James Spann says Alabama highs rise to around 80 degrees today from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.

NICE WARM-UP TODAY: The air across Alabama is very dry this morning, and despite temperatures in the 40s and 50s, we will rise into the upper 70s and low 80s this afternoon with a good supply of sunshine. The weather won’t change much Wednesday.

THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND: Clouds will increase Thursday, and we will bring in the chance of occasional rain Thursday night into Friday. This won’t be an especially big rain event or a drought buster, but it should bring around one-half inch to much of the state. The high Thursday will be in the upper 70s, but Friday will be much cooler, with highs dropping into the 60s over most of the state along with the chance of rain.

The weekend forecast remains low confidence due to poor model consistency handling waves in the southern branch of the jet stream. The American Global Forecast System keeps the weekend generally dry, while the European global model suggests there will be some risk of rain at times both days. We will insert the risk of some rain Saturday and Sunday, but the weekend won’t be a washout, and rain amounts should be fairly light. The weather will remain cool with highs in the 60s.

NEXT WEEK: Dry weather is likely Monday and Tuesday, but models diverge again over the latter half of the week, making for a low-confidence forecast. The Euro hints at a good rain event Wednesday or Thursday. Highs through the week will be mostly in the mid to upper 60s.FOOTBALL WEATHER: Periods of light rain are possible for the high school playoff games across the state Friday night with temperatures in the low 60s.

Saturday, Alabama travels to Lexington to take on Kentucky (11 a.m. CT kickoff). The sky will be mostly sunny with temperatures rising from near 52 at kickoff to around 56 degrees by the final whistle.

UAB is also on the road, playing Navy in in Annapolis, Maryland (2:30 p.m. CT kickoff). It will be a great day for football; the sky will be sunny with temperatures falling from the mid 50s at kickoff into the upper 40s by the fourth quarter.

Auburn will be in Fayetteville taking on Arkansas (3 p.m. CT kickoff). The sky will be partly to mostly sunny with temperatures falling from the low 60s at kickoff into the 50s by the fourth quarter.

TROPICS: All remains quiet across the Atlantic basin, and tropical storm formation is not expected over the next seven days.

ON THIS DATE IN 1957: A historic tornado outbreak affected southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana. Ten people were killed.

ON THIS DATE IN 2001: Typhoon Lingling struck the southern Philippines, killing 171 people with 118 missing in Camiguin. The typhoon then struck Vietnam five days later, killing an additional 18 people.

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