TURNING UP THE THERMOSTAT: The forecast for today and the next six days does not show any relief from the heat that will start to build underneath what we call the “death ridge.” Enjoy this weekend, as it will be the last one we’ll see for a little while where some locations will stay in the 80s. Here is what we have for this forecast period.

This weekend will be fabulous, but the heat will begin to build across Alabama. We’ll have mostly sunny skies with highs reaching the mid-80s to the lower 90s on Saturday, but heating up into the upper 80s to the lower 90s on Sunday.

The work week ahead brings even warmer temperatures as the ridge strengthens. The forecast will be very similar for each day through Thursday, with skies  mostly sunny and no rain expected. Monday’s highs will be in the lower to mid-90s, with lower to the upper 90s on Tuesday, lower to mid-90s on Wednesday and right back to the lower to upper 90s on Thursday.

The pattern across the country mostly flattens out Friday, with the exception of a trough over the northeast that may bring a wave of moisture into the northern half of the state late Friday afternoon. For now, it looks like much of Alabama will stay dry, but a few isolated to scattered showers and storms may be possible. The heat won’t back down any, as highs will be in the lower 90s in the north to the upper 90s in the south.

TROPICS: Subtropical Storm Ana formed earlier this morning just northeast of Bermuda and was packing winds at 45 mph and moving to the west-southwest at 3 mph. A Tropical Storm Watch is up for Bermuda before Ana begins a rapid departure to the northeast and dissipates in a couple of days.

We also have Invest 91L, which has moved onshore over southeastern Texas. The system could produce heavy rainfall over portions of southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana today. With the already-saturated soils across this area, heavy rain could lead to flash, urban and additional river flooding.

ON THIS DATE IN 1987: A powerful tornado virtually wiped the small southwest Texas community of Saragosa off the map. The twister destroyed 85% of the structures in the town, killing 30 people and injuring 121 others in a town with a population of 183. The tornado hurled trucks and autos through adobe and wood-frame homes, with some vehicles blown 500 feet.

BEACH FORECAST CENTER: Get the latest weather and rip current forecasts for the beaches from Dauphin Island to Panama City Beach, Florida, on our Beach Forecast Center page. There, you can select the forecast of the region you are interested in.

For more weather news and information from James Spann, Scott Martin and other members of the James Spann team, visit AlabamaWx.