A massive heat dome spread triple-digit temperatures and smashed record highs across a vast stretch of the nation’s mid-section and prolonged the persistent searing heat in the South.
However, a cold front is bringing some much-needed relief.
July was the record hottest month for dozens of cities in the southern U.S., as well as for the planet.
This heat wave is not only keeping the South sizzling but also spreads its tentacles into the nation’s mid-section, including areas that have not been nearly as persistently hot so far this summer.
The heat will largely stay in place over much of the South at least into the weekend.
While a few areas of the mid-Atlantic may be a little warm Saturday, cooler air will then move in.
Daytime highs in the 100s are possible are still expected this weekend across much of the South from Texas to parts of Georgia and northern Florida.
Morning lows may struggle to drop below the middle or upper 70s in these areas, particularly in the core of larger cities.
Scores of daily records, both for record highs and record warm lows, will likely be set in these areas into early next week. In a few areas, some August or even all-time records are in jeopardy.
A cold front will make some progress out of the Midwest into portions of the South this weekend.
Temperature and dew points will drop behind this front, making it feel much more comfortable. Highs and lows will return closer to average and even slightly below average this weekend.
This means highs in the 70s and 80s instead of 90s to around 100 degrees. Mornings will feel much cooler as lows in the 60s will be widespread, with 40s and 50s in some areas of the Midwest.
In the South, heat relief will arrive, but will be accompanied by a chance of thunderstorms, some with locally heavy rain.
In the Tennessee Valley, heat relief will begin to arrive Sunday and last through the week. In some areas, highs may be in the 70s and 80s by mid-late week.
In the Deep South and Gulf Coast, temperatures will begin to trend less hot on Monday, especially along the northern Gulf Coast, becoming markedly so with the threat of locally heavy rain from a Gulf tropical system.
A record-strong heat dome, for some. The instigator for this expanding heat wave is something colloquially dubbed a “heat dome”.
That’s a bubble of high pressure and warm air that suppresses clouds and rain and diverts the storm track well to the north. When those happen in the heart of summer, they can lead to extended heat waves near their core.
