James Spann: Sun, heat, scattered storms for Alabama

RADAR CHECK: Scattered showers and thunderstorms are mainly over the eastern half of Alabama this afternoon. They are moving southward, and heavier storms are producing strong wind gusts and lots of lightning. Temperatures are mostly in the 80s over the eastern counties, with 90s over west Alabama. Scattered storms will fade after sunset.

We expect little change Wednesday. It will be another hot, humid day with potential for an afternoon shower or storm in scattered spots; highs will be in the low to mid 90s for most places.

We will see a slow increase in the number of afternoon showers and storms Thursday and Friday as the upper ridge over the region weakens a bit. Heat levels will fall. By Friday, highs will be between 88 and 92 degrees.

THE WEEKEND: Very routine summer weather is the story for the weekend and through most of next week — partly sunny, hot, humid days with scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Highs will be mostly in the low 90s over the weekend, with mid 90s through next week.

TROPICS: The Atlantic basin remains very calm and tropical storm formation is not expected through at least the next seven days.

ON THIS DATE IN 1993: The levee holding back the flooding Mississippi River at Kaskaskia, Illinois, ruptured, forcing the town’s people to flee on barges. The incident at Kaskaskia was the most dramatic event of the flood. At 9:48 a.m., the levee broke, leaving the people of Kaskaskia with no escape route other than two Army Corp of Engineers barges. By 2 p.m., the entire town was underwater.

For more weather news and information from James Spann and his team, visit AlabamaWx.