James Spann: Alabama stays dry through mid-week; cooler temps arrive for the weekend

DRY DAYS: Very warm and mostly dry weather continues across Alabama through Wednesday. Highs in the 85-90 degree range; any afternoon showers very isolated. Heat levels will fall later in the week thanks to a northerly flow; by Friday morning many North Alabama communities will drop into the 50s, with highs around 80 degrees. South Alabama will still see highs in the mid 80s.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: For most of Alabama, showers will be few and far between Saturday and Sunday with highs in the low to mid 80s. However, a weak surface trough in the northern Gulf could bring some rain to the coast at times. Not a wash-out at all, but a few periods of rain are possible both days across Mobile and Baldwin counties.

Not much change in the calm pattern next week. Mostly dry with highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s … keep in mind October is our driest month of the year.

TROPICS: Tropical Storm Imelda, with winds of 45 mph, is about 295 miles southeast of Cape Canaveral, FL this morning. It is moving to the north at 8 mph. Imelda is forecast to become a hurricane tomorrow; it will take a sharp turn to the east and will remain well off the Southeast U.S. coast. It could impact Bermuda Wednesday night, however.

Hurricane Humberto, with winds of 130 mph, is about 375 miles south/southwest Bermuda… moving to the northwest at 14 mph. Humberto will pass well to the west of Bermuda tomorrow as it heads out into the North Atlantic. Still, Bermuda is under a tropical storm warning due to the size of the wind field.

The rest of the Atlantic basin is calm, and no tropical storms or hurricanes are expected across the Gulf for at least the next 7-10 days.

ON THIS DATE IN 1927: An outbreak of tornadoes from Oklahoma to Indiana caused 81 deaths and $25 million in damage. A tornado, possibly two tornadoes, cut an eight-mile-long path across St Louis, Missouri, to Granite City, Illinois, killing 79 persons.

ON THIS DATE IN 1959: Category four Hurricane Gracie made landfall over St. Helena Sound near the south end of Edisto Island in South Carolina. Much of the destruction related with Gracie was centered on Beaufort.

For more weather news and information from Jame Spann and his team, visit the Alabama Weather Network.