By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

The unseasonably chilly weather in central Alabama will exit the region later this week, leading to near-perfect spring temperatures and some rainfall in the latter part of the week, according to the most recent forecast from the National Weather Service office at the Shelby County Airport.

Temperatures will gradually climb during the day on a sunny Monday before dropping into the low-40s overnight.

Tuesday will see more sunshine and a daytime high in the mid-60s before temperatures plummet into the low-40s again overnight.

Wednesday will bring more sunshine and rising temperatures more in line with springtime in Alabama, with a high of about 73 degrees. Wednesday night will be clear, and will see a low of about 50 degrees.

Thursday will bring the first significant chance of rain this week, with a 50-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m. The high on Thursday will be about 73 degrees.

Thursday night will see a 70-percent chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm, and will see a low of about 58 degrees.

Friday will be mostly cloudy with a high of about 76 degrees and a 30-percent chance of showers, and Friday night will be partly cloudy with a low of about 59 degrees.

Saturday will bring a 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and a high of about 80 degrees, and Saturday night will see a 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and a low of about 60 degrees.

The chance of showers and thunderstorms will increase to about 40 percent on Sunday, which will see a high of about 80 degrees.