Scorchingly Hot and Humid Weekend on Tap

wxornotBG 7/21/17: It's gonna be HOT!

Publicado por Landon Hampton em Sexta, 21 de julho de 2017


The Headline

We’ve reached the dog days of summer and boy does it feel it outside. Yesterday was quite unpleasant and today will be even worse than that.

Heat Advisory in effect from 11am-7pm Saturday. (NWS Louisville)

The National Weather Service offices in Louisville and Paducah have issued a Heat Advisory for most of the western half of the state for the day today (and the farther west you go, the longer it’s in effect). Combine hot afternoon highs well into the 90s with dew points well into the 70s and you have a recipe for dangerous heat. Heat index values will reach between 103-108º in some spots today and tomorrow.

(Giphy)

As the NWS says, this type of heat “will lead to an increased risk of heat related stress and illnesses.” They also note that the most vulnerable populations are “the very young, the elderly, those without air conditioning and those participating in strenuous outdoor activities.”

Basically, if you don’t have to be out in the heat: don’t go out into it. If you have to be out in it: drink plenty of fluids, wear some light, loose-fitting clothing and take frequent breaks. Of course, some kind of sun hat and/or skin protection is recommended as well. And always, always, always check the backseat when you leave the car if you’ve got the little and/or furry ones with you.


Forecast Discussion

What’s causing all of this heat, though?

Well, that’s all thanks to a ridge of high pressure that’s been influencing our weather for a few days, introducing increasingly hot and sticky weather with it. As the center of this high moves to the east over the Mississippi Valley, it means hot times for us.

h/t giphy.com

Combine that with southwesterly winds pumping in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and it equals hot, stagnant, soupy air.

Hi-res NAM suggesting heat indices well above the century mark this afternoon. (Pivotal Weather)

Today**Heat Advisory goes into effect beginning at 11:00 AM** Mostly sunny skies, humid and scorching. High topping out around 95º and heat indices between 100-105º. At night, the haze remains with partly cloudy skies, only falling to about 75º.

  • Wake up: 🌤🌡 75°
  • Lunch hour: 🌤🌡 92°
  • Afternoon plans: 🌤🌡 94°
  • Evening time: 🌤🌡 86°

Tomorrow? Well, let’s just say this is going to be a good Saturday to sit inside and eat ice cream.

(Giphy)

Saturday will be mostly a repeat performance of today, with a bit higher chance at relief…but still not much.

Surface Forecast valid 7pm tomorrow. (Weather Prediction Center)

The high pressure controlling our weather is going to begin to break down just a bit and slide away from us. As it does, it allows, a cold front to begin sliding toward us that’s mainly going to affect us on Sunday, but the possibility is there for a pop-up storm or two to cool us down tomorrow. Otherwise: the sauna weather continues.

Tomorrow**Heat Advisory through 7:00 PM** More mostly sunny skies and more of the hazy, hot and humid. High once again around 95º. Heat indices again between 100-105º. An isolated shower or storm can’t be ruled out though. The warm and muggy weather continues overnight, with a low only around 77º.

  • Wake up: 🌤🌡 78°
  • Lunch hour: 🌤🌡 93°
  • Afternoon plans: 🌤🌡 95°
  • Evening time: 🌤🌡 87°

Here’s where we finally get some relief.

YES. (Giphy)

That front is finally going to move in and drop our temperatures as well as provide us with some needed rainfall.

Notice our friend the big blue H over Minnesota. Next week will be much better. (WPC)

Sunday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, otherwise mostly cloudy. Highs only around 88º but with the humidity, heat indices remain near 100º. Storm chances continue overnight, falling back to around 73º.

  • Wake up: ⛅️ 78°
  • Lunch hour: ⛅️/⛈ 86°
  • Afternoon plans: ⛅️/⛈ 88°
  • Evening time: ⛅️/⛈ 76°

This front is going to work its way through Monday morning, and next week will be absolutely fantastic compared to this week. Just have to get through the heat first.


Today’s Key Points

I’m just going to leave you with this NWS slide about preventing heat deaths in a car because it’s more than warranted over the next couple of days.

(National Weather Service)

That just about does it for me! Thanks for checking into wxornotBG this morning, and be sure to follow @wxornotBG and @WKUweather on Twitter and like Landon Hampton on Facebook for the latest weather information throughout the day. Stay cool and safe!