Steamy and Stormy Holiday Weekend Forecast

Nicole Madden,

AM Headlines:
  • Code Orange Air Quality Alert in effect through midnight
  • Rain, a few storms move in this AM
  • Isolated severe threat overnight, Saturday PM
    • Damaging wind, large hail = greatest concern
  • Steamy Weekend
    • Heat Index = 100-105
  • Hot, Scattered Storms for the 4th of July
Discussion:
A code orange air quality alert remains in effect through midnight tonight. Once again, an inversion has trapped smoke closer to the surface so expect hazy skies this morning. Ongoing storms to our north and west are racing toward the Carolinas. We’ll see showers and a storm or two through the morning. Highs will reach the low 90s today, but it will feel like the upper 90s with humidity. Overnight another strong cluster of storms will race toward the region. This time bringing a bit more organized storms to the area overnight. The storm prediction center has highlighted a slight risk for areas north and west of I-85. Damaging wind and hail will be the biggest threats. Highs will reach the low 90s Saturday but it will feel like the triple digits. Storms will start to flair late in the afternoon after the overnight storms that push into the region. The hottest day of the weekend will come on Sunday. Heat indices will reach 100-105 across the region. I would not be surprised to see a heat advisory issued..a few afternoon storms will be possible. As we move into Monday and the 4th of July holiday a cold front will push into the region bringing more rain and storm chances to the area. Temps will cool ever so slightly for the 4th with highs back in the low 90s. Chance for afternoon and early evening storms will stretch through the next week, but no day, in general, will be a washout for any of the fireworks.