Hot and Getting Hotter.

Hot and getting hotter pretty well sums up our short term forecast. In fact, some of the guidance continues to suggest that we will have another round of triple digit temperatures on this side of the state over the next couple of days. Have been reluctant to go to that extreme as at least up till now, the guidance has had a warm bias. However, starting to think we may just have another triple digit day or two in our future before the seasons change.

Before getting around to that, need to mention a piece of energy aloft will be drifting overhead through tonight and into the day Friday. So far, that system has only produced some clouds and little or no precipitation. But, have to at least consider the possibility of a few isolated showers/storms for Friday, particularly in the more terrain favored locations of extreme E OK. Also, a few more clouds in the sky may keep our overnight temperatures a bit warmer with mid 70s as a general rule to start the day Friday.

Once that system moves on by, weak subsidence aloft should allow for warmer, drier air to become more established over us, particularly by Saturday. That will open the door for some triple digit temperatures that afternoon and heat index values could be as much as 105. For that matter, Friday afternoon will be in the upper 90s and some locations could see actual triple digit heat along with heat index values of 100+.

We will also have light S to SW surface winds so not much in the way of ventilation to provide any relief either.

By late Sunday or more likely during the overnight hours, a weak front will be pushing across the state bringing some relief from the heat for Labor Day itself and into early next week. There will also be just a slight chance of showers/storms as the front pushes through, but right now it does not appear to be much of a rain maker. Sunday will still be hot and humid with enough cloud cover to keep us just below triple digits although the heat index will likely be above 100 again.

The more NE to E winds behind the weak front should keep our daytime highs closer to 90 for early next week and with the much longer nights that we now have, we will likely be dropping back into the upper 60s for the early morning hours so some relief there as well.

Wish I could say we had a more significant rainmaker headed our way, but that does not appear to be in the cards just yet. Notice the 7 day QPF map on the right which suggests only some light precipitation if anything at all. Unfortunately, the guidance for the following week after that is also trending toward the dry side of things.

So, stay tuned and check back for updates.

Dick Faurot