Stormy Tonight, Then Continued Hot Through The Weekend

Today was day number two of our current heat spell, but it is certainly not the last as the heat will last into early next week, and intensify over the weekend. However, we will need to get through some stormy weather this evening and early tonight.

A surface dry-line extending southward from low pressure over south-central South Dakota to extreme southwest Nebraska will push slowly east over greater Nebraska this evening and tonight. This feature, along with an upper-level trough approaching the central Rockies, and it’s associated upper disturbances embedded within it, will produce scattered showers and thunderstorms this evening and early tonight. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall, which is the main threat from, though one or two storms could become strong to severe with damaging winds and hail. However, as these features move east of Greater Nebraska after midnight, the thunderstorm activity will begin to diminish and skies will clear. Lows will be in the 60’s.

Then Friday through the weekend will feature sunshine and hot temperatures as an upper-level ridge over the Southwest rebuilds into the northern and central Plains. Both days of the weekend will be quite hot with highs from the middle 90’s to the lower 100’s. Fortunately, winds generally from a west to southwest direction should keep humidity relatively low, so heat indices should not become extreme. However, use caution if outside since the heat could still be dangerous.

The heat will continue into Monday, but a cool front will move through by later Monday, bringing the chance of some isolated thunderstorms. By Tuesday, sunshine will return along with pleasant highs in the 80’s.

Mike