RADAR CHECK: We have scattered showers over the southern third of Alabama this afternoon; the northern counties are dry with a good supply of sunshine. Temperatures are mostly in the 80s; Montgomery is one of the few spots reaching the 90-degree mark. Showers will remain possible across south Alabama tonight; otherwise, clouds will gradually increase statewide with a low between 67 and 73 degrees.

A disturbance will bring rain to the southern half of Alabama Thursday and most of the state Friday. Most of the rain Thursday will be along and south of I-20 (Tuscaloosa to Birmingham to Anniston), and Friday rain is most likely south of U.S. 278 (Hamilton to Cullman to Gadsden). Rain amounts from I-20 south will be 1-2 inches, but the Tennessee Valley will be shortchanged with only light amounts.

Temperatures will continue to trend downward; expect highs in the low to mid 80s Thursday and only in the 70s Friday because of clouds, rain and a cool low-level easterly flow.

THE ALABAMA WEEKEND: A front has potential to bring a few isolated showers to Alabama Saturday, but most of the day will be dry with a mix of sun and clouds and a high in the 80s. A very dry air mass settles into the Deep South Sunday with a sunny sky; after starting the day in the 50s, the high will be in the mid 80s for most places.

NEXT WEEK: For now, much of the week looks dry with seasonal temperatures — highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s and 60s.

TROPICS: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) continues to monitor several tropical waves across the Atlantic basin; the chance of development is low for all of them due to unfavorable environmental conditions.

The one we continue to watch carefully is a tropical wave in the Caribbean that is moving westward at about 20 mph. It is producing a broad area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms across portions of the central Caribbean Sea. Some development is possible early next week when the system moves over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. The chance of development remains at 30% over the next seven days.

Global models hint a depression or storm could form in the Bay of Campeche this weekend, but then they don’t do much with it as the system tries to lift northward next week. It remains simply something to watch for now.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: For high school games across the state Friday night, some rain is possible, if not likely, over the southern two-thirds of the state. We’re not expecting much thunder, however, and temperatures will be in the 70s.

On Saturday, Auburn will host California at Jordan-Hare Stadium (2:30 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be partly sunny, and a brief shower can’t be ruled out. Temperatures will hover in the low to mid 80s during the game.

Alabama will host South Florida Saturday in Tuscaloosa (6 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be mostly clear with temperatures falling from the low 80s at kickoff into the upper 60s by the final whistle.

UAB will be on the road, taking on Louisiana-Monroe Saturday (6 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be clear with about 83 degrees at kickoff; temperatures drop to near 70 degrees by the fourth quarter.

ON THIS DATE IN 1941: A violent tornado ripped through northeast and north Minneapolis shortly after noon. The hardest-hit location was the Soo Line Railroad’s Shoreham Yards, where four people died and at least 50 were injured. The death toll at Soo Line could have been higher, but the tornado struck five minutes after the lunch bell went off, meaning 100 men had left the shops.

ON THIS DATE IN 2011: The center of Tropical Storm Lee moved ashore around sunrise. It would be a while before Lee would weaken to a depression as it remained nearly stationary while the southern half of the circulation was over water, where it could continue to derive additional energy from the warm ocean. Lee brought torrential rains to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

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