Heat and air quality concerns Friday

Friday is shaping up to be another scorcher and our hottest day of the week. Expect plenty of sunshine from start to finish with afternoon temperatures climbing to near 100°. Add in the increasing humidity, and it’ll feel more like 105 degrees during the hottest part of the afternoon. If you’re planning to spend any time outdoors, take frequent breaks, drink plenty of water, and try to avoid strenuous activities.  It’ll stay hot and muggy well into the evening before temperatures slowly begin to ease after sunset. Also a few isolated storms across the High Country and Foothills are likely early evening.

Looking ahead to the weekend, we’re finally watching a change develop. It’ll still be hot, with afternoon highs in the lower to middle 90s and heat index values hovering around the 100-degree mark, but a cold front moving toward the Carolinas will give the atmosphere enough energy to spark scattered thunderstorms each afternoon.

These won’t be all-day, instead, expect the typical summertime setup where some communities stay completely dry while others get soaked in a matter of minutes. Any storm that develops could produce torrential rainfall, gusty winds, and frequent lightning. Once the front moves through, we’ll be watching for a gradual drop in humidity early next week, making the heat a little more manageable.