Sweltering Stretch Continues in the Southeast

Linda Lam
Published: June 18,2015



 
There appears to be no end in sight for the sweltering heatwave in the Southeast.

A zone of high pressure has set up shop in the upper atmosphere over the region. This strong area of high pressure will help to keep conditions hot and humid for the next several days.
The result will be the three "H's" - hazy, hot and humid - with the worst of the heat stretching from the coastal Carolinas to Georgia and north Florida.

What Does It Feel Like?

High temperatures will be 5 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year into next week. This translates into highs well into the 90s, with a some areas topping the century mark.
This dome of warm air aloft won't completely suppress thunderstorms from forming, and some of those storms may produce brief strong wind gusts along with a burst of heavy rainfall that may provide some relief from the searing heat.
A few locations in the Southeast have set new daily record high temperatures over the last few days:

• Charlotte, North Carolina, set new daily record highs on Monday and Tuesday (99 degrees both days). Wednesday's high of 99 degrees was one degree short of a record. On Thursday, another record high was set with the mercury topping out at 100 degrees.
• Columbia, South Carolina, set a new record high of 101 degrees Tuesday and tied the daily record of 101 on Wednesday.
• Raleigh, North Carolina, broke the record high for Monday when the mercury climbed to 99 degrees and again on Tuesday as temperatures climbed to 100 degrees. Thursday's high tied the daily record of 98 degrees for June 18.

Additional record highs set on Monday include: Norfolk, Virginia tied a record high of 97 degrees; Knoxville, Tennessee, set a new record high of 97 degrees; and Fayetteville, North Carolina broke their record high on Monday when the mercury soared to 100 degrees.
On Tuesday, North Myrtle Beach also set a new record high of 96 degrees and Wilmington, North Carolina broke their record when temperatures reached 100 degrees.
Although not record breaking, Atlanta officially reached 90 degrees for the first time in 2015 on Sunday. The average date of the first 90-degree reading is May 31. Three consecutive days in a row the high has been 94 degrees (Monday through Wednesday). Highs in the 90s will likely stick around for the next week, and this could be the longest stretch of 90-degree days since 2012.

Hot Temperatures Continue; More Records Possible

Forecast Highs

The zone of high pressure in the upper atmosphere will be weaker and shift slightly south to close the week. This will lead to a very slight drop in temperatures in parts of the Southeast, as well as an increase in thunderstorms. Numerous thunderstorms, some severe, fired up over the Southeast on Thursday afternoon.
The area of high pressure will then strengthen again this weekend into early next week. This will likely lead to additional daily record highs being threatened.
Here are a few of the locations that may threaten record highs on Sunday and Monday along with the current record to beat in parenthesis:
Sunday: Jacksonville, Florida (99 degrees)
Monday: Columbia, South Carolina (101 degrees); Jacksonville, Florida (99 degrees); Charlotte, North Carolina (98 degrees)
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

Lows will be very warm and slightly above average, as well, with temperatures only falling into the 70s overnight. This means those without a working air conditioner will not get much reprieve from the heat at night.
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 and meteorologist Chris Dolce contributed to this report.
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