James Spann forecasts a dry, cooler week for Alabama from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.

AIR MASS CHANGE: A highly amplified upper air pattern over the U.S. will help to push much drier air into the Deep South today. This means dry weather for most of the week with lower humidity and cooler nights. For the northern third of the state, highs will be in the mid to upper 80s through the week, with lows well down in the 60s. Many communities will dip into the 50s early Wednesday morning for a nice preview of fall.

For the southern counties, highs will be in the low 90s, but the lower humidity will make the summer heat feel more comfortable. Lows there will be in the 60s by midweek. A few isolated showers are possible over far south Alabama Thursday and Friday, but many places will stay rain-free.

Don’t look for much change over the weekend. Weather will be generally dry, with only isolated showers across the southern counties. Highs will be mostly in the low 90s Saturday and Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: Heat levels rise, and afternoon temperatures go back in the mid 90s next week. The pattern continues to look dry with only isolated showers.

TROPICS: Ernesto is hanging in there this morning, still a hurricane with winds of 85 mph. The center is about 340 miles south/southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is moving north/northeast at 21 mph. The system becomes post tropical soon over the colder water of the North Atlantic.

The rest of the Atlantic basin remains remarkably quiet for August.

ON THIS DATE IN 1896: The famous Cottage City (Oak Bluffs) waterspout occurred off Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The vortex was 3,600 feet high, formed three times and was well photographed.

ON THIS DATE IN 1955: The remnants of Hurricane Diane continued to drop phenomenal amounts of rain on parts of the eastern U.S., leading to deadly and catastrophic flooding. In Pennsylvania, floods left thousands homeless. The flooded Brodhead Creek killed 37 people at a camp, most of them children.

ON THIS DATE IN 1969: After blasting the Gulf Coast, the remnants of Hurricane Camille unleashed a monstrous cloudburst over Virginia, which brought massive flooding and mudslides that killed more than 150 people.

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