James Spann forecasts more rainy days for Alabama from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.

UNSETTLED PATTERN CONTINUES: Deep, tropical moisture will linger across Alabama through the rest of the week with daily rounds of showers and a few thunderstorms. Of course, there will be nice breaks in the rain, and the sun will be out at times. Heavier storms will come from noon to midnight, and, like recent days, they will be very efficient rain producers thanks to the high precipitable water values. Highs will be mostly in the mid 80s, well below average for late July in Alabama.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: The upper ridge will begin to slowly rebuild over the region, and a trend toward fewer showers should begin. We will have a mix of sun and clouds Saturday and Sunday with scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. The chance of any one spot seeing rain both days is 40-50%, and highs will be in the upper 80s.

NEXT WEEK: The ridge will set up a fairly typical summer pattern next week: partly sunny, humid days with the chance of a passing shower or storm daily, mostly from 1 until 11 p.m. Heat levels creep up, with highs around 90 for the first half of the week and low 90s Thursday and Friday.

TROPICS: All remains very quiet across the Atlantic basin, and tropical storm formation is not expected through the rest of July. But the heart of the season is yet to come, in August, September and early October.

ON THIS DATE IN 2008: Hurricane Dolly made landfall in south Texas on South Padre Island with sustained winds of 85 mph. The storm caused 212,000 customers to lose power in Texas as well as 125,000 in Tamaulipas and dropped estimated amounts of more than 16 inches of rain in isolated areas. Rip currents throughout the Gulf Coast resulted in one person drowning off the Florida Panhandle.

ON THIS DATE IN 2011: Chicago set an all-time daily record for rainfall when 6.86 inches fell during the early morning at O’Hare airport. The previous daily record was 6.64 inches, set on Sept. 13, 2008.

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