Published: June 13,2015
If you are looking for a stretch of hot and humid weather, head to the Southeast. Sweltering conditions are expected there into much of next week.
A stalled front to the north may increase the risk of thunderstorms, especially in North Carolina, as the front wobbles at times. Otherwise, heat will be the main story for those south of the front, which will stretch from the Plains to the Northeast.
The result will be building heat and humidity through the weekend in the Southeast.
High temperatures will be 5 to 15 degrees above where you would expect them for this time of year through at least midweek. This translates into highs generally in the 90s, with a few areas topping the century mark.
The first 90-degree temperature of the year is possible in Atlanta on Sunday, where the highest temperature so far has been 89 degrees. The average date of the first 90-degree reading is May 31. Once that first 90 degrees is reached, highs in the 90s will likely stick around for the next week. This could be the longest stretch of 90-degree days since 2012.
Asheville, North Carolina, may also record its first 90-degree temperature of the year early next week. That would be ahead of schedule, since the average date is June 23.
Forecast Highs
A few locations in the Southeast may also see new daily record high temperatures set (current record is in parenthesis):
- Charlotte, North Carolina, will come close to record high temperatures on Monday (98 degrees) and Tuesday (97 degrees) as highs in the mid to upper 90s are expected.
- Charleston, South Carolina, will see temperatures in the upper 90s which may break records on Sunday (99 degrees) and Monday (98 degrees).
- Raleigh, North Carolina, is expected to see highs in the mid 90s for several days, with a new record high possible on Monday (97 degrees).
- Augusta, Georgia, may also get into the record-breaking action on Tuesday (100 degrees) as temperatures will likely get close to the triple-digit mark.
Not Just High Temperatures
Forecast Highs and Feels Like Temperature
In addition to the hot and potentially record-breaking temperatures, dew points will be high, making it feel even hotter. Dew points will climb into the upper 60s and 70s for much of the Southeast, especially in southern Georgia, Florida and near the Gulf Coast.
Highs will generally be in the 90s, with heat index values, or feels like temperatures, in excess of 100 degrees. The heat index is a measure of what it really feels like when the relative humidity is factored in with the air temperature.
(FORECAST: Tallahassee, Florida | Mobile, Alabama | Savannah, Georgia)
Muggy Nights Ahead
The last important note is that this heat and humidity will last for several days; it's not just a brief taste of summer. Most of the Southeast will see highs soaring into the 90s through next week, even as far north and west as Nashville, Birmingham, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi.
At times, the heat will surge north into the Mid-Atlantic region as well, bringing temperatures near 90 to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia at times. However, highs aren't likely to approach the levels seen Friday, when Philly tied its record high of 95.
The zone of high pressure in the upper atmosphere is expected to gradually weaken and shift slightly south by late next week, as a front approaches from the north. This will lead to a slight drop in temperatures, as well as an increase in thunderstorms.
Do yourself a favor and take it easy in these hot and humid conditions. Drink plenty of water, stay indoors – preferably with air conditioning – and wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. If you can, limit outdoor activities to the morning and evening hours.
Senior meteorologist Nick Wiltgen contributed to this report.
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