You can really tell that we are definitely smack in the heart of summer. Temperatures are warm, and the humidity is right up there in the ‘miserable’ category. Classic summertime weather.
If you’re not exactly a fan of this warm and humid pattern, I have some bad news. Our weather is going to remain very warm and very humid for a handful of days yet. We probably won’t see a cooldown and lower humidity levels until the latter part of next week. It is, after all, summer. And, summers tend to be hot and humid in July and August.
Ninety-degree days around here aren’t unusual in the summer. On average, we have around a dozen or so each year. We’ve officially had 6 days so far this summer where the temperature warmed to 90° or higher. Chances favor we’ll see a couple/three more before the end of the month.
A Heat Advisory is in effect for our area until 8:00 PM due to highs in the low-90s and dewpoints around 72°. You won’t get much of a cooldown tonight. Temps will only fall off to the mid-70s – and that won’t happen until around dawn Friday morning. Dewpoints overnight will remain in the low to mid-70s.
Clouds will increase overnight ahead of a weak frontal boundary that will slowly drop south through east-central Ohio on Friday. This will raise the prospect for scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening. The odds of rain in any one location run around 60 – 70 percent.
While there may be gusty winds in some of Friday’s storms, severe winds aren’t likely. However, given the abundance of moisture in the air, a heavy downpour can’t be ruled out. Any locations that happen to get multiple downpours could see some localized flooding.
Showers and thunderstorms will gradually decrease in coverage later in the evening and overnight as the frontal boundary shifts south of the area.
Note that storms will be scattered about. There will be periods of sun, enough that it will still be a very warm and humid day. Some locations may not get any rain at all.
WEEKEND OUTLOOK
That frontal boundary to our south won’t get very far before it reverses course and shifts northward on Saturday. Again, it probably won’t rain all day, but showers and storms will be scattered about during the afternoon and evening. As it was on Friday, any of the taller thunderstorms could bring gusty winds and heavy rainfall.
The heat and humidity continue on Saturday as well. Max temperatures on Saturday in any one location will depend on cloud cover and thunderstorm development.
The front does another about-face and slides back south on Sunday as it begins to dissipate. Again, showers and storms will be around, but it won’t be an all-day rain. Precipitation odds should decrease through the afternoon and evening.
Hot and humid weather will continue into Monday and Tuesday. We may see temperatures relax by midweek with perhaps a string of below-average temps and comfortable dewpoints as August gets underway. Most of us could handle a few days in the upper 70s with mid-50s dewpoints about now.
