BLUE SKY: Temperatures are 10-20 degrees below average across Alabama despite sunshine in full supply. Birmingham reported 49 degrees at 2 p.m.; the average high for today (March 14) is 67. Another freeze is ahead tonight; freeze warnings have been issued down into south Alabama. With a clear sky and light wind, we project lows mostly between 25 and 35 degrees. Colder spots across north Alabama could reach the low 20s by daybreak.

Dry weather continues Wednesday and Thursday with a warming trend. Highs will be in the 60s Wednesday and between 68 and 75 degrees Thursday. Clouds return Thursday night, and Friday promises to be wet, with occasional rain and possibly a thunderstorm. There will be no surface-based instability over most of the state, so no risk of severe storms, with the possible exception of the Gulf Coast. Rain amounts Friday will be around 1 inch, with locally heavier amounts.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Another shot of cold air rolls into the state Saturday. The sky becomes partly to mostly sunny, with highs ranging from the upper 40s over the northern third of the state to the 60s for south Alabama. Another late-season freeze is likely Sunday morning; we project a low between 22 and 32 degrees over the northern counties. Sunday will be sunny and cool, with highs in the 50s and 60s.

NEXT WEEK: Another freeze is likely for north and central Alabama early Monday, followed by cold rain for most of the state late Monday night into Tuesday. Drier air returns Wednesday as a warming trend begins; temperatures reach the 70s by the end of the week.ON THIS DATE IN 1933: A deadly tornado outbreak affected the Middle Tennessee region, including Nashville. The outbreak, which produced five or more tornadoes, killed 44 people and injured at least 461 others. The strongest tornado, an F3, cut a path through the center of Nashville. About 1,400 homes were damaged or destroyed. Windows were blown out of the State Capitol Building.

ON THIS DATE IN 2008: The SEC basketball tournament was underway in Atlanta, and the Alabama-Mississippi State game was going into overtime. A loud roaring sound was heard. Television announcers said it sounded like a freight train. Lights and catwalks in the Dome began to sway and debris rained down inside the arena. Players on the court stopped and fans in the upper levels of the arena began to panic. No one knew what was going on. There were no public address announcements about the severe weather outside until well after the storm had hit.

The court was cleared and order restored, but outside the scene was like that of a war zone. Damage was widespread. An F2 tornado had struck downtown Atlanta. The tornado damaged not only the Georgia Dome, Philips Arena, the CNN Center and the Omni Hotel, but it blew windows out of downtown hotels, cars and buildings and even caused the collapse of several buildings. In the nearby historic Cabbagetown district, several homes and buildings were destroyed. More than 50 homes were destroyed, and the Cotton Mill lofts were heavily damaged.

One person was killed in a collapsed building. Thirty were injured in the tornado.

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