James Spann: Alabama stays dry Friday before a few weekend showers, storms

SUNNY MAY DAY: The sky is sunny across Alabama this afternoon with temperatures in the 80s. There’s no rain on radar; tonight will be fair with a low in the 60s.

The weather Friday will be rain-free with a partly to mostly sunny sky and a high between 78 and 84 degrees.

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND: We will bring in the risk of a few showers and thunderstorms, mainly over the northern two-thirds of the state, Saturday and Sunday. The weekend won’t be a washout at all, but from time to time a passing shower or storm is possible. Where storms do form, they could be strong on Saturday, with some risk of small hail and gusty winds. The southern third of the state will be generally dry; highs over the weekend will be in the 80s.

Some risk of showers and storms will remain in the forecast on Monday, mainly over north and central Alabama.

REST OF NEXT WEEK: We will forecast scattered to numerous showers and storms across Alabama Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of a cold front; global models are shifting a bit over the end of the week, suggesting some chance of rain will stay in the forecast through at least Thursday.

ON THIS DATE IN 2011: One of the most devastating tornadoes in the nation’s history killed 158 people and injured more than 1,000 in Joplin, Missouri. The Joplin EF5 tornado was the first single tornado to result in more than 100 fatalities since the June 8, 1953, tornado in Flint, Michigan.

The tornado devastated a large portion of the city of Joplin, damaging nearly 8,000 buildings and, of those, destroying more than 4,000. The damage — which included one of Joplin’s two hospitals as well as much of its basic infrastructure — amounted to $2.8 billion, making the Joplin tornado the costliest single tornado in U.S. history.

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