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Erin getting act together over Atlantic while heat blasts Middle East

It's a rather quiet August morning in the U.S.

Another late one! I have returned to the police state we call home, so hopefully any issues with getting this produced will evaporate. Good news is there’s not a whole lot of change since yesterday, as alluded to yesterday.

Weather watch

Erin update. Tropical Storm Erin is up to 50 mph this morning, a modest increase over 24 hours but it looks much better and is poised to intensify more significantly ahead. Still poised to reach hurricane status Friday, and at least Category 3 for a major hurricane Sunday, it has days to go until it is nearing any shores, although waves will soon become quite large in the Leeward Islands of the Antilles. While it’s too soon to rule out a direct threat to the United States, a turn north and then northeast between our country and Bermuda still seems most probable.

Tropical Storm Erin east of the Caribbean Sea on Thursday.

Europe and Middle East heat. Exceptional heat has been blasting a zone from Europe to the Middle East in recent days. On Wednesday, temperatures rose near 50 Celsius in parts of Israel and Jordan, some of the hottest weather observed in the region on record. More is expected Friday with up to 120 or higher in parts of Saudi Arabia to around Israel.

U.S. heat waning. Most of the heat alerts in effect for the Lower 48 in recent days have ended. Places like Nebraska, parts of the South and the Southeast into Florida are still dealing with more than their fair share as advisories continue. Caribou, in northern Maine, hit the 90s for a fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, tying the longest streak on record there — 70s are on tap today.

Mostly rain free

It’s a fairly quiet start across the U.S. this morning. The big threat for the day is fire weather in the Intermountain West.

Where the rain at?

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Weekday morning newsletter by a journalist/forecaster. Connecting weather and climate change dots while occasionally stirring the pot.

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