Sweltering Monday Ahead of Tropical Storm Ida Impacts

AM Headlines:

• Ida will bring heavy rain/wind to the southeast
• Extreme heat to end August in the Carolinas
• Impacts from Ida late Tuesday into Wednesday

Today will be another sweltering summer afternoon for the region with highs reaching the mid to upper 90s. Heat indices will surpass 100 under mostly sunny skies. The heat and humidity will continue Tuesday ahead of Ida’s impacts with the rain and wind picking up Tuesday evening.

All eyes have been on Ida as the storm is still bringing heavy rain, storm surge, and damaging wind to Louisiana. As of 3am, all of Orleans parish is without power (where New Orleans is located) Lake Ponchatrain is dealing with significant storm surge as it floods areas north of the city. Ida is now a category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph and gusts of 125 mph. It will push further into Missippi and Alabama today. Locally, the Carolinas will begin to feel impacts of Ida late Tuesday into Wednesday. The center of the storm will move into Virginia, but we’ll be on the right side of this storm, meaning we’re at risk for tropical spin-ups. The biggest severe threat will be Tuesday night into Wednesday. Heavy and storms will be possible with the highest rainfall totals across the higher elevations. The Piedmont can expect up to an 1″ of rainfall. Much cooler after Ida with highs topping out in the mid 80s and overnight lows dropping into the lower 60s. Dry and sunny the rest of the week with temperatures climbing Labor Day weekend back near 90.