James Spann forecasts heat, storms for Alabama through the weekend from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.

CLASSIC MIDSUMMER WEATHER: Alabama’s weather will feature the classic summer mix of sun, heat, humidity and storms through Sunday. Afternoon highs will be generally between 89 and 94 degrees, and most (but not all) of the showers and storms will come from 2 until 9 p.m. The chance of any one spot seeing rain is 50-60% today and Saturday, and 40-50% Sunday.

The Storm Prediction Center has defined a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms for about the northern two-thirds of the state this afternoon; heavier storms that form could produce strong winds.

We also note a heat advisory is in effect for parts of central and west Alabama, where the heat index could touch 105 today. But all of the state will be hot and humid.

NEXT WEEK: The upper ridge will grow stronger, and accordingly heat levels will rise and coverage of scattered storms will drop during the week. Highs will be in the mid to upper 90s, with lows in the 70s. Heat advisories will be needed through the week with the heat index exceeding 100 degrees daily. Afternoon storms are possible, but they should be widely spaced most days.TROPICS: Subtropical Storm Don has formed in the middle of the Atlantic with winds of 50 mph. Don is a junk system that will remain far from land, and the rest of the Atlantic basin, including the Gulf of Mexico, remains very quiet.ON THIS DATE IN 1995: Thunderstorms producing severe weather occurred over upper Michigan and adjacent portions of Ontario near Sault Saint Marie. By late evening the storms had evolved into a bowing line just northwest of the Mackinac Bridge. At 10:17 p.m. EDT, the thunderstorm gust front hit the bridge and a gust to 90 mph was measured. Sustained winds of 80 mph continued on the bridge for 10 more minutes. Thus began the intense “Ontario-Adirondacks Derecho” that would cause hundreds of millions of dollars’ damage, several deaths and many injuries as it raced southeast from the northern Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast.

ON THIS DATE IN 2006: Tropical Storm Bilis tracked across northern Taiwan before making landfall in southeastern China’s Fujian province with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph. The storm caused at least 575 deaths in Fujian, Guangdong and Hunan provinces and direct economic losses near $3.3 billion.

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