North Alabama is officially in a drought, and there's no rain in the immediate forecast.

Why it matters: If these dry conditions continue into the normally-dry summer, the Huntsville area could find itself in more severe drought conditions.

Catch up quick: Huntsville, and most of North Alabama, are classified as in "Moderate Drought" by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

What they're saying: Andy Kula, senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Huntsville, told Axios that NWS is watching this trend of dry weather, set to continue for a while, and will keep the public updated if it worsens.

• Rainfall peaks in the late fall/early winter and in the spring for Huntsville, he said, and dry conditions have led to fire weather danger this spring.
• Aside from some rainfall April 4-5, the last couple of weeks have been dry, and the next couple of weeks are looking dry, too, Kula said.

By the numbers: Per the drought monitor, February rainfall was 2.43 inches below normal this year, and so far, 2026 is about 2.5 inches of rainfall below normal.

• NWS placed March rainfall totals at just under 4 inches, following 2.6 total inches in February, compared to normal totals of 5.11 inches in February and 5.39 inches in March.

Zoom in: NWS sticks to seven-day forecasts, Kula said, and that forecast is looking nice, but dry, including highs between 77-84 this weekend, with lows between 48-56.

• That's thanks to a dry air mass over the area that's keeping it cut off from the influence of the Gulf, he said.

What we're watching: The extended forecast shows no expected rain through Wednesday, as highs reach the upper 80s and lows hover in the low 60s.

Stadium Commons, the mixed-use development taking shape around Joe Davis Stadium in South Huntsville, gets its newest addition this morning.

The big picture: Free People, a Bohemian-inspired women's clothing boutique, and FP Movement, its activewear brand, open today at 10am.

• Ferren Boutique, a local luxury clothier, is set to open at Stadium Commons April 18, a representative for Stadium Commons told Axios.

Catch up quick: No opening dates have been announced for other tenants in the development's $35.2-million Phase I, including VSL Nail Spa and Juniper's Kitchen, a new restaurant from Power Brands Hospitality.

• Earlier reports said the new stores were set to open by May 2026.
• Those will join Hattie B's Hot Chicken, which opened in December.

What we're watching: A 140-room Hyatt Place hotel is in the works for Stadium Commons as well.

• Phase II details have yet to be announced.
• Under construction just off the Stadium Commons site, adjacent to the stadium, is the 200-room, dual-branded Hilton hotel set to be completed by the end of the year, per an updated agreement between the city and BREG HSV LLC.

🐶 It's Super Bulldog Weekend at Alabama A&M, a full weekend of sports, highlighted by the Maroon & White Spring Game tomorrow at 3pm. (AAMU)

• Tennis, softball and baseball games are also spread across today, tomorrow and Sunday.

🎭 Huntsville's Broadway Theatre League has dropped its 2026-2027 lineup. (FOX54)

🪴 Huntsville Green Team is kicking off Earth Month today with its Spring Plant & Cleanup Supplies Giveaway at the Jaycee Building at John Hunt Park, offering tomato and cucumber plants alongside trash bags and dog waste bag rolls. (City of Huntsville)

• Saturday is District 1 Cleanup Day, 9-11am, at the Dr. Richard Showers, Sr. Recreation Center.

💧 The University of Alabama in Huntsville is asking folks to participate in the annual "Rain Gauge Rally," a citizen science program to measure and report rainfall during April. (UAH)

📑 Defense contractor BlueHalo, based in Huntsville, won a $19-million Department of Defense contract for advanced ceramic materials. (AL.com)

Spring brings one of the easiest chances of the year to spot an otherworldly glow in the night sky.

The big picture: Right now is prime time in the Northern Hemisphere to see the zodiacal light — or "false dusk" — about an hour after sunset on the western horizon.

• Many people mistake it for distant city lights or lingering twilight, but it's actually sunlight reflecting off a vast cloud of dust spread through our solar system, according to EarthSky.
• Scientists have long thought the dust comes from comets and asteroid collisions — but newer research suggests some of it may come from Mars, per NASA.

Why it matters: The zodiacal light is one of the most magical sights in the night sky — and one of the few cosmic phenomena you can see with the naked eye, if you know when and where to look, said Deborah Byrd of EarthSky.

Pro tips: A good opportunity is coming up next week with the new moon on April 17.

• Head to a dark rural area away from city lights.
• Go on a clear night with little or no moonlight.
• Watch for a faint triangular glow that's whitish, not pink like twilight, according to StarWalk.

What's next: The zodiacal light is also visible in the east before sunrise in the fall, when it's called "false dawn."