PLEASANT FEBRUARY DAY: With filtered sunshine across Alabama, temperatures are the 60s and 70s at midafternoon. Expect the warmest weather so far in 2023 in the days ahead. Look for highs in the 70s Tuesday; we will be close to 80 Wednesday, followed by low 80s Thursday.

These are the record highs for Birmingham:

• Feb. 22 (Wednesday) — 81, set in 1897 and 2018
• Feb. 23 (Thursday) — 83, set in 2018 (also this is the warmest February temperature on record)

Other record highs across Alabama for Thursday (Feb. 23):

• Montgomery — 85 (2019)
• Anniston — 84 (1996)
• Tuscaloosa — 84 (1996)
• Huntsville — 83 (1996)
• Mobile — 82 (2022)

We will mention the chance of a few scattered showers tonight and Tuesday over north Alabama, but nothing widespread. Wednesday will be a warm, breezy day, followed by another chance of showers Thursday. But, with a strong upper ridge over the Gulf of Mexico, much of the rain will remain north of Alabama. Rain totals through the week will be less than one-quarter inch for most of north Alabama, and the southern counties will be generally dry.

NORTHERN U.S.: While the Deep South enjoys warm weather, a prolonged major winter storm will spread a large swath of heavy snow from the West Coast to the Northeast today through Friday, and confidence is high that this winter storm will be extremely disruptive to travel, infrastructure, livestock and recreation in affected areas.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Friday will be a bit cooler, with highs between 58 and 68 degrees. A few spotty showers can’t be ruled out over the northern counties Friday as the surface front stalls out.

Over the weekend, the weather will be generally dry and mild, with highs in the 70s; showers will be confined to far north Alabama, and even there rain amounts will likely be light.

NEXT WEEK: A weather system could bring some potential for strong, possibly severe thunderstorms to Alabama by Monday night and Tuesday. Drier, cooler air follows for midweek.

ON THIS DATE IN 1912: A strong area of low pressure produced snow in Amarillo and high winds to Austin, Texas. In the warm sector of the low, severe storms developed and produced an estimated F3 tornado in Shreveport, Louisiana. The tornado killed nine people and injured 50 others. It passed near Centenary College, where windows and the grandstand at the ballpark were damaged.

ON THIS DATE IN 1939: A possible F2 tornado moved northeast at New Harmony near Cragford in Clay County. A man was killed in his in-laws’ home. Nine others in the home were injured.

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.