Parts of Alabama could get drenched next week, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters think that several weather systems could bring several inches of rain to mainly parts of north and central Alabama over the next seven days.

Rain chances will be in the forecast over the next week, but the heaviest rain is expected next Tuesday through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

It won’t be days of nonstop rain but off and on bouts of showers and storms. Rain could be heavy at times, however.

The rain could add up – with NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center forecasting 5 inches for parts of north and central Alabama over the next seven days (see the precipitation forecast for the next week above).

All that rain, if it materializes, will help with continued drought conditions in the state. Here is the latest map from the U.S. Drought Monitor:

Areas in darker orange are experiencing Level 2 or severe drought. Areas in light orange are in Level 1 or moderate drought and areas in yellow are on the verge or drought.

There are two pieces of not-bad news in the forecast for next week, even with all the rain:

* No organized severe weather is in the forecast for the next week, although thunderstorms will be possible.

* No extremely cold temperatures are expected next week, with Alabama remaining on the warmer side for February.

The National Weather Service will be watching area rivers over the next week for the potential for flooding, however.

Forecasters expect a cold front to affect the state starting on Tuesday. It will meander across the state over the following few days, letting moisture from the Gulf linger over Alabama.

Another system will heighten rain chances on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the weather service, and yet another front could bring more rain over next weekend.

North Alabama is expected to get the most rain over the next week. The National Weather Service in Huntsville says multiple rounds of rain could lead to localized flooding: