Intense heat builds in the eastern half of the U.S.

Somehow, it’s the final full week of July already. It generally plays the part as heat becomes the main story, kicking flooding potential to at least second place for now.

Weather Watch

Building heat. A flex of summertime heat takes over the eastern two-thirds of the country this week. It’ll start with South and Midwest early this week. Alerts are up for about 80 million people at the moment, including extreme heat warnings from Kansas to southern Illinois, then southward along the Mississippi River. By late week, record high temperatures may become common in the Northeast.

Lingering flood risks. Many people are calling it the summer of flooding — weekend stuff included a significant event for D.C.’s suburbs. While the risks are not super high to start this week, they persist, especially in the Midwest to Ohio Valley region where a front is loitering.

Lightning links

3 people are still missing from deadly floods in Texas county, down from nearly 100. (The Associated Press)

Timelapse of massive dark cloud rolling over Zhuhai city as Typhoon Wipha hits. (Reuters)

Highest temperature on Earth this year: 127 degrees (52.8 Celsius) in Iran. (Maximiliano Herrera, BlueSky)

Monday morning weather maps

We’re on the downswing out of peak summer, per averages most spots, but it won’t feel that way much of the week. Following a brief summer respite the next several days in places like my backyard, more heat looms.

The pattern is a classic for toasty conditions in the East, and not too dissimilar than one which caused records late last month.

Most spots near and east of Inerstate 35 will experience major to extreme levels of heat risk over the next week.

Here’s how that looks on a daily level for high temperatures. The white contour is for 90 degrees or higher.

About

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

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