Friday, July 22, 2011

    Heat advisory is still in effect for our area until 8 PM tonight. Widespread excessive heat warnings AND air quality alerts are also in effect for many neighboring counties. High pressure still holding strong across the east, making it hazy hot and humid once again today. Dew points are still in the low to mid 70s & visibility is reduced to 2 or 3 three miles.

    Forecast stays dry for much of today with sun/cloud mix. Scattered cloud cover doing what it can to inhibit maximum solar radiation receipts today. Temps sitting in the mid 80s in Morgantown at the moment. Heat index sits at 92 F at noon. Forecast calls for highs in the mid to upper 90s with heat indices in the 100-105 range again by this evening.

    A weak cool front from the Great Lakes will brush mainly the northern sections of our from the Great Lakes this evening into tonight. Ahead of the front, daytime heating and nearly saturated air will trigger a few isolated storms as early as mid to late afternoon. With plenty of available moisture, heavy rainfall can be expected from any storms tonight. Tranquil overnight with lows falling to the upper 60s/low 70s. More patchy valley fog will develop after midnight, into Saturday.

    Just a few degrees cooler Saturday & Sunday. But things will still be plenty humid with highs in the low to mid 90s. Caution should still be exercised when engaging in outdoor activity over the weekend.

    We'll keep the chance for a few scattered showers & storms during the day Saturday. Deeper moisture & northwest air flow will bring more widespread thunderstorm activity Sunday & Monday. And again any storms that do fire would have the potential to produce heavy rain & water problems such as ponding on roadways. As much as 1.5 to 2 inches of new rainfall could occur, mainly west of I 79 over the weekend.

    Temperatures will regulate just a little bit as we start next week. Highs will be in the upper 80s/low 90s. Dew points in the mid to upper 60s are in store during the Monday. Chance for scattered showers and storms will get squashed by slightly cooler & drier air Monday night. Forecast will stay dry Tuesday next week through at least midweek. More hot air will lift north Wednesday, keeping the forecast hot and humid into the end of the work week next week.

3 Day rainfall map courtesy of HPC. Click to enlarge.