VERY NICE DECEMBER DAY: Temperatures are in the 60s across Alabama this afternoon with a good supply of sunshine. Clouds will move in tonight as a surface low forms in the Gulf of Mexico.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Saturday will be cloudy, and we expect periods of rain through Sunday morning. The most widespread and heaviest rain will be over the southern quarter of the state; for the northern counties, a decent part of the day will be dry with occasional showers. Rain amounts will be 1-2 inches for south Alabama, and generally less than one-half inch to the north. There will be no risk of severe thunderstorms, and probably no thunder.

Any lingering showers should end by midmorning Sunday, and some clearing is possible by afternoon as dry air begins to return. The high will be between 58 and 64 degrees Saturday and mostly in the upper 50s Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: The week will be dry but colder. A freeze is likely over the northern half of Alabama early Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Highs will be mostly in the 50s, but north Alabama won’t get out of the 40s Tuesday.

Looking ahead to Christmas Day, long-range guidance suggests a dry day for Alabama with highs in the 50s and 60s.ON THIS DATE IN 1992: Cyclone John hit the sparsely populated northwest coast of Australia with winds gusting to 185 mph. John was the strongest cyclone to hit Australia in more than 100 years.

ON THIS DATE IN 2005: Freezing rain and ice pellets fell throughout portions of the Southeast. The accumulation of ice caused about 683,000 utilities customers to lose power from northern Georgia northward through the western Carolinas. The power outages were the result of ice accretions of up to three-quarter inch in thickness. The ice storm was blamed for at least four deaths. The storm struck parts of northeast Georgia from the northeast suburbs of Atlanta to Athens and northward to the mountains.

For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit AlabamaWx.