STILL DRY TODAY: With a partly sunny sky we project a high in the 60s across Alabama today. The warm-up continues Tuesday with highs in the low to mid 70s statewide. Strong south winds will increase Tuesday afternoon ahead of a dynamic storm system, gusting to 30 mph in spots. A wind advisory has been issued for all of Alabama except the southeast corner of the state.

A line of strong to severe thunderstorms will sweep through Tuesday night; the Storm Prediction Center has much of the state in a slight risk (level 2 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms.

Key messages:

• There will be very little surface-based instability ahead of the line, which will limit the overall magnitude of the event. A brief, isolated tornado is possible within the line but isn’t likely.
• Wind fields will be impressive, with a tight pressure gradient. Ahead of the line, gradient winds (non-thunderstorm) could gust to 40 mph. With the line itself, convective winds could be high enough in spots to bring down some trees and power lines.
• This will be a fast-moving line of storms; rain amounts will be one-half to 1 inch for most places. Flooding is not expected.
• The storms should enter the northwest corner of Alabama around 6-7 p.m. Tuesday and exit the southeast corner by 3-4 a.m. Wednesday.

Look for a partly sunny sky Wednesday with a high between 57 and 64 degrees; any showers will be confined to areas near the Tennessee border. Temperatures will drop to near freezing over north Alabama early Thursday morning, followed by a high between 53 and 60 degrees with sunshine in full supply.

A warming trend begins Friday; with a mostly sunny sky, the high will be in the 60s.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: A disturbance will bring rain back into Alabama Saturday and Saturday night; this one doesn’t look like a severe weather setup. Dry air returns Sunday. Highs over the weekend will be in the 60s.

ON THIS DATE IN 2019: A violent, long-tracked EF-4 tornado struck portions of eastern Alabama and western Georgia, causing extreme damage along its path. This was the deadliest tornado in the United States since the 2013 Moore, Oklahoma, tornado.

A total of 23 people were killed in Lee County; the victims ranged in age from 6 to 93. Of those killed, 19 were in mobile homes. Beauregard and Smiths Station were the hardest hit. Five other tornadoes touched down, including an EF-2 near Eufaula.

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