The National Weather Service said confidence continued to increase about the probability of winter precipitation affecting the northern half of the state on Thursday into Friday.

One important thing to note: Alabama’s Emergency Management Agency warned on Tuesday morning that “Impacts will likely begin almost immediately on roadways once the winter precipitation starts due to how cold the pavement will become this week.”

Forecasters continued to stress that only a degree or two could separate who gets snow, freezing rain or just a cold rain.

And also remember that the forecast will be evolving each day as the end of the week gets closer and more details come into focus.

Two very chilly days are on tap first, however.

High temperatures on Tuesday will stay lodged in the 30s in north and north-central Alabama, and the rest of the state will stay in the 40s.

Here’s today’s high temperature forecast:

Tonight will be very cold statewide.

Lows will range from the upper teens and low 20s in north and north-central Alabama to the mid- to upper 20s across south Alabama.

Here’s the forecast for tonight’s low temperatures:

Similar temperatures are expected on Wednesday and Thursday, according to weather service forecasts.

The coldest night may be from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, when lows could get into the lower teens in north Alabama.

Here is that low temperature forecast:

Thursday night into Friday is where the possibility of winter precipitation enters the picture.

The National Weather Service offices in both Huntsville and Birmingham said confidence is rising in some sort of winter precipitation affecting the northern half of the state starting as early as late Thursday.

Forecasters expect a storm system to track along the Gulf Coast and spread precipitation across Alabama.

However, that storm system could also help to raise temperatures enough to make it a real challenge to predict who will get snow, ice or disappointment.

NORTH ALABAMA

The weather service in Huntsville said concern of accumulating snow — and possibly freezing rain — is increasing for north Alabama.

Snow could begin over north Alabama possibly as early as late Thursday.

There is a high chance of precipitation across north Alabama on Friday, and it should end from west to east on Saturday morning.

The weather service said the precipitation is most likely to fall as snow north of the Tennessee River, with “an eventual transition to a wintry mix possibly occurring south of the river.”

CENTRAL ALABAMA

The National Weather Service in Birmingham also has increasing confidence in some sort of winter precipitation affecting parts of central Alabama on Friday.

Forecasters said on Tuesday that the “track of the low pressure system as well as depth of the cold air present at the surface will greatly determine location of wintry precipitation, precipitation type (snow, wintry mix, or freezing rain) and potential impacts.”

Forecasters are more certain that the northern part of central Alabama will have impacts from winter precipitation.

As of Tuesday morning, the weather service said snow accumulations of a half-inch to 2 inches are not out of the question — but stressed that there was “significant uncertainty” about that.

There could also be ice accumulations up to one tenth of an inch.

Areas along and north of Interstate 20 have the best chances at this point to see accumulations.

“Due to the cold air that will already be in place leading up to Friday, infrastructure and ground temperatures will already be very cold. That could be a contributing factor to closely watch in terms of potential impacts,” forecasters said.

Temperatures should rise above freezing on Friday afternoon for the southern part of the region.

The weather service urged those in central Alabama to “stay tuned as the forecast becomes more refined and details ironed out over the next 36 hours.”

SOUTH ALABAMA

There’s a chance those in south Alabama could see some winter precipitation as well.

The National Weather Service in Mobile noted that the forecast for Thursday night is very challenging and depends on the exact track of the weather system.

Some light snow or a mix of rain and snow will be possible late Thursday for parts of Choctaw and Clarke counties.

Overnight more of the region could see a rain-snow mix, mainly from Evergreen and Luverne northward, forecasters said.

“It must be stressed that some light freezing rain or light sleet could also occur. Some minor accumulation of wintry precipitation is possible. Again, this is a challenging forecast so stay tuned for adjustments to the forecast,” the weather service said.