Saturday, May 21, 2016

Heat & Humidity Arrive

Heading into next week we will begin to see a change in the weather across the area. High pressure will keep us sunny and dry with low humidity values for both Sunday and Monday, but things will turn hot, humid and potentially stormy beginning Tuesday afternoon. A cold front -- which will essentially act as a stationary front -- will sit across the Central Plains next week. This will be the focal point of several waves of showers and thunderstorms throughout the week for the Plains, Midwest, Missouri Valley, and Great Lakes regions throughout the week. Some of the thunderstorms -- especially south and southwest of Rockford -- will have the potential to become strong to severe. Wednesday will likely be the day we see stronger storms.

The positioning of that frontal boundary next week will allow southerly winds to bring heat and humidity into northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. These are two important ingredients for thunderstorm development and maintenance. In fact, our dew points will go from near 50° on Sunday and Monday to near 70° for the remainder of the week. That will make it feel very humid outside, and, combined with temperatures in the 80s, will make it feel hot as well. The other important thing to remember with high dew points is the potential for heavier rainfall because there is extra moisture in the atmosphere. Grab those umbrellas and prepare the car's air conditioning because it's time to get ready for a summer like week of weather!

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