James Spann has the Alabama forecast heading into the weekend from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE LATER TODAY: The radar is quiet early this morning, but scattered showers and thunderstorms will form in the moisture-laden air mass over Alabama this afternoon and tonight. An upper-air system northwest of the state could help to produce a few strong thunderstorms; the Storm Prediction Center has northwest Alabama in a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms later today. Some of the storms there could produce strong, gusty winds.

Otherwise, look for a mix of sun and clouds today with a high between 87 and 91 degrees.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: Partly sunny, hot, humid weather continues Saturday with scattered storms, mostly during the afternoon and evening. The SPC maintains a marginal risk for the northern quarter of the state due to the potential for strong winds. On Sunday, most of the state will be dry with only isolated showers and storms as we will be in the subsidence ring (sinking air) on the periphery of Hurricane Isaias, which will be passing well to the east of the state. Highs over the weekend will remain mostly between 87 and 91 degrees.

NEXT WEEK: Monday will be mostly dry thanks to the sinking air, but the rest of the week should feature routine summer weather — partly sunny, hot, humid days with random, scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Highs will be between 88 and 93 degrees.

HURRICANE ISAIAS: Isaias was upgraded to a hurricane last night based on data from reconnaissance aircraft. Maximum sustained winds this morning are near 80 mph, and the center is about 380 miles southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas. A hurricane warning is in effect for the Bahamas, and a tropical storm watch is in effect for the east coast of Florida from Ocean Reef to Sebastian Inlet.

Tropical storm conditions are possible along portions of the Florida east coast beginning Saturday. While storm surge watches are not currently needed for this area, they may be required later today if the forecast track shifts closer to the coast. Heavy rains associated with Isaias may begin to affect south Florida and east-central Florida beginning late tonight, potentially resulting in isolated flash and urban flooding, especially in low-lying and poorly drained areas.

There is a risk of impacts from winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge late this weekend from the northeastern Florida coast and spreading northward along the remainder of the U.S. east coast through early next week. The details of the track and intensity forecast remain uncertain, and it is too soon to determine the magnitude and location of these potential impacts, but interests along the entire U.S. east coast should monitor the progress of Isaias and updates to the forecast.

There will be no impact to Alabama or the central Gulf Coast (including the area from Gulf Shores to Panama City Beach).

Elsewhere in the tropics, a tropical wave about halfway between the Lesser Antilles and the coast of Africa has a low chance of some development over the next five days. And a wave in the far eastern Atlantic has a medium chance of development, but most likely it will drift northward instead of moving to the west.

There are no systems threatening the Gulf of Mexico for the next five to seven days.

ON THIS DATE IN 1997: South Pole, Antarctica, recorded its coldest July ever. The average temperature of minus 86.8 degrees broke the previous record of  minus 83.6 degrees set in July 1965.

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