RADAR CHECK: Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms are mainly over west and south Alabama this afternoon; otherwise, the sky is partly sunny with temperatures mostly between 88 and 94 degrees. Showers will end this evening, and tonight will be mostly fair with a low in the 70s.

A few scattered showers and storms are possible Thursday, but coverage of afternoon showers and storms will increase Friday and Saturday; the chance of a specific location seeing rain is 20-30% Thursday and 50-60% Friday and Saturday. Most but not necessarily all of the showers and storms will come from about 1 until 10 p.m. Models suggest showers will become fewer in number by Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: We will broad brush the forecast with routine summer conditions next week — partly sunny, hot, humid days with scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Highs remain in the 90s, with lows in the 70s. It is that time of the year when major weather changes don’t happen often unless a tropical system is involved.

TROPICS: Hurricane Beryl, with sustained winds of 140 mph, is about 45 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, this afternoon in the Caribbean. Devastating hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surge and damaging waves are expected to begin in Jamaica within the next few hours and spread into the Cayman Islands tonight. Mountainous locations in Jamaica are likely to experience destructive wind gusts.

Damaging winds, a dangerous storm surge and heavy rainfall are expected over portions of the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize beginning Thursday night as Beryl approaches that area as a hurricane. Hurricane and tropical storm warnings are in effect for portions of the area.

Beryl will emerge into the southwest Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm; the National Hurricane Center forecasts the final landfall just south of Brownsville, Texas, Sunday night as a Category 1 hurricane.

There will be no weather impact for the central Gulf Coast (Gulf Shores to Panama City Beach), but the risk of rip currents there will be high by Saturday and Sunday.

A tropical wave is trailing Beryl, approaching the Windward Islands. At this point the chance of development is only 20% over the next seven days thanks to dry air around the system and upwelling from Beryl.

The rest of the Atlantic basin is quiet.

ON THIS DATE IN 1975: Up to 3 inches of rain caused flash flooding throughout Las Vegas. The main damage occurred to vehicles at Caesars Palace, with approximately 700 damaged or destroyed and several cars found miles away. North Las Vegas was hardest hit, with $3.5 million in damage. Two people drowned in the flood waters.

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