QUIET AFTERNOON: A few isolated showers are over the Tennessee Valley this afternoon; otherwise, Alabama is dry with a partly to mostly sunny sky. Temperatures are between 87 and 93 degrees, not far from average for early September. Tonight will be mostly fair with only a small risk of a shower; expect a low between 68 and 74 degrees.

WEDNESDAY: A disturbance will bring a chance of showers and strong thunderstorms to Alabama late Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night. The Storm Prediction Center has introduced a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) of severe thunderstorms for roughly the northern half of Alabama.The main threat from heavier thunderstorms will come from strong straight-line winds. It won’t rain everywhere; the chance of any given point seeing rain is 30-40%. Otherwise, we are forecasting a mix of sun and clouds Wednesday with a high in the upper 80s and low 90s.

THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: Drier air drops into Alabama Thursday, and we expect dry weather Thursday through the weekend with sunny days, lower humidity and cooler nights. The high will be near 90 Thursday, followed by mid to upper 80s Friday through Sunday. Lows will drop into the low to mid 60s for a nice fall feel to the air.

NEXT WEEK: Dry air will likely remain in place for much of next week with little risk of showers. Highs will hold in the 84- to 89-degree range most afternoons with lows in the 60s.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: The sky will be clear for the high school football games across Alabama Friday night with temperatures falling through the 70s.

Saturday, UAB will take on Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Georgia (5 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be occasionally cloudy, and a passing shower or thunderstorm can’t be ruled out during the game. Temperatures will fall from near 90 degrees at kickoff through the 80s during the second half.

Alabama will host Texas Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium (6 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be clear with temperatures falling from near 83 degrees at kickoff into the 70s by the second half.

Auburn will be in Berkeley to take on the California Golden Bears (9:30 p.m. kickoff). Expect a clear sky with temperatures in the 60s during the game.

TROPICS: Tropical Depression 13 has formed in the central Atlantic and is expected to become a powerful hurricane in three to five days (the name will be Lee). It is expected to pass north of the northern Leeward Islands, followed by a turn to the north before reaching the U.S. East Coast.

A new wave coming off the coast of Africa (Invest 96L) also has a high chance of becoming a tropical storm or hurricane within the next three to five days, but it will gain latitude and will remain far from land.

No tropical systems will threaten the Gulf of Mexico or the central Gulf Coast for at least the next seven to 10 days.

ON THIS DATE IN 1925: Alabama’s all-time record heat wave was at its height. Birmingham was recording its third of seven straight days with temperatures over 100 degrees. On Sept. 5-6, the temperature in Birmingham topped out at 106. After letting up a bit, the temperature would once again reach the century mark on Sept. 22 (the latest the Magic City has ever seen 100 degrees.) The high temperatures were made worse by a severe drought.

The state recorded its hottest temperature ever, 112 degrees, at Centreville on Sept, 5, 1925. Every reporting station in the state of Alabama recorded a high of 100 degrees or higher, an unprecedented event that has never been repeated.

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