Intense heat continuing into the holiday weekend
Dangerous heat building
The intense heat rolls right into Friday, which is shaping up to be another scorching day across the region. High temperatures will once again push into the upper 90s to near 100 degrees, and it will stay very warm well into the evening. A few isolated mountain storms could pop up late in the day, but most communities across the foothills and Piedmont should stay dry. The bigger story remains the dangerous heat and the toll it can take if you’re outside too long. We are likely to see daytime high records broken here in Charlotte which 99° set in 1931.
Saturday:
The holiday weekend is not bringing much relief. Saturday looks hot, steamy, and mostly dry for much of the area. Afternoon temperatures will climb back into the mid to upper 90s, and when you factor in the humidity, it could feel closer to 100 to 105 degrees during the hottest part of the day. A stray afternoon thunderstorm can’t be ruled out, especially in the mountains, but many areas will stay rain-free and bake under a mix of sun and clouds.
Sunday:
Sunday brings more of the same, with another hot and humid summer day across the Carolinas. Highs will likely reach the mid to upper 90s again, and it will still feel oppressive during the afternoon. We may start to see a slightly better chance for a few scattered thunderstorms by late day as the weather pattern begins to loosen up just a bit, but this is not a major cooldown by any means. Any storms that do develop could offer some localized relief, but the heat will remain the dominant headline.
Monday:
By Monday, we should see at least a small increase in afternoon storm chances as that subtle pattern shift continues. It still looks hot, with highs likely in the lower to middle 90s, but a few more clouds and scattered thunderstorms could help shave a couple degrees off the hottest spots. Not everyone will see rain, but Monday appears to offer the best chance in several days for more communities to pick up a passing shower or thunderstorm during the afternoon and evening.
Tuesday Morning:
Heading into Tuesday morning, it will still feel very summer-like with warm and muggy conditions hanging around overnight. Temperatures will likely settle back into the low to mid 70s by daybreak, and there may still be a little leftover cloud cover. Even with a few more storm chances returning by early next week, this overall pattern stays hot and humid, and there’s no major cooldown in sight.
The dangerous heat remains the biggest story through the holiday weekend and into early next week. Rain chances stay limited through most of the weekend, with only isolated mountain storms each afternoon, and while we may squeeze out a few more scattered storms by Sunday and Monday, the heat is not going anywhere anytime soon. Take care of yourself, your people and pets!
