James Spann: Showers later today/tonight; a few storms for south Alabama tomorrow

SHOWERS RETURN: Clouds are in place across Alabama this morning ahead of a disturbance that will bring periods of rain to the state later today and tonight. Temperatures reach the low 60s this afternoon.

Tomorrow most of the showers will be over the southern third of Alabama, and there could be a strong thunderstorm or two around. The Storm Prediction Center maintains a low end “marginal risk” (level 1 of 5) of severe thunderstorms south of a line from near Chatom to Montgomery to Lafayette.

While the air will be unstable, thankfully dynamic support is not especially strong. Still, a few storms across south Alabama could produce strong gusty winds tomorrow. To the north the sky will clear across the northern counties by afternoon; highs hold in the low 60s.

Sunday will be a sunny day and slightly cooler, after a low in the upper 30s and low 40s highs will range from 55 to 62 degrees.

NEXT WEEK: The weather will be unseasonably mild for January, with most communities see a high at or over 70 degrees Tuesday through Friday. Global models suggests the next chance of rain will come late Thursday, Thursday night, and possibly into the day Friday. A few thunderstorms could be involved.

ON THIS DATE IN 1955: Hurricane Alice passed through the islands of Saint Martin and Saba in the Caribbean Sea on this day. Alice, which developed on Dec. 30, 1954, is the only known Atlantic hurricane to span two calendar years.

ON THIS DATE IN 2017: Ten tornadoes were confirmed across southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia. An EF-2 moved through parts of Geneva and Houston counties; the most significant damage occurred at the National Peanut Festival grounds. Multiple buildings were damaged or destroyed and several utility poles were snapped.