James Spann forecasts a break in the rain for Alabama, then storms Sunday from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.

RADAR CHECK: Rain is fairly widespread over the northern half of Alabama early this morning; we note a few strong thunderstorms as well with small hail. Rain will end from northwest to southeast later this morning as dry air begins to arrive, and by afternoon showers will be confined to the southern counties. Expect a high in the 60s for north and central Alabama.

Tonight will be clear and cold, with lows in the 30s across north Alabama; a few colder spots might briefly touch the freezing mark.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Saturday will be mostly sunny with highs in the 60s and 70s. Then, a fast-moving system will bring rain and storms back into the state Sunday. The Storm Prediction Center has introduced a slight risk (level 2 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms for areas along and south of I-20, and a marginal risk (level 1) for north Alabama.

The main window for strong to severe thunderstorms will come from roughly 2 until 9 p.m., and the main threats will involve hail and strong straight-line winds. But an isolated tornado can’t be totally ruled out. Temperatures will rise into the 65- to 75-degree range Sunday afternoon.

NEXT WEEK: The sky becomes mostly sunny following the passage of a cold front, and highs drop into the 50s over the northern half of the state, with 60s to the south. The headline is the threat of a late-season freeze Tuesday and Wednesday mornings; lows will drop into the 25- to 35-degree range across north and central Alabama both mornings. Some frost is possible down into south Alabama early Wednesday with a clear sky and light wind.

The weather will be dry Monday through Thursday, but rain is possible Friday as a cold front passes through the state. For now, it doesn’t look like a severe weather threat.

ON THIS DATE IN 1884: John Park Finley issued the first experimental tornado prediction. Finley studied the atmospheric parameters that were present during previous tornadoes. Many of these same criteria are still used by operational forecasters today. But the use of tornado forecasts would be banned just a few years later and remain forbidden until 1952.

ON THIS DATE IN 1986: Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes hit Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. A total of 19 tornadoes occurred. Three of the tornadoes in Indiana reached F3 intensity. A densely populated subdivision of southeast Lexington, Kentucky, was heavily damaged by a tornado. Twenty people were injured, and 900 homes were destroyed or demolished. A very strong thunderstorm downburst hit the Cincinnati area. At the Greater Cincinnati Airport, windows were blown out of the control tower, injuring the six controllers on duty.

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.