RADAR CHECK: Again this afternoon we have random, scattered showers and thunderstorms across Alabama. Some are producing heavy rain and strong winds along with lots of lightning. They will fade after sunset, and most will be gone by 10 p.m. Away from the storms the sky is partly sunny with temperatures mostly in the 90s.

Routine late-summer weather for Alabama will continue through the holiday weekend: partly sunny days with random, scattered, mostly afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Most of the storms will come from about 1 until 10 p.m.; the chance of any spot seeing rain is 40-50% Saturday through Monday. Highs will be mostly in the low 90s.

REST OF NEXT WEEK: Heat levels drop considerably; highs will be close to 80 over the northern half of the state by midweek, with lows in the 60s. We will maintain some risk of scattered showers and storms daily. Global models suggest rain coverage could be highest toward the end of the week with the approach of a surface front.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: Alabama hosts Western Kentucky Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium (6 p.m. kickoff). A brief shower or storm can’t be ruled out during the first half; otherwise, the sky will be mostly fair with temperatures falling from near 88 degrees at kickoff to near 80 by the final whistle. Auburn will host Alabama A&M at Jordan-Hare Stadium (6:30 p.m. kickoff). Again, a shower or storm is possible during the first half; otherwise, it will be mostly fair with temperatures falling through the 80s.

Troy will host Nevada Saturday (6 p.m. kickoff). There’s some risk of a shower or storm during the first half; otherwise, the weather will be fair with temperatures falling from around 87 degrees at kickoff to near 80 by the final whistle.

TROPICS: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is monitoring three areas of interest this afternoon — one just coming off the coast of Africa, another one in the middle of the Atlantic between the Lesser Antilles and the coast of Africa, and a third one over the northwest Gulf of Mexico.

The surface trough of low pressure over the northwestern Gulf is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms along and just off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. This system is expected to meander near the coast through much of next week, and some slow development is possible if it remains offshore. Regardless of development, heavy rains could cause some flash flooding across portions of coastal Louisiana and the upper Texas coast during the next few days. The NHC gives it a 20% chance of development.

The wave just off the African coast has only a 20% chance of development over the next seven days. The focus remains on the lead wave over the central Tropical Atlantic; showers and thunderstorms associated with the wave remain disorganized. Gradual development of this system is possible during the next few days, and a tropical depression could form sometime next week while it moves westward, reaching the Lesser Antilles on Monday and continuing across the Caribbean Sea through the middle to latter part of the week. The NHC gives it a 40% chance of development over the next seven days. It is too early to know whether this develops into a tropical storm or hurricane, or whether it enters the Gulf of Mexico. We will keep a close eye on it.

ON THIS DATE IN 2023: Idalia made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida as a low-end Category 3 hurricane.

Idalia’s primary impact was devastating storm surge across the coastal Big Bend in Levy, Dixie and Taylor counties. Storm-surge inundations of 7 to 12 feet along the coast were some of the highest recorded since the 1993 Storm of the Century. In some locations, according to local residents, the surge exceeded that observed in 1993. Idalia moved ashore during low tide; the storm surge could easily have been 3 to 4 feet higher had it moved onshore four to six hours later at high tide. In addition to surge, wind and flooding damage was recorded well inland into Georgia.

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