FIRST ALERT: Patchy black ice possible across NW AL early Friday

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - First Alert AccuTrack still shows widespread rain moving across Central Alabama, making for a soggy Thursday night. Rain coverage will begin clear from the northwest to southeast after midnight with just a couple of lingering showers possible closer to I-85 by sunrise on Friday. With temperatures falling to at or near freezing on Friday morning, we have a First Alert for the possibility of patchy black ice in our northwest counties early tomorrow especially on bridges and overpasses. So, if you live closer to I-22, make sure you drive cautiously for the Friday morning commute. Otherwise, the rest of us will experience a cold and brisk start with north winds at 10-15 MPH throughout the day. Highs will top out in the mid 40s, but sunshine will finally return in full by late morning, offering us a chilly dose of Vitamin D to wrap-up the work week.

WEEKEND OUTLOOK: We have a First Alert for below freezing temperatures on Saturday morning, so make sure you bring your pets inside, cover up any outside plants, and crank up the heat again Friday night. Widespread 20s Saturday morning will be a perfect excuse to sleep in, at least! Expect more sunshine around for the start of the weekend with some more clouds around by the afternoon. Highs look seasonable in the mid 50s. For the first time in what feels like ages, we have no rain in the forecast for Sunday! Just a mix of sun and clouds with lows in the 30s and highs warming up nicely into the low 60s. So, a nice dry weekend if you want to do anything outdoors -- especially with milder weather in store for Sunday.

NEXT BIG THING: A warmer and active weather pattern looks possible next week across Central Alabama. Temperatures will likely climb into the upper 60s and low 70s through Thursday. Morning lows will start off near 40 on Monday but climb into the 50s by the end of the work week. Though we are confident about the warming trend, there is still some uncertainty on the timing and intensity of any rain or the possibility of storms in the forecast as low pressure systems are set to develop to our west. For now, Monday at least looks dry under a mostly sunny sky. We have a chance for isolated showers back by late Tuesday, and just have a 40% chance for off-and-on showers Wednesday through Friday. Make sure to stay up to date with any changes to the forecast on the WBRC First Alert Weather app in the coming days.

Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.

Copyright 2023 WBRC. All rights reserved.