By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

The National Weather Service Birmingham office in Calera is forecasting a rare sight in central Alabama, as it has included the word “snow” a few times while looking ahead to the latter part of this week and this weekend.

Temperatures will remain chilly throughout the week, and moisture entering the region late this week will provide this year’s best chance of snow yet, according to the NWS.

Monday will see a high of 45 degrees and a low hovering around freezing, and Tuesday will see a high near 50 degrees and a low around 47 degrees.

Tuesday night also will bring a 60 percent chance of showers after midnight and wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour.

Shelby County will see a wet and muggy Wednesday with a high near 60 degrees, as there is a 100 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour. The rain will taper off on Wednesday night, and temperatures will fall to around freezing, bringing with it a chance of some overnight snow showers.

Thursday will be chilly, with a high near 45 degrees and a low in the high 20s.

Friday will see a high of only 38 degrees, and will see a 20 percent chance of snow showers before noon before temperatures plummet into the low 20s on Friday night.

Saturday will see a high in the upper 40s, and Saturday night will bring a low of about 31 degrees and a 40 percent chance of rain and snow showers.

Sunday will see a high near 41 degrees and a 30 percent chance of rain and snow showers.