with heavy rain. Totals in southern Louisiana ranged up to 8.5 inches near the town of Ridge, with 6.55 inches at Plaguemine. Thunderstorms in northern Florida drenched Apalachicola with 5.41 inches of rain in 24 hours and produced wind gusts to 75 mph at Mayo.

BEACH FORECAST: Get the latest weather and rip current forecasts for the beaches from Dauphin Island to Panama City Beach, Florida, on our Beach Forecast Center page. There, you can select the forecast of the region you are interested in.

For more weather news and information from James Spann, Scott Martin and other members of the James Spann team, visit AlabamaWx.