James Spann: Only isolated showers for Alabama through the weekend

CALM SUMMER PATTERN: A quiet weather pattern continues across the Deep South through the holiday weekend — partly sunny days, fair nights and only isolated afternoon showers. The chance of any one community seeing a shower each afternoon is only around 10%, and afternoon highs will be between 90 and 95 degrees. Humidity will be relatively low for summer.

For at least the first half of next week, afternoon showers will remain widely spaced and highs will hold in the low to mid 90s. There could be a slow increase in the number of scattered afternoon showers and storms toward the end of the week, but still no sign of any really widespread rain setup.

TROPICS: Satellite wind data indicates that a weak area of low pressure has formed about 100 miles east of Jacksonville, Florida, and is accompanied by disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are forecast to be marginally conducive for further development, and a tropical or subtropical depression could form near the southeastern United States late today or over the weekend if the low remains offshore.

Regardless of development, heavy rainfall is possible across portions of west-central and southwestern Florida through early Saturday, and across coastal sections of the Carolinas beginning later Saturday. An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate the system later today. The National Hurricane Center gives the system a 60% chance of development.

This feature will not affect the central Gulf Coast (Gulf Shores to Panama City Beach), where the weather will be very favorable this weekend. The rest of the Atlantic basin remains very quiet.

ON THIS DATE IN 1911: Record temperatures were set in the northeastern United States as a deadly heat wave hit the area that would go on to kill 380 people. In Nashua, New Hampshire, the mercury peaked at 106 degrees. Other high-temperature records were set all over New England during an 11-day period.

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