BIG WARM-UP: Temperatures rise into the 80s across Alabama this afternoon with a good supply of sunshine. A cold front will slip into Alabama late tonight and early Tuesday; this will drop temperatures about 10 degrees. A few sprinkles are possible along the front over the northern third of the state early Tuesday morning, but most places will stay dry. The sky becomes sunny by midday.

The rest of the week will be dry with sunny days and fair nights. The coolest morning will come early Wednesday, with lows in the 40s for most places; then we rise back into the 80s by Friday as an upper ridge builds over the region.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: The weekend will be warm and generally dry, with highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s. A few isolated showers are possible Sunday afternoon over the southwest corner of the state as moisture levels begin to rise.

A cold front will likely bring the next meaningful chance of rain for the state one week from today, but for now we aren’t expecting any severe storms thanks to the upper ridge. This pattern will likely keep temperatures above average next week, with highs in the 80s.

RAIN UPDATE: These are rain totals at the major climate reporting stations across Alabama since Jan. 1, and the departure from average:

• Muscle Shoals — 20.76 inches (4 inches above average)
• Mobile — 20.09 (2.05 above average)
• Anniston — 18.01 (0.71 above average)
• Huntsville — 16.87 (0.72 below average)
• Montgomery — 14.78 (1.82 below average)
• Tuscaloosa — 13.96 (3.42 below average)
• Birmingham — 13.94 (4 below average)
• Dothan — 12.19 (4.41 below average)

ON THIS DATE IN 2019: Eleven tornadoes touched down across Alabama on Palm Sunday 2019. All were rated EF-0 or EF-1.

ON THIS DATE IN 2021: A Seacor Power lift boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, amid violent weather, high winds and 8 millibars pressure gradient. The Coast Guard rescued five people, with seven dead and seven missing. Safety reviews followed.

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