RADAR CHECK: Rain and thunderstorms continue over roughly the western half of Alabama this afternoon; the sky has been brighter over the eastern half of the state, where there were some decent viewing opportunities for today’s solar eclipse.

Rain and thunderstorms will continue Tuesday, especially over the northern half of the state, and statewide on Wednesday. The rain will be heavy at times Wednesday and Wednesday night; amounts between now and early Friday will be 2-4 inches for much of the state. Some flooding is possible.

A few storms could be strong to severe Wednesday as a surface low passes northwest of the state. The Storm Prediction Center has an enhanced risk (level 3 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms in place across southwest Alabama in the broad zone from York to Mobile. A slight risk (level 2) extends as far north as Haleyville, Birmingham and Auburn, and the rest of the state is in a marginal risk (level 1).

The air should be generally rain-cooled and stable; the main issue will come from strong, gusty winds. However, an isolated tornado can’t be ruled out, mainly in the enhanced-risk area.

Thursday will be mostly cloudy and cooler, with some risk of lingering showers over the northern half of the state.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Friday will be partly to mostly sunny with a high around 70 degrees. The weekend will be warm and dry, with lots of sun Saturday and Sunday and afternoon highs around 80 degrees.

NEXT WEEK: The week will be warm, with highs in the low 80s most days, maybe even mid 80s in spots. A few spotty showers are possible on a few days, but for now we don’t see any big rain event or severe weather threat.

ON THIS DATE IN 1998: An EF-5 tornado cut a 31-mile-long, three-quarter-mile-wide swath through nine Birmingham suburbs including Oak Grove, Sylvan Springs, Rock Creek, Pleasant Grove, Concord, Maytown, Pratt City and Edgewater before lifting in the western limits of Birmingham. The worst of the destruction occurred across the Oak Grove, Rock Creek and McDonald Chapel areas.

Thirty-two people were killed in this tornado: three in Oak Grove, 11 near Rock Creek, four in Sylvan Springs, two in Wylam Heights, nine in Edgewater, two in McDonald Chapel and one in West Ensley. The same parent storm would drop another tornado that killed two more people in St. Clair County near Wattsville.

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