DRY DAY AHEAD: Temperatures are in the 30s and 40s across Alabama early this morning; look for a high in the 60s today with a partly sunny sky. Clouds will begin to increase this afternoon ahead of a cold front, and showers will develop tonight.

THANKSGIVING: A few strong thunderstorms are possible just ahead of the front early Thursday morning over north and central Alabama; the Storm Prediction Center maintains a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms for about the southern two-thirds of the state.

The main window for the heavier storms over the northern half of Alabama will come from about 3 until 9 a.m. While a limited amount of surface-based instability will be available ahead of the front, wind fields are not especially strong, and the best dynamic forcing will lift away during the day. But where heavier storms can develop, strong, gusty winds and small hail are possible. The chance of an isolated, brief tornado is very low but not zero.

The overall severe thunderstorm threat for south Alabama is low, and showers there should end by late morning or early afternoon. Rain amounts will be light for the entire state, generally less than one-quarter inch.

Temperatures will fall during the day across the northern and central counties; we start in the 60s during the early morning but drop into the 40s and 50s by midday with a brisk north wind. Southeast Alabama will reach the 70s before the colder air arrives.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND: The weather will be cold and dry with mostly sunny days and fair nights. Highs will be in the 40s and 50s, with lows below freezing for the northern two-thirds of the state (20s and low 30s). It will be the coldest air so far this season.

NEXT WEEK: Cold, dry weather continues Monday and Tuesday; some of the colder spots across north Alabama could reach the upper teens, and a freeze is likely down to the Gulf Coast. Temperatures moderate a bit over the latter half of the week, with highs reaching the low 60s by Friday. The week looks mostly dry, although models hint at a few sprinkles over the northern counties of the state Friday.

IRON BOWL: The weather will be cold and dry Saturday in Tuscaloosa for this year’s Iron Bowl (Auburn at Alabama, 2:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly sunny, and temperatures will drop from near 50 at kickoff to near 40 by the final whistle.

ON THIS DATE IN 1898: A powerful storm known as the Portland Gale affected coastal New England on Nov. 26-27. The storm formed when two areas of low pressure merged off the coast of New Jersey and traveled up the East Coast. It produced hurricane-force winds in Nantucket and sank more than 150 boats and ships.

ON THIS DATE IN 2019: Two small EF-0 tornadoes touched down in south Alabama. One was just northeast of Brundidge, the other near Clio.

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