DRY DAYS: All 67 Alabama counties are rain-free at midafternoon. A few isolated showers or storms could pop up over the far southern counties this evening, but most places will stay dry. Clouds have moved into parts of east and south Alabama, where temperatures are in the mid to upper 70s. Other communities are in the 80s with a mix of sun and clouds.

THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: An upper ridge will build across the region, meaning dry weather with mostly sunny, warm days and fair, pleasant nights. Highs will be mostly in the 80s, with lows in the 60s.

NEXT WEEK: The ridge holds, and dry conditions will likely continue across most of Alabama and the Deep South as we get into October. Highs hold in the 80s, lows in the 60s. There’s no sign of any high-impact rain event here for at least the next seven to 10 days.RAPID ONSET DROUGHT POTENTIAL: NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has highlighted the possibility of rapid onset drought across south-central Tennessee and most of Alabama. This is due to the combination of little to no rain, limited soil moisture and warmer-than-average temperatures. Most of the water supplies across Alabama are in fairly good shape, but the Alabama Forestry Commission maintains a statewide fire alert, under which permits for outdoor burning will be restricted. Anyone who burns a field, grassland or woodland without a burn permit may be subject to prosecution for committing a Class B misdemeanor.FOOTBALL WEATHER: The sky will be mostly fair for the high school football games across Alabama Friday night with temperatures falling through the 70s.

Saturday, UAB travels to New Orleans to take on Tulane (11 a.m. kickoff). The sky will be partly to mostly sunny with an outside risk of a brief shower or storm during the game. Temperatures will rise from near 84 at kickoff to 88 degrees by the final whistle.

Auburn hosts Georgia at Jordan-Hare Stadium (2:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly sunny. Temperatures will hover in the mid to upper 80s through most of the game.

Alabama will be in Starkville to take on Mississippi State (8 p.m. kickoff). Expect a clear sky with temperatures falling through the 70s.

TROPICS: Tropical Storm Philippe, with winds of 50 mph, is about 575 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. The system is expected to degenerate into a remnant low within the next 72 hours due to shear and dry air around it.

A tropical wave trailing Philippe is expected to become Tropical Storm Rina soon, but it will turn north into the open Atlantic and is no threat to land.
No tropical systems are expected near the Gulf of Mexico for at least the next seven days.

ON THIS DATE IN 1906: The second September storm of 1906 was one of great violence. The hurricane reached the central Gulf Coast with destructive winds and unprecedented tides. At Pensacola, the tide was 10 feet above normal. At Mobile, property damage was severe. An estimated 134 lives were lost from Pensacola to Mississippi from this storm.

ON THIS DATE IN 1985: Hurricane Gloria swept over the North Carolina Outer Banks, then rushed across Long Island, New England and Canada. It was the first significant hurricane to hit New England in 25 years and brought heavy rains and high winds to the Mid-Atlantic states as well.

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