DRY DAYS: Alabama’s weather won’t change much through the weekend as a dry air mass stays in place. We expect mostly sunny days and fair nights. Afternoon temperatures will reach the low 90s, but nights will remain pleasant, with lows in the 60s.

For now, it looks like most of next week will be dry, although we will mention some risk of isolated showers Wednesday. Some uncertainty is introduced by the end of the week with potential tropical development in the Gulf of Mexico, but for now our forecast will be based on the reliable European global model, which keeps a tropical low far to the south through Friday.

TROPICS: A broad area of low pressure could form by early next week over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. Thereafter, gradual development of this system is possible, and a tropical depression could form as the system moves slowly to the north or northwest over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and into the southern Gulf of Mexico through the middle of next week. The National Hurricane Center maintains a 40% chance of development.

The two major global models are split on how this plays out; the European keeps a weak tropical low in the southwest Gulf of Mexico through the next 10 days, but the American Global Forecast System brings the system toward the central Gulf Coast at the end of next week. There is no skill in forecasting the placement or intensity of a tropical cyclone beyond seven days; it is too early to know the outcome of this. We will be watching closely.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: The sky will be clear for the high school games across the state tonight with temperatures falling into the 70s.

Saturday, Auburn hosts Arkansas (2:30 p.m. kickoff) at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The sky will be sunny with temperatures in the low 90s at kickoff, falling into the 80s by the fourth quarter.

Jacksonville State hosts Southern Miss (2 p.m. kickoff) at AmFirst Stadium. Expect a sunny sky with a kickoff temperature near 90 degrees.

Troy hosts Florida A&M Saturday (6 p.m. kickoff). The sky will be clear with temperatures about 88 degrees at kickoff and mid 70s by the final whistle.

ON THIS DATE IN 1909: A large, deadly Category 3 hurricane made landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana, during the late evening. The states of Louisiana and Mississippi experienced catastrophic damage resulting in 371 deaths.

ON THIS DATE IN 2017: Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm. It left the entire island without power and nearly 3,000 people dead over the next several months.

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