MERRY CHRISTMAS! It’s shaping up to be a pleasant day across Alabama, perfect for enjoying holiday festivities, spending time with family or taking a peaceful walk after opening presents. The morning begins on the chilly side, with lows in the mid-30s, but temperatures will warm nicely into the lower 60s by afternoon. While the morning brings mostly sunny skies, clouds will begin to build in the afternoon, signaling the next weather system on the horizon. For now, it looks like any showers will hold off until late evening, mainly in western sections of the state.

As Christmas Day winds down, keep an eye out for increasing cloud cover and the potential for a few isolated showers in western parts of Alabama late tonight. Rainfall amounts will remain light, with totals less than 0.05 inches, so any rain should be a minor inconvenience at most. Winds will shift to the east-southeast at 3-9 mph, with occasional gusts up to 15 mph, adding a slight breeze to the holiday atmosphere.

REST OF THE WEEK: Thursday will bring more cloud cover across the region, along with the chance of an early morning shower, primarily in western Alabama. The stubborn ridge of high pressure to the east will keep the system’s impact limited, resulting in just a mix of clouds and some sunshine for most of the state. Morning lows will start near 45 degrees, and afternoon highs will climb to 59. Winds from the east-southeast at 6-11 mph, with gusts up to 16 mph, will make the day feel cool and breezy.

Friday will remain mostly cloudy, with scattered showers expected in northwest Alabama during the afternoon and evening. While most of central Alabama will stay dry during the day, the Birmingham Bowl forecast includes a slight chance of a shower, with kickoff temperatures around 61 degrees. A southeast breeze at 10-14 mph, with gusts up to 24 mph, may add a bit of a chill. Rain chances will increase overnight, with totals of up to three-quarters inch possible in northwest Alabama.

THE WEEKEND: Saturday looks to be the wettest day of the week as rain and thunderstorms spread across the state. Morning lows will be mild at 54 degrees, with highs reaching 66 degrees. Showers and some embedded thunderstorms will be likely throughout the day, with a more organized line of storms expected to move through Saturday evening. The latest model run from the Global Forecast System does indicate more of a severe weather threat than earlier thought for Saturday afternoon and evening over northeast Mississippi and northwest Alabama.

Sunday begins with lingering showers in the morning, but conditions will steadily improve through the afternoon as rain moves out and some sunshine returns. Morning lows will be around 54 degrees, with highs reaching a pleasant 65 degrees. Winds will shift to the south-southwest at 6-10 mph, helping to dry things out and set the stage for a quieter finish to the weekend.

NEW YEAR’S WEEK: Monday offers a brief break from the active weather pattern, with a mix of sunshine and clouds. Morning lows will dip to 44 degrees, while highs climb to a mild 66 degrees. Clouds will increase late in the day as another system approaches, bringing rain back into the forecast Monday night. New Year’s Eve looks drier and cooler, with lingering rain clearing out early in the day and highs reaching only the mid-50s. Looking ahead, additional systems are expected to affect the region on Jan. 2-3 and Jan. 7, keeping the wet pattern active into the new year.

ON THIS DATE IN 2004: A rare Gulf Coast snowstorm on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day brought historic snowfall to parts of Texas and Louisiana. Corpus Christi set a new record with 4.4 inches of snow, while Victoria, Texas, saw an incredible 13 inches, marking its first white Christmas in 86 years. Galveston and Port Aransas, both on the Gulf of Mexico, recorded 3 and 4 inches of snow, respectively. Brownsville, at the southern tip of Texas, received 1.5 inches, its first measurable snow since 1895. Meanwhile, New Orleans experienced its only white Christmas since weather records began in 1852, with half an inch of snow falling on Christmas Day. This marked only the 15th occurrence of measurable snow in the Crescent City and the first since December 1989.

For more weather news and information from James Spann, Bill Murray and other members of the James Spann team, visit AlabamaWx.