Late July heat wave flexing in the eastern half of the U.S.

Summer is percolating across the south and eastern halves of the United States in days to come. Many locations will see heat indexes over 100 with a large chunk surpassing 105 or even 110.

Weather Watch

Heat rules. It’s another day of extreme heat warnings for the lower Mississippi Valley to the St Louis region, where it’ll feel as hot as 110-plus. Heat advisories also run from Wisconsin to the Gulf Coast. The most intense part of this wave will shift toward the East Coast through Friday and Saturday, bringing mid-90s to around 100 actual temperature risk to places like my backyard.

Gulf system. In a replay of last week, a disturbed area of weather is moving across Florida and into the northern Gulf. It currently has a 10 percent chance of development, according to the National Hurricane Center. Sitting in a frontal zone, it will produce new rounds of heavy rain regardless of any organization or lack thereof.

Lightning links

Huge firenado spirals above Turkey wildfire. (The Weather Channel)

Heavy hailstorm in Mexico City creates a winter wonderland, delighting children. (The Associated Press)

August to start with… some blue?

Summer has been persistently hot and muggy in the Northeast U.S. A small taste of lower humidity in recent days may be followed by a more significant bout of such in about a week.

The Climate Prediction Center now has the map painted blue — for below average temperatures — in the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast in their week 2 outlook.

It’s a reminder that summer’s heat won’t last forever (it might be close in some spots!). August is typically when more regular invasions of drier airmasses of the seasons ahead start becoming more common.

About

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

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