SEVERE CLEAR: Not a cloud in the Alabama sky this afternoon; temperatures are between 65 and 70 degrees for most places. Tonight will be clear and cool, with a low in the 40s.

Dry weather continues Tuesday and Wednesday with highs in the 70s.

THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: We will mention the chance of a few widely scattered showers Thursday; otherwise, the weather will be generally dry through the weekend with a warming trend continuing. The high will be between 77 and 81 Thursday, followed by low to mid 80s statewide Friday through Sunday. An upper ridge will keep the big storm-producing systems well to the west and north of Alabama.

NEXT WEEK: A relatively quiet pattern continues. Showers are possible across Alabama Monday night and Tuesday, April 29-30; the rest of the week looks warm and dry, with highs in the 80s. There’s still no sign of any high-impact weather for our state (flooding, severe storms) for the next seven to 10 days.

ON THIS DATE IN 1997: An F2 tornado tore through Rainsville in DeKalb County, injuring 10 people. Eleven of 12 police cars in Rainsville were either damaged or destroyed and several of the city’s fire trucks were damaged.

ON THIS DATE IN 2003: Tropical Storm Ana became the first Atlantic tropical storm to form during April since records began in 1871. Maximum sustained winds reached 55 mph. Starting as a nontropical area of low pressure on April 18 about 210 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, it was classified as a subtropical storm early on April 20, gaining full tropical characteristics on April 21.

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