Showers and storms moved across Alabama overnight, but they weren’t severe. They did produce plenty of lightning, heavy rain and gusty winds, but the only significant damage was some trees down near Bankston in Fayette County around 7:35 p.m. It was likely straight-line winds but could have been a quick spin-up tornado. Rainfall amounts were fairly light since the storms were moving at a pretty good clip. The storms were ahead of a cold front that is nearly out of Alabama early this morning.

BUSY SATURDAY: Lots of things are going on across Alabama, including the annual A-Day spring football game at Tuscaloosa, racing at Talladega, the St. Elias Middle Eastern Food Festival, USFL games at Protective Stadium, Dogwood Festival, Magnolia Festival and even a Mimosa Festival. The weather will be fine for all these events, so get out and enjoy. Skies will clear fairly quickly, and temperatures will rise from the 40s and lower 50s into the lower and middle 70s this afternoon. We will drop back into the 40s overnight under partly cloudy skies.

RACE SUNDAY: Let ’em go, Harold! The weather will be fine for Sunday’s Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Expect a mix of clouds and sun, with afternoon readings topping out between 68 and 74 degrees. We can’t rule out an overnight shower Sunday night, but the race teams will already be heading out to Dover by then. Sunday night lows will be in the 40s again.

START TO A NEW WORK WEEK: Monday will be dry and a little cool, with highs in the middle and upper 60s to lower 70s, a few degrees below normal. There should be plenty of sunshine, however.

MAKING IT TO HUMP DAY: Tuesday’s weather maps will see our high-pressure cell sliding to the east, and that means a return flow of moisture out of the south and southeast. Clouds will be on the increase again, and we could see a shower, especially over western sections by late afternoon. That chance will continue into the overnight. Meanwhile, a large area of rain and thunder will move across Alabama Wednesday morning, making its way into Georgia by afternoon. Any severe weather chances will be over south Alabama. Highs on Tuesday will be in the lower and middle 70s. Wednesday highs won’t make it out of the 60s for many.

ANOTHER WAVE OF RAIN THURSDAY, FRIDAY: Low pressure will track northeast out of the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, spreading rain and storms into Alabama again late Thursday and into Friday morning. This system looks like it might carry a low-end severe weather threat with it. The rain should end from the west by late morning and be gone by late afternoon. Thursday highs will be in the 70s.

NEXT WEEKEND: Saturday looks like the nice day of the two, with dry conditions and highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s under a strong spring sun. Rain should make its way back in during the day Sunday. Another good soaker looks to be in store, with rain hanging on into late Sunday night. Sunday highs will be in the lower and middle 70s. We can’t rule out a severe threat Sunday afternoon.

NATIONALLY: Severe weather is possible today along the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast coast from Savannah to Baltimore. Wind and hail look to be the primary threats, but a tornado can’t be ruled out in the Chesapeake Bay area down into northeast North Carolina, including Washington, D.C.

DANCING WITH THE STATS: 2.37 inches of rain fell at Memphis yesterday, establishing a new record for the date.

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, Bill Murray and other members of the James Spann team, visit AlabamaWx.