FEELS LIKE SUMMER: A humid air mass covers Alabama this morning with temperatures mostly in the 70s at daybreak. With a partly sunny sky, temperatures rise into the mid to upper 80s this afternoon, and a few scattered showers and storms will form during the heat of the day. Heavier storms will be capable of producing strong, gusty winds and small hail.

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY: The high Wednesday will be between 87 and 91 degrees with a mix of sun and clouds. The air becomes unstable, and a few isolated storms could form by afternoon, but much of the day will be dry. Where storms do form, they will be strong, with the chance of hail and gusty winds.

An organized band of thunderstorms will likely affect the northern half of Alabama late Wednesday night into Thursday morning. These storms could be strong to severe, with potential for damaging winds and hail. The Storm Prediction Center has put roughly the northern half of the state in a severe weather risk in the outlook valid through 7 a.m. Thursday.

A few additional thunderstorms could form later in the day Thursday as a cold front pushes through the state, but most likely the atmosphere will be worked over by earlier activity, and the severe threat Thursday afternoon and evening is relatively low. The high will be in the mid 80s.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: Cooler, drier air rolls into Alabama Friday. The sky becomes partly to mostly sunny, and any showers will be confined to the far southern counties of the state. The weekend will feature mostly sunny, pleasant days and fair, cool nights. Highs will be in the 70s and lows mostly in the 50s. Colder spots across north Alabama will dip into the 40s early Saturday morning.

NEXT WEEK: With a complex pattern, forecast confidence isn’t especially high; global models suggest the better chances of rain during the week will come on Tuesday, and then again Thursday night and Friday. Highs will be mostly in the low 80s.

ON THIS DATE IN 1993: Serious flooding occurred in central Oklahoma following torrential rain and hail on May 7-8. Rainfall amounts on this date were generally around 1 inch. Oklahoma City then recorded 6.64 inches of rain on May 8, the third-greatest daily rainfall amount ever observed in the city. Extensive flooding killed four people, and the fire department had to rescue 183 others.

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