Northern Alabama started off this Sunday under sunny skies. Temperatures were a touch cold with Huntsville dropping down to 26 and Muscle shoals at 28 degrees. The coldest locations were over Sand Mountain as a few locations dropped down to near 21 degrees.

This week will be milder. High temperatures will be running 5-10 degrees above our average of 51. The other main story is the return of rain, possibly heavy on New Year's day.

For Monday, a weak cold front passes through Northern Alabama during the day. Skies will be cloudy as winds shift from the SW to the NE during the afternoon. There's a small chance for a light shower early in the day. Highs will be in the mid 50's.

Winds will increase from the south Tuesday and Wednesday keeping temperatures mild. Expect lots of clouds, but the best chance of rain will arrive Thursday (New Year's Eve) with 1-2+ inches possible. As of now, the heaviest rain is expected over northeast Alabama. There is also a chance for a few storms late in the day.

The forecast models that we watch have backed off any frozen precipitation later this week.  The reason is that the cold air is not expected to drive as deep into the southern states behind the storm system.