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Excessive Heat
The heat wave continues across the Tennessee Valley, with triple digit temperatures likely for some this afternoon. Yesterday a weak cool front dropped south across the region, bringing a slight chance for an isolated shower, but unfortunately, most of the rain stayed south and east of northern Alabama and southern middle Tennessee. Drier air filtered into the area behind the front, but not any cooler air. Therefore the combination of a dry ground and dry air will aid in heating up temperatures well above average for this time of year, near about 10 degrees above average actually. Highs expected across the Tennessee Valley will be in the upper 90s and low 100s.
Temperatures as of 10:00 am, heating up rapidly across the Tennessee Valley.
The unseasonably hot weather will persist through the weekend and early next week before another front will traverse the Tennessee Valley late Monday. Due to limited moisture in place, only isolated rain chances at best are likely with the frontal passage, many will stay dry. Monday will be the best chance for rain over the next seven days. Rain is needed across the southern middle Tennessee and northern Alabama as the drought conditions are slowly worsening again after briefly improving last week and the rain deficit for 2012 continues to climb. As of Friday, the rainfall deficit year-to-date in Huntsville is 5.42” and in Muscle Shoals is -7.84”. The last time the Huntsville International Airport recorded rainfall was back on Monday, June 11th and it has been that long for most across the Tennessee Valley.
Temperature trend over the next five days.
Behind the front on Monday, only a brief and slight cool down is expected. It will still be hot with highs around 90 degrees, but at least we will not experience the excessive heat we will this weekend. The brief and slight cool down will be short lived as temperatures will rebound quickly and by the end of the work week, highs will be warming up to back near 100 degrees again.
-Jennifer Watson
Twitter: @Jwatson_Wx
Facebook: Jennifer Watson WHNT
