BLUE SKY: With sunshine in full supply across Alabama this afternoon, temperatures are in the 60s and low 70s. Tonight will be clear and cool with a low generally in the 40s.

DRY: Today is the 20th consecutive day with no rain for most of Alabama, and we see no chance of meaningful rain for at least the next 10 days. The last time we had an entirely dry October in Birmingham was 100 years ago, in 1924.

Look for sunny, pleasant days and clear, cool nights through the weekend, with highs mostly in the 70s and lows in the 40s.

NEXT WEEK: The long dry spell continues; highs will be mostly between 77 and 83 degrees, with lows in the 50s. The sky will stay mostly clear.

TROPICS: The wave near the Leeward Islands is not expected to develop; the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has dropped the chance of development to 20%.

Elsewhere, widespread showers and thunderstorms have become a little better organized today across the northwestern Caribbean Sea in association with a broad area of low pressure that is gradually becoming better defined north of eastern Honduras. Environmental conditions appear conducive for some additional development over the next day or so, and a short-lived tropical depression or storm could form before the system moves inland over Central America Saturday.

Interests in Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico should monitor the progress of this system, as tropical storm watches or warnings may be required later today. Regardless of development, locally heavy rainfall is likely across portions of Central America and southern Mexico through the weekend. The NHC gives this a 70% chance of short-term development.

No tropical systems are expected in the Gulf of Mexico through the rest of October. Hurricane season ends Nov. 30.

FOOTBALL WEATHER: We’ll have perfect weather for high school football games across Alabama tonight — a clear sky with temperatures in the low 60s at kickoff, falling into the 50s during the second half.

Saturday, Auburn plays Missouri in Columbia (11 a.m. CT kickoff). The sky will be sunny with temperatures rising from near 68 at kickoff into the low 70s during the second half.

Alabama will be in Knoxville to take on Tennessee (2:30 p.m. CT kickoff). It will be sunny and about 70 degrees at kickoff, falling into the 60s by the fourth quarter.

UAB will be in Tampa to play South Florida (2:30 p.m. CT kickoff). The weather will be sunny and warm, with temperatures in the low to mid 80s.

ON THIS DATE IN 1916: A Category 2 hurricane moved inland near Pensacola. The maximum wind velocity at Mobile was 115 mph from the east at 8:25 a.m. Pensacola had winds of 120 mph at 10:13 a.m. when the wind instrument tower was blown down.

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