The Heat Just Keeps Coming...

By Jay Grymes & Steve Caparotta

As we often say at this time of year, we can’t totally rule out a passing shower or two in our “next day” forecast, but for the vast majority it will simply be more of the same on Saturday: too hot, humid, and awfully dry with afternoon highs returning to the mid 90°s.

For Sunday, it’s once again back to the mid 90°s, and while we offer the slightest of rain chances at 10%, don’t count on any relief over the weekend.  We’re seeing more and more folks using the lawn sprinklers -- and for good reason. The same high pressure ridge in the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere that has accounted for record and near-record heat during the past week or more will remain mainly in charge through the weekend.

There are some signs that the ridge may weaken, albeit only slightly, and possibly shift to the west next week.  That should give us slightly better rain chances during the afternoons.  So our work week outlook, including the forecast for July 4th festivities, reads like a broken record: lows in the mid 70°s, highs generally in the mid 90°s, with a 20% to 30% chance of afternoon and early evening t-showers.  That forecast is still a tad shy of “normal” rain chances at this time of year (30% to nearly 40% for late June and July), and those highs still suggest warmer-than-normal weather will dominate the coming week.

And to add to the discomfort, the 3-month long-range outlook (July-August-September) from the NWS Climate Prediction Center calls for at least a 75% to 80% chance for temps to average “normal or above” for the remainder of the summer!  Is that air-conditioner in good working order?

Elsewhere ... although there is an easterly wave in the tropical Atlantic that the National Hurricane Center is watching, but any development will be slow to occur.  More importantly, there is nothing anywhere nearby for Gulf interests to worry about through the weekend or even early next week.

So please be careful in the weekend heat, don’t forget the pets . . . and as always, a big “Thank You!” to all of our Weather Watchers!