From James Spann and the ABC 33/40 Weather Blog:

COLD START: Temperatures will be in the upper teens in many communities across north Alabama this morning, skies will be clear and we’ll have 20s as far north as the Gulf Coast. The weather remains dry today with high temperatures in the low to mid 40s for most communities.

Several schools will remain closed on Friday – CLICK HERE to view the full list.

WINTER STORM WARNING: A chaotic mix of sleet, snow and freezing rain will move into Alabama after midnight tonight. Here are the key messages

*A winter storm warning has been issued for areas to the south such as Fayette, Birmingham and Anniston. A winter weather advisory has been issued for southern locations such as Tuscaloosa, Clanton, Wetumpka and Opelika.

*A “wintry mix” of sleet, snow and freezing rain will result in icy/hazardous travel down into the Winter Weather Warning area tomorrow morning. Temperatures will likely be in the 29 to 32 degree range early in the day, and with cold infrastructure, bridge icing will occur quickly. Some black road surfaces may also be icy.

*With the warm air advection process, the wintry mix will turn into a cold rain during the day tomorrow. Even some in the Tennessee Valley saw rain begin to fall in the afternoon. Temperatures will rise into the mid-30s, hopefully easing the icy journey somewhat. But many bridges/roads could remain icy across far north Alabama through tomorrow night.

*Potential snow accumulations will range from 2 to 3 inches near the Tennessee state line, 1 to 2 inches for locations such as Hamilton, Cullman and Gadsden, and 1 inch or less from Birmingham to Anniston.

*It is important to note that many areas in the Winter Storm Warning area will experience more sleet and freezing rain than snow. In some places there could be up to 1/10 ice accumulation. That doesn’t sound like much, but it can have a big impact on travel. While we don’t expect major power outages, ice on large tree branches could leave some areas dark.

*Precipitation should remain outside the state until midnight tomorrow evening. Patchy black ice could form early Saturday morning as temperatures drop back into the upper 20s and below 30 degrees.

*I have no knowledge of future road conditions. Some general ideas have been presented here, but please refer to the information ALDOT provides on its ALGO website/app.

*This forecast could easily change again as new data comes in today and we watch the system move westward, so watch for updates. And every winter weather event in Alabama almost always holds a surprise or two.

THE WEEKEND: Look for clear skies Saturday with highs in the mid to upper 30s over the northern half of the state, and Sunday morning will be clear and very cold with lows in the teens and low 20s. Sunday will be a sunny day with high temperatures in the 40s.

NEXT WEEK: The weather looks cold and dry through Thursday, with highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s. The next rain will arrive around Friday or Saturday (January 17-18), followed by another shot of very cold air.