It will feel more like winter than spring in Alabama today — and especially tonight, and freeze warnings have been issued for a large part of the state.

The National Weather Service warned those in Alabama to protect people, pets and plants from tonight’s cold. The freeze warnings will go into effect overnight and last into Tuesday morning. There are also freeze watches for parts of south Alabama.

Today (Monday) will be much cooler than recent days after a cold front passed through the state on Sunday. Highs today will only make it into the 40s and 50s in north Alabama and the 60s in south Alabama:

Then tonight lows are expected to end up near or below freezing for a large part of the state (see the temperature forecast for tonight at the top of this post).

Freeze warnings will go into effect overnight for much of the state (the counties in purple):

Here is a look at tonight’s freeze warnings and watches:

NORTH ALABAMA

* Freeze warning for Tuesday from 1 a.m. until 9 a.m. for Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Marshall, Jackson, DeKalb and Cullman counties.

The National Weather Service in Huntsville said temperatures as low as 26 degrees will be possible in those areas by Tuesday morning.

CENTRAL ALABAMA

* Freeze warning for Tuesday from 1 a.m. until 9 a.m. for Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, Shelby, Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Marengo, Dallas, Autauga, Lowndes, Elmore, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock, Lee, Russell, Pike and Barbour counties.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham said lows from Monday night into Tuesday morning could range from 26 to 32 degrees.

SOUTH ALABAMA

* Freeze warning Tuesday from 2 a.m. until 9 a.m. for Choctaw, Washington, Clarke, Wilcox, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw, Escambia and Covington counties.

The National Weather Service in Mobile said lows by Tuesday morning to fall as low as 30 degrees in those areas.

* Freeze watch from Monday night into Tuesday morning for Coffee, Dale and Henry counties.

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Fla., said temperatures in those area could fall as low as 32 degrees by Tuesday morning.

The cold snap won’t last terribly long. Temperatures will be a few degrees warmer for highs on Tuesday, and by Wednesday most of the state should make it into the 70s.

The next chance of rain will enter the forecast on Thursday, and so far no severe weather is expected for Alabama.